Spring Break
Lost in Translation?
A Brief Guide to Idiomatic Awareness
Andrew J. Wylie (NI), Associate Editor
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Humor
Communicating in a second language is difficult. The peculiarity of idioms is that speakers often do not want to be taken literally. In a community as diverse as HBS, there is ample opportunity for humorous misunderstanding.
One aspect of communicating in a foreign language that offers particular difficulty is mastery of idiomatic expression. Idioms are often nonsensical expressions when taken literally - only through cultural familiarity are they effective. The following collection of idioms is presented in rough literal translation into English. It is evident that despite best intentions, a speaker's meaning can be quite literally lost in translation.
Translations are rough, and not meant to be taken as authoritative.
Idiom's meaning:
An ineffective comparison.
In English: That's like
comparing apples to oranges.
In German: That's like comparing
apples to pears.
In Mandarin: Like matching a cow's head to a horse's mouth.
Idiom's meaning:
There is a heavy rainfall.
In English: It's raining cats and dogs.
In Dutch: It's raining water spouts.
In German: It's raining out of flower pots.
In Japanese: An untranslatable word that represents the sound of rain.
In Mandarin: It's pouring buckets.
Idiom's meaning:
To have a hangover.
In Dutch: I am brackish.
in Japanese: I am second-day drunk
in Spanish: I have a mouse (Venezuela); I'm raw (Mexico).
Idiom's meaning:
To convey acceptance when
something undesirable happens.
In English: S$*# happens.
In Croatian: What happens, happens.
In French: That is life.
In Mandarin: The heart is cold and
your spirit is low.
Idiom's meaning:
A person is a bit quirky.
In English: They have a screw loose.
In German: They don't have all their cups in their cupboard.
In Mandarin: Chinese pronunciation of the English word "hysteria."
Idiom's meaning:
Being too detail oriented and missing the big picture.
In English: Can't see the forest for the trees.
In Mandarin: Picking up sesame seeds instead of the watermelon.
In Spanish: Don't look for three legs in the cat.
Idiom's meaning:
Wishing someone good luck.
In English: Break a leg.
In Danish: Snap and break.
In German: Break your neck and leg.
In Russian: Brief dialogue: No fluff, no feathers. To he##.
Idiom's meaning:
Catchy phrase for living a healthy life.
In English: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
In Russian: He who doesn't smoke or drink will die healthy.
Idiom's meaning:
Description of a person who is able to drink a lot of alcohol.
In English: Having a hollow leg.
In German: You drink like a hole.
In Japanese: Being a "drink-alot" person.
In Mandarin: Not falling even after 1000 cups.
In Thai: Having a hard neck.
Idiom's meaning:
Have fun, but be careful.
In English: Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
In Croatian: Put a brain In your head.
Idiom's meaning:
Much ado about nothing.
In English: Making mountains out of molehills.
In Dutch: Making an elephant out of a mosquito.
In Hindi: Making a hill out of mustard seeds.
Idiom's meaning:
Description for a certain mischievous activity involving bodies in water.
In English: Skinny dipping.
In Portuguese: Taking a moonbath.
Idiom's meaning:
Please stop pushing a certain idea or agenda (i.e. because I won't change my opinion).
In English: Drop it; don't get your hopes up.
In Portuguese: Take the little horse out of the rain.
Idiom's meaning:
Finding out the true meaning of something.
In English:Getting to the bottom of things.
In Dutch: That's when the monkey came out of the sleeve.
Idiom's meaning:
Are you trying to trick me?
In English:Are you pulling my leg?
In Dutch: Are you sewing an ear on me?
In German: Are you apple-ing me?
In Hindi: Are you pulling my leg?
Idiom's meaning:
It's better to have a (little) certainty than a (large) potential.
In English: A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
In Dutch: A bird in hand is worth ten in the air.
Idiom's meaning:
Associated with the notion of hypocrisy.
In English: The pot calling the kettle black.
