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Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:36 pm
by Goblin voice
Ok... here's a good one:
What's the most silly expression in your language...
I think the silliest Swedish expression is -
Det är ingen ko på isen- which means... that there is no need to hurry

Re: Which languages?
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:40 pm
by KalleFlaxx
Goblin voice wrote:Ok... here's a good one:
What's the most silly expression in your language...
I think the silliest Swedish expression is -
Det är ingen ko på isen- which means... that there is no need to hurry

Dude... Where did you hear that expression? Never heard it before. You sure you didn't just make it up?

Re: Which languages?
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:42 pm
by Goblin voice
KalleFlaxx wrote:Goblin voice wrote:Ok... here's a good one:
What's the most silly expression in your language...
I think the silliest Swedish expression is -
Det är ingen ko på isen- which means... that there is no need to hurry

Dude... Where did you hear that expression? Never heard it before. You sure you didn't just make it up?

No I most certanly did not... but it's not commonly used since it's so silly
I heard it in one of the
revyer that are on TV from time to time

Re: Which languages?
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:44 pm
by KalleFlaxx
Weird....

Re: Which languages?
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:46 pm
by Goblin voice
KalleFlaxx wrote:Weird....

And weird expressions are the type of expressions I was looking for

Re: Which languages?
Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:47 pm
by KalleFlaxx
Awesome! Anyways, this is going a little bit offtopic. And I'm going to bed now, so, see ya!

Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:38 pm
by Argonanza
Gå som katten runt het gröt.. Why would a cat walk around a bowl of hot porridge? Cats hate porridge..
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:56 pm
by Andere
A reply to this far: there may be local expressions and proverbs, not known in other parts of the country. Especially parts bordering to another country may have them?
In Finland, we have lots of sayings with f-words... an incredible amount of them, I've never liked them, I don't like f-words, to me they represent poverty of intellect.
But one interesting one with no f-words is, when you're asked "How's it going?", you answer
"On kuin jäitä polttelis" = "It's like burning ice".
I've never really understood it. It may be because I'm a part of the Swedish speaking Finns, not 100% Finn. There's a part in me that doesn't understand a part of Finnish ways etc.
Ok, this was my two cents - I believe that's an appropriate anglo-expression?

At least "Have a nice day" is.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:30 pm
by The Tom
English has few truly memorable phrases, but Russian is full of them! Here's what I can remember from lessons-
Близoк локотoк, да не укyсишь - your elbow is close but you cannot bite it.
Перo сокoлье, а нутрo ворoнье - the feather of a falcon and the inside of a crow.
Красиво жить не запретишь - you can't stop people living beautifully.
Дуракaм закoн не писан - law is not for fools.
Дoма и стeны помогaют - at home even the walls are helpful.
I haven't got a clue what they mean but they sound cool.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 5:53 pm
by legoless
The Irish language as a whole usually sound silly when directly translated. A few English sayings said in Ireland are evidence of this, such as "c'mere till I tell ya" or "there it was, gone". It originates from Irish grammar, which sounds like bad English. Another example of Irishism would be the fact that "a couple" doesn't always mean two. This comes from the word
cúpla, which means 'a few'.
Edit: After looking it up, I've realised I use these kind of phrases all the time. My English must suck...

Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:04 pm
by Drethelis
Who let the cat out of the bag?
How does releasing a feline from imprisonment within a sack or other soft container indicate revelation of a once unbeknown secret? I must be missing something.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:06 pm
by Veck
Drethelis wrote:Who let the cat out of the bag?
How does releasing a feline from imprisonment within a sack or other soft container indicate revelation of a once unbeknown secret? I must be missing something.
It supposedly comes from this.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:10 pm
by Leilah
In Afrikaans that one's even worse: "Die aap is uit die mou", which translates as "the monkey is/was let out of the sleeve". It makes even less sense.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:23 pm
by Blackhawk Vegal
It is what it Is?
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:34 pm
by Spiney
'i' before 'e' except after 'c'. A useless expression to describe the 'ie' and 'ei' in words. Even though a bunch of words break that rule.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:54 pm
by evenratman
Spiney wrote:'i' before 'e' except after 'c'. A useless expression to describe the 'ie' and 'ei' in words. Even though a bunch of words break that rule.
I always say that in my head when I write words that follow this rule. It's just fun to say.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:50 pm
by I_am_one
"Who would put a cat in a bag anyways? Cat hate bags." I'm going to use that whenever someone says something about "letting the cat of the bag", assuming I remember.
My math teacher said this today, "We're not using these because I don't trust you, I just don't trust your neighbor," Only two people got it, including me...
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:17 am
by Dark Lord Cam
The customer is always right.
Anyone who has ever owned a store or worked a shift in one will know that this is NOT TRUE.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 2:11 am
by Master of Puppets
I_am_one wrote:"Who would put a cat in a bag anyways? Cat hate bags." I'm going to use that whenever someone says something about "letting the cat of the bag", assuming I remember.
My math teacher said this today, "We're not using these because I don't trust you, I just don't trust your neighbor," Only two people got it, including me...
You were using screens, I presume?
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:00 am
by Jpot
Spiney wrote:'i' before 'e' except after 'c'. A useless expression to describe the 'ie' and 'ei' in words. Even though a bunch of words break that rule.
You forgot the addendum. The full saying is
" 'I' before 'E' except after 'C'
or when sounded like 'A' as in 'neighbor' or 'weigh'.
I hadn't heard the second part until recently, but I find that it makes the rule at least somewhat more helpful.
Counterfeit.
Damn.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:03 am
by videogmer314
Jpot wrote:Spiney wrote:'i' before 'e' except after 'c'. A useless expression to describe the 'ie' and 'ei' in words. Even though a bunch of words break that rule.
You forgot the addendum. The full saying is
" 'I' before 'E' except after 'C'
or when sounded like 'A' as in 'neighbor' or 'weigh'.
I hadn't heard the second part until recently, but I find that it makes the rule at least somewhat more helpful.
Counterfeit.
Damn.
In English, there are more exceptions than rules.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:13 am
by Jpot
True enough. On-topic:
Being "caught red-handed" means to be caught in the act of a crime. It always reminds me of stealing things in Oblivion, haha.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:18 am
by Spiney
Jpot wrote:True enough. On-topic:
Being "caught red-handed" means to be caught in the act of a crime. It always reminds me of stealing things in Oblivion, haha.
Not really silly but more ironic.

Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:48 am
by Jpot
It actually comes from clumsy animal thieves being caught with the blood of the animals on their hands.
Re: Silliest expression in your language?
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:53 am
by Dark Lord Cam
Do as I say, not as I do
Hypocrisy at it's finest.