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Thread: Let's play a game called: Stupid Idioms

  1. #21
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    never heard the first one, the second is a play on words and wont translate properly anyway and the 3rd ты меня достал is a good translation
    Не откладывай на завтра того, с кем можешь переспать сегодня
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  2. #22
    Завсегдатай Basil77's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    Quote Originally Posted by Basil77
    the last piece of cake did not last long Перед смертью не надышишься.

    make like a tree and leave делать ноги, рвать когти, смываться, сваливать.

    I've had about enough of you Ты меня достал, ты у меня в печёнках сидишь, ты мне все уши прожужжал, задолбал, заколебал
    Not even close!
    I'd like to see your translations then. And if you want an example of stupid Russian idiom can you guess what does mean Раздавить ерша (to smash a rag bolt)?
    Please, correct my mistakes, except for the cases I misspell something on purpose!

  3. #23
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    "Not enough room to swing a cat". Stupid, isn't it?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNcwTF1Eo70

  4. #24
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    [/quote]I'd like to see your translations then. And if you want an example of stupid Russian idiom can you guess what does mean Раздавить ерша (to smash a rag bolt)? [/quote]

    I can guess, but I prefer that you show me; perhaps, by demonstrating it in your your avatar!

    In my poor Russian, this is how I would say these sentences.

    The last piece of cake did not last long.
    Последный кусок торта не продолжался долго.

    Make like a tree and leave!
    Представьте себя деревом и как его листи, отлетайте!

    I've had about enough of you!
    Моё терпение с вами почти исползованное!
    DO IT YOURSELF!

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    Последний кусок торта не продолжался долго.

    Представьте себя деревом и, как его листья, отлетайте!

    Моё терпение с вами почти использованное!
    These sentences sound unnatural and almost meaningless.
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    These sentences sound unnatural and almost meaningless.
    That is not surprising, as I warned, but makes a point. In English, syntax (word order), is very important. All English students learn in grade school: "subject, predicate, object" when writing a sentence, and this is how we speak English. But anyone who studies Russian soon realizes Russian does not use word order as strictly as do English speakers. Russians seems really confusing to me, as English probably does to you!

    THIS IS WHY, I think that most all the textbooks I have ever seen on teaching language are virtually useless and a waste of time!!!
    DO IT YOURSELF!

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    The last piece of cake did not last long.
    Последный кусок торта не продолжался долго.

    Make like a tree and leave!
    Представьте себя деревом и как его листи, отлетайте!

    I've had about enough of you!
    Моё терпение с вами почти исползованное!
    Well, you showed us a direct translation which doesn't make any sense.
    About piece of cake - I know people say this when something seems to be an easy task for them to perform but this phrase baffles me.

    Make like a tree and leave - I had imagined the process after I googled a little and read about this idiom (the most close one I managed to find in Russian was "выметайся отсюда")

    About the third one - As Basil77 said - Ты меня достал sounds pretty fine for me to be an equivalent. You could even use an almost direct translation: "С меня достаточно"
    Send me a PM if you need me.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    Quote Originally Posted by Оля
    These sentences sound unnatural and almost meaningless.
    That is not surprising, as I warned, but makes a point. In English, syntax (word order), is very important. All English students learn in grade school: "subject, predicate, object" when writing a sentence, and this is how we speak English. But anyone who studies Russian soon realizes Russian does not use word order as strictly as do English speakers. Russians seems really confusing to me, as English probably does to you!

    THIS IS WHY, I think that most all the textbooks I have ever seen on teaching language are virtually useless and a waste of time!!!
    I said this ("These sentences sound unnatural and almost meaningless") to you just for information, not for offend at all.
    In Russian, all nationalities and their corresponding languages start with a lower-case letter.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    Make like a tree and leave!
    In russian version of cinema "Back in future" this idiom translates like as "Прикинься деревом и катись отсюда"
    http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...us/mage7yu.jpg
    God granted me the serenity to accept the things
    I cannot change
    Courage to change the things I can
    And wisdom to know the difference

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
    Well, you showed us a direct translation which doesn't make any sense.
    About piece of cake - I know people say this when something seems to be an easy task for them to perform but this phrase baffles me.
    "
    The above sentence is not an idiom or expression, per se, just perfectly normal and understandable English. The only unusual thing about it is that the word "last" has two different meanings and each is a different part of speech. The first use of "last" is as an adjective; the second use is as a "verb". I have been trying to think of other examples like this, but have not come up with another, yet.

