Thread: Proverb Discussion

Greetings Everyone:

This time I have a new one for you! Each of my chapters in the book has a Russian proverb as a title.

I have found one that I do not understand what the moral is of the proberb and am hoping that people can give me some clues as what to the moral should be.

Since I have the Russian and English already I put this under General Discussion and not the Translation Forum, I hope that was okay.

• Соловья́ ба́снями не ко́рмят.
o Transliteration: Solov'ya basnyami ne kormyat.
o Translation: The nightingale can't be fed by fables.

Also, if you have some other nice proverbs or a link to some that have the Russian transliteration and English, please let me know as well as need some more.

As always, please answer me in English
Rockzmom

Hi, rockzmom

1. I think that "Соловья́ ба́снями не ко́рмят" means "Fine words butter no parsnip". "The nightingale can't be fed by fables" seems to be a loan-translation.

2. Please see lots of English/Russian proverbs http://www.homeenglish.ru/Proverb.htm

You are welcome!

Originally Posted by msbll

1. I think that "Соловья́ ба́снями не ко́рмят" means "Fine words butter no parsnip". "The nightingale can't be fed by fables" seems to be a loan-translation.

And I liked the Nightingale one it sounded pretty.

Now I am worried about the rest of the tranlations that I have as I got them all from the same 47 page document

ran

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Now I am worried about the rest of the tranlations that I have as I got them all from the same 47 page document

1. Please send us the tranlations, if any, so that we try to put them right

2. The slides from "Ruslan and Liudmila" movie are posted here http://teachpro.ru/course2d.aspx?idc=20198&cr=4 (First please find Александр Сергеевич Пушкин (1799-1837). Then please find Фильмография and then go to Руслан и Людмила below.)

3. Please make use of the best Russian/English free online dictionary multitran http://multitran.ru/c/m.exe?a=default&SHL=1&hl=1
There are also other following languages - German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Japanese
I think itis helpful.
Here is info about multitran in wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multitran

Originally Posted by msbll

3. Please make use of the best Russian/English free online dictionary multitran

msbll:

Thank you for the links. I actually tried the Соловья́ ба́снями не ко́рмят in the multitran and it found the nightingale phrase along with the one you mentioned!

соловья баснями не кормят | g-sort
gener. fine words butter no parsnips; kind words butter no parsnips; soft words butter no parsnips; hungry bellies have no ears; the belly has no ears
set phr. fair words fill not the belly (used to mean: you can't feed the hungry with words. said (in good humour or seriously) to point to the vital necessity of giving somebody food, money or certain property without delay); the belly is not filled with fair words; bare words buy no barley; an army marches on its stomach; no nightingales live on fairytales; fair words butter no parsnips; a fine cage won't feed the bird (Anglophile); it is no use preaching to a hungry man (Anglophile)

Can you help me understand what you meant by a "loan-translation?" I do not know that term.

Thanks,
Rockzmom.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Can you help me understand what you meant by a "loan-translation?" I do not know that term.

Thanks,
Rockzmom.

Loan-translation is a translation "word-by-word", I think. It supposed to have much less sense in such way of translation. As for me, I like "world-by-word" translation of proverbs, it helps to understand a foreign culture more than you just put an equal common variant as a result of translation.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Can you help me understand what you meant by a "loan-translation?" I do not know that term.

A calque or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word or root-for-root translation.
For example, the common English phrase "flea market" is a phrase calque that literally translates the French "marché aux puces".
Please http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calque

You are welcome!

Hi, here some more russian proverbs and translations:
Пиво без водки - деньги на ветер. Drinking the beer without vodka is simply to spend money.
На вкус и цвет товарища нет. There's no accounting / disputing for taste.
Незваный гость хуже татарина. An uninvited visitor is worse than a Tatar.
Слово не воробей - вылетит не поймаешь. A word is not a sparrow; when it flies out you can not catch it.
За двумя зайцами погонишься, ни одного не поймаешь. Grasp all, lose all.
Любовь зла - полюбишь и козла. Love is vicious - you can fall in love with the billy-goat.

The provebs from site http://www.polyglot-online.com/

Originally Posted by msbll

For example, the common English phrase "flea market" is a phrase calque that literally translates the French "marché aux puces".

It's interesting, which language the Russian phrase "блошиный рынок" (literally equal to both English and French) was borrowed from?

Начала изучать изучать английский совсем недавно, и по мере продвижения, часто приходит на ум такая поговорка: Чем дальше в лес, тем больше дров. А также ее более современный вариант: Чем дальше в лес, тем толще партизаны. Думаю, что изучающие русский тоже с этим согласятся.

Больше грязи - толще морда. - the more dirt, the fatter your face.
Хорошей свинье все впрок. - Everything is fine for a good pig.
Работа не волк - в лес не убежит. - Work isn't a wolf. It wont run away into the forest.
От работы кони