this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023
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In Finnish we have "kissanristiäiset" (literally means a cat's christening), which means some trivial and meaningless celebration/event.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (12 children)

(American) English ones that come to mind:

  • it's raining cats and dogs (it's pouring rain)
  • I really shit the bed on this one (I fucked up really bad -not sure how widespread this is)
  • a turd in the punch bowl (someone is singlehandedly ruining something, usually an event)
  • don't blow smoke up my ass (be honest with me)
  • a walk in the park (pleasant/easy task)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

"Raiining cats and dogs" is not of American origin. The precise origin is unknown, but the first recorded uses are British, dating from the early to mid 17th century (Earliest uses are raining "dogs and cats" and "dogs and polecats".) although it's possible the phrase is significantly older than this.

The phrase is well known and widely used in the UK, and I doubt anyone here would consider it an American phrase.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

“Raiining cats and dogs” is not of American origin.

Nobody said it was of American origin. You're putting words in the parent commenter's mouth and then choosing to argue against them. That's why people take issue with your comment. If you want to contribute to the conversation without coming off as argumentative then frame your point as adding to the conversation not as an argument against something that wasn't said.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Nobody said it was of American origin

I know. Go back and read what I wrote. The only argument here was started by you. The only person putting words in others' mouths is you.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The phrase is well known and widely used in the UK, and I doubt anyone here would consider it an American phrase.

Yes, and it's used in many other places in the world that isn't America either. That doesn't change the fact that it is widely used in America. You may not have intended for your comment to come off as argumentative. But it did. You're the one that joined the conversation by explaining that it's not an American saying. It is a common saying in American English which is all the parent comment asserted.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

And I didn't assert otherwise. Perhaps improve your own reading comprehension before wading into a discussion of the English language.

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