    The whole cake was eaten except for one remaining piece. But in a hungry family, that "last" remaining piece was soon eaten (it did not survive "last" very long.

    Idioms are the reason why a computer will never be able to speak language!! The human brain is and will remain the most powerful force in the universe, especially when humans actually start using it!!!!
    DO IT YOURSELF!

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
    Well, you showed us a direct translation which doesn't make any sense.
    About piece of cake - I know people say this when something seems to be an easy task for them to perform but this phrase baffles me.
    "
    The above sentence is not an idiom or expression, per se, just perfectly normal and understandable English. The only unusual thing about it is that the word "last" has two different meanings and each is a different part of speech. The first use of "last" is as an adjective; the second use is as a "verb". I have been trying to think of other examples like this, but have not come up with another, yet.

    The whole cake was eaten except for one remaining piece. But in a hungry family, that "last" remaining piece was soon eaten (it did not survive "last" very long.

    Idioms are the reason why a computer will never be able to speak language!! The human brain is and will remain the most powerful force in the universe, especially when humans actually start using it!!!!
    I understood that but I thought that this is some kind of an idiom. That wordplay would have worked in Russian, but not in English to my opinion, because of its strict word order rules. It appeared clear as a day that the first "last" was an adjective and the second one was a verb. I looked for some hidden meaning "between the lines", googled a bit but with with no resutls.
    Am I understanding right that "piece of cake" generally means "easily"?
    Send me a PM if you need me.

  12. #32
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    Да!
    "piece of cake" is a common expression meaning "easily".
    But not in this case.
    The sentence was, as I said, not an idiom or colloquial expression.
    It was was just an example of language that is illogical and confusing to people trying to learn a new language systematically, word by word, instead of naturally.

    Here's an example of a Russian sentence I found this morning.
    "Может, полученная в детстве травма тебя подстегнула?

    If I translated this sentence word for word into English:
    "Maybe, the received in childhood trauma you stirred up?"

    This would be nonsensical to an English speaker at first.

    But I know enough about Russian now to put it into logical English:
    "Maybe the trauma you suffered in childhood motivated you?"
    DO IT YOURSELF!

  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    I can guess, but I prefer that you show me; perhaps, by demonstrating it in your your avatar!

    In my poor Russian, this is how I would say these sentences.

    The last piece of cake did not last long.
    Последный кусок торта не продолжался долго.

    Make like a tree and leave!
    Представьте себя деревом и как его листи, отлетайте!

    I've had about enough of you!
    Моё терпение с вами почти исползованное!
    Thanx, but even with my poor English, I could do direct translation myself. I'v just tried to find the closest Russian idioms .
    And about my example - it just means "to mix vodka with beer" . I wonder, how can I show that to you in my avatar??!
    Please, correct my mistakes, except for the cases I misspell something on purpose!

  14. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by Siriusly
    Attention: preciseogical is a word I just invented because I have ten thumbs.
    Could you elaborate that?
    Send me a PM if you need me.

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
    I had imagined the process after I googled a little and read about this idiom
    That is not fair! You'r cheating! :P
    Please, correct my mistakes, except for the cases I misspell something on purpose!

  16. #36
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    Question of the day: who can guess what does the idiom "харчами похваляться" mean?

    (A rare one)
    Send me a PM if you need me.

  17. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Basil77
    Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
    I had imagined the process after I googled a little and read about this idiom
    That is not fair! You'r cheating! :P
    I'm not playing, I learn here.
    Send me a PM if you need me.

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
    I'm not playing, I learn here.
    So am I, but a game can be helpful too.
    Please, correct my mistakes, except for the cases I misspell something on purpose!

  19. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
    Question of the day: who can guess what does the idiom "харчами похваляться" mean?

    (A rare one)
    Бoast about your food?



    Лол, я не имею ни малейшего представления об этом.

  20. #40
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    does it mean like to be able to do something really well?
    Не откладывай на завтра того, с кем можешь переспать сегодня
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