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Idioms in translation - plants (May 17, 2011)
Thread poster: Silvio Picinini
Silvio Picinini
Silvio Picinini  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 18:02
English to Portuguese
+ ...
May 17, 2011

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Since we all miss former president Bush so much, I thought of these two idioms that are plant-related:

1. beat around the bush
Fig. to avoid answering a question; to stall; to waste time. Stop beating around the bush and answer my question. Let's stop beating about the bush and discuss this matter.

2. bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Prov. Having something for certain is better than the possibility of getting something better.

And this one about trees:

3. bark up the wrong tree
Fig. to make the wrong choice; to ask the wrong person; to follow the wrong course

Definitions are from theFreeDictionary.com.
Have fun.

[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2011-05-19 15:47 GMT]
 
JH Trads
JH Trads  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 21:02
Member (2007)
English to French
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idioms and expressions w/plants/ fruit/vegetables May 17, 2011

*It’s not all peaches and cream

*To think that life is a bowl of cherries (in Sp: creer que todo el monte es orégano)

One in Spanish: "meterse en un berenjenal" (eggplant field, meaning to get oneself into a real jam)

Two funny sentences I came accross:

He is only pretending, like a pig inserting scallions into its nose in an effort to look like an elephant

You look as if a possum has been eating a persimmon
 
Sumbrs
Sumbrs
Local time: 04:02
English to Latvian
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Latvian May 18, 2011

1. beat around the bush — runāt riņķī un apkārt (= to speak around the subject)

2. bird in the hand is worth two in the bush — labāk zīle rokā nekā mednis kokā (= it is better to have a tit in the hand than a grouse in the tree)

3. bark up the wrong tree — nākt uz nepareizām pēdām (= to follow the wrong scent), būt uz maldu ceļa (= to be on the wrong track)
 


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Idioms in translation - plants (May 17, 2011)






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