this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2024
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What are some (non-English) idioms, and what do they mean (both literally and in context)? Odd ones, your favorite ones - any and all are welcome. :)

For example, in English I might call someone a "good egg," meaning they're a nice person. Or, if it's raining heavily, I might say "it's raining cats and dogs."

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (4 children)

In most languages, "get well soon" is expressed as good wishes. In Russian, they use the imperative form, so it is like an order or a command. It's буд здоров(а), which is literally "be healthy" as a command. They also use it as "bless you" after sneezing. (For those whoe can't read Cyrillic, in Latin it's approximately said like "bud zdarov(a)". The -a suffix is the female version, without it is male.)

In French, the expression "du coup" (it means something like "therefore" or "so" or "thus") can be used in place of like 10 other expressions.

  • Ainsi
  • Donc
  • Alors
  • Tout à coup
  • Soudainement
  • En conclusion
  • Si je comprends bien
  • De ce fait
  • Ce qui fait que
  • En conséquence
  • Consequémment

Is all being replaced by "du coup".

In German, capitalisation matters. In contrast with many other languages, nouns must be capitalised, or it changes the meaning. For example:

  • Helft den Armen vögeln
  • Helft den armen Vögeln

Notice how only the capitalisation changed. The first sentence means "help the poor to fuck" while the second sentence means "help those poor birds".

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I didn't know that about German and capitalization. That's fascinating! How would that play out verbally? Would you just have to figure it out from context?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Yes, from context

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

I took German classes in high school and have been struggling ever since not to automatically capitalize nouns when I write in English. It's been like 25 years.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

"Get well soon" is imperative!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

In French, the expression "du coup" (it means something like "therefore" or "so" or "thus") can be used in place of like 10 other expressions.

  • Ainsi
  • Donc
  • Alors
  • Tout à coup
  • Soudainement
  • En conclusion
  • Si je comprends bien
  • De ce fait
  • Ce qui fait que
  • En conséquence
  • Consequémment

But "consequently" and "so" and "in conclusion" can all be replaced by "therefore" in English as well as in French ... if one accepts a lack of nuance and depth.

There are subtle differences in all of them, and for instance switching "suddenly" for "if I understand well" would often confuse the listener.