Living in Holland now, I am learning a different cultures sayings. What are some of your favorite sayings - what country are they from?
My two favorite American sayings right now are:
"Its better than a poke in the eye" as in: How's that new job? Better than a poke in the eye. (not bad, thanks...)
or my all time favorite saying:
"More (something) than you can shake a stick at" as in: Texas has more cows than you can shake a stick at.
Cause I can shake a stick at a whole lotta cows!!
Dutch (correct me native Nederlanders) Varkentje wassen or washing the little pig
I'm told two meanings, one is its an easy task, and others say its a seemingly easy task that is hard.
Since washing a little pig is probably harder than it looks, I lean to the latter definition.
Get better Doc, maybe you will get a chuckle from someones funny sayings. Laughter if not the best medicine, makes for a good roommate.
How about a "shotgun wedding"? This a forced wedding, the idea being that the groom is being forced to the altar at the business end of a shotgun.
"In the doghouse". Origin of the phrase: You are in trouble with the wife. Hence you are not allowed to sleep inside and must sleep in the doghouse for shelter.
Here's some I jokingly say to my 5 year old quite often:
"Why you little...!" (thanks Homer)
"One of these days, Riley, POW! to the moon!" (thanks Ralph Kramden)
"Why, I oughta..." (thanks Larry, Curly and Moe)
butter my biscuit (or the ever increasing popular one -- butter my butt and call me a biscuit)<--personal favorite
rode hard and put up wet
actin' above your raisin'
like white on rice
I'm in the Southern Appalachians, there are hundreds more. One of the quirks of our dialect (especially in older generations) is to put "a" in front of random words -- "I'm a-goin to get ready to go."
butter my biscuit (or the ever increasing popular one -- butter my butt and call me a biscuit)<--personal favorite
rode hard and put up wet
actin' above your raisin'
like white on rice
I'm in the Southern Appalachians, there are hundreds more. One of the quirks of our dialect (especially in older generations) is to put "a" in front of random words -- "I'm a-goin to get ready to go."
afore = before
When I lived in North Carolina I learn several new words and phrases
younguns = children
grand younguns = grand children
front room = living room
eatin' table = dining room table
hey = hello (universal throughout the state, no one ever said Hi or Hello, always "Hey")
my favorite phrase = "You're dumber than a sack of hair."
I like the italian "Se non è zuppa, è pan bagnato" , much more than the same expression in french which is "C'est blanc bonnet et bonnet blanc" (that is more or less "Six of one and half a dozen of the other").
At home we use a lot "Al pan, pan y al vino, vino" (spanish) ("to call a spade a spade").
And of course "curiosity killed the cat" (la curiosidad mató al gato).
I love how sayings in some countries make absolutely no sense when translated to other languages.
My mom says this one to me all the time and is one of my favorites: (German)
Ich liebe dich, du holdes wesen, du ausgenutzter Kuhstall Besen
Translated to English:
I love you, you awesome being, you used-up cowstall broom.
=)
Some other translated German sayings:
-When the mouse is full, the flour tastes bitter.
-Girls that whistle and Roosters that crow. Both should have their necks rung
-When the rooster crows in the hay, either the weather will change or it will stay the same
and so many more...