In Hindi: The robber is yelling at the policeman
Idiom's meaning:
To disappear without a trace.
In English: Vanish into thin air.
In Hindi: To become nine, two, eleven.
One aspect of communicating in a foreign language that offers particular difficulty is mastery of idiomatic expression. Idioms are often nonsensical expressions when taken literally - only through cultural familiarity are they effective. The following collection of idioms is presented in rough literal translation into English. It is evident that despite best intentions, a speaker's meaning can be quite literally lost in translation.
Translations are rough, and not meant to be taken as authoritative.
Idiom's meaning:
An ineffective comparison.
In English: That's like
comparing apples to oranges.
In German: That's like comparing
apples to pears.
In Mandarin: Like matching a cow's head to a horse's mouth.
Idiom's meaning:
There is a heavy rainfall.
In English: It's raining cats and dogs.
In Dutch: It's raining water spouts.
In German: It's raining out of flower pots.
In Japanese: An untranslatable word that represents the sound of rain.
In Mandarin: It's pouring buckets.
Idiom's meaning:
To have a hangover.
In Dutch: I am brackish.
in Japanese: I am second-day drunk
in Spanish: I have a mouse (Venezuela); I'm raw (Mexico).
Idiom's meaning:
To convey acceptance when
something undesirable happens.
In English: S$*# happens.
In Croatian: What happens, happens.
In French: That is life.
In Mandarin: The heart is cold and
your spirit is low.
Idiom's meaning:
A person is a bit quirky.
In English: They have a screw loose.
In German: They don't have all their cups in their cupboard.
In Mandarin: Chinese pronunciation of the English word "hysteria."
Idiom's meaning:
Being too detail oriented and missing the big picture.
In English: Can't see the forest for the trees.
In Mandarin: Picking up sesame seeds instead of the watermelon.
In Spanish: Don't look for three legs in the cat.
Idiom's meaning:
Wishing someone good luck.
In English: Break a leg.
In Danish: Snap and break.
In German: Break your neck and leg.
In Russian: Brief dialogue: No fluff, no feathers. To he##.
Idiom's meaning:
Catchy phrase for living a healthy life.
In English: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
In Russian: He who doesn't smoke or drink will die healthy.
Idiom's meaning:
Description of a person who is able to drink a lot of alcohol.
In English: Having a hollow leg.
In German: You drink like a hole.
In Japanese: Being a "drink-alot" person.
In Mandarin: Not falling even after 1000 cups.
In Thai: Having a hard neck.
Idiom's meaning:
Have fun, but be careful.
In English: Don't do anything I wouldn't do.
In Croatian: Put a brain In your head.
Idiom's meaning:
Much ado about nothing.
In English: Making mountains out of molehills.
In Dutch: Making an elephant out of a mosquito.
In Hindi: Making a hill out of mustard seeds.
Idiom's meaning:
Description for a certain mischievous activity involving bodies in water.
In English: Skinny dipping.
In Portuguese: Taking a moonbath.
Idiom's meaning:
Please stop pushing a certain idea or agenda (i.e. because I won't change my opinion).
In English: Drop it; don't get your hopes up.
In Portuguese: Take the little horse out of the rain.
Idiom's meaning:
Finding out the true meaning of something.
In English:Getting to the bottom of things.
In Dutch: That's when the monkey came out of the sleeve.
Idiom's meaning:
Are you trying to trick me?
In English:Are you pulling my leg?
In Dutch: Are you sewing an ear on me?
In German: Are you apple-ing me?
In Hindi: Are you pulling my leg?
Idiom's meaning:
It's better to have a (little) certainty than a (large) potential.
In English: A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
In Dutch: A bird in hand is worth ten in the air.
Idiom's meaning:
Associated with the notion of hypocrisy.
In English: The pot calling the kettle black.
In Hindi: The robber is yelling at the policeman
Idiom's meaning:
To disappear without a trace.
In English: Vanish into thin air.
In Hindi: To become nine, two, eleven.
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