Advanced Search

Question about English translation of phrases

Recent › Forums › Main Forum › Welcome Mat › Question about English translation of phrases

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • 02/10/2016 at 2:56 am #31056
    Mark76
    Participant
    • Topics: 179
    • Replies: 2760

    Gents, I have a question about how to translate two phrases into English. I cannot find them in the dictionary or with Google.

    • My car sometimes breaks down unexpectly. Here we say it was probably made on Monday morning, so we call it a “Monday morning copy”. How would you call this in English?
    • I am not a very handy person when it comes to constructing things. Here we say I have two left hands. How would you call this in English? (I seem to recall it was something with thumbs, but I forgot the phrase.)

    Thanks!

    Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

    02/10/2016 at 4:28 am #31057
    Mikedoh
    Moderator
    • Topics: 38
    • Replies: 571

    My version of the first one: assembled on Monday from parts made on Friday.

    Second one : I’m all thumbs.

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    wickededge
    02/10/2016 at 6:35 am #31059
    Andrew
    Participant
    • Topics: 9
    • Replies: 37

    Agree with the second one.

     

    Regards the first one, I would say its a Friday night car. The idea being, most people finish on Friday for the weekend and just want to get out of work, so don’t care as much about how things are done and if its done right. That’ll do, being a popular attitude at such times

     

    Cheers

    1 user thanked author for this post.
    wickededge
    02/10/2016 at 11:41 am #31068
    wickededge
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 123
    • Replies: 2939

    In English we call those phrases whose meaning isn’t easily inferred from the literal translation of the words idioms or idiomatic phrases.

    -Clay

    02/10/2016 at 12:35 pm #31074
    Anonymous
    Inactive
    • Topics: 14
    • Replies: 427

    As a retired automotive engineer, I can address the first translation… A car break down is not the fault of the designer or manufacturer… we professionals call this  problem to be the result of  ” A loose nut behind the wheel ”

    02/10/2016 at 12:44 pm #31076
    Mark76
    Participant
    • Topics: 179
    • Replies: 2760

    Thanks guys. (And by the way, it’s called an idiom in Dutch, too.)

    But do I understand it correctly that Americans would translate it as “assembled on Monday from parts made on Friday” and British as “made on Friday”?

    This particular situation concerns a kitchen knife (usually not made up from many parts), so I’m still doubting whether this knife was made on Monday or Friday…

    Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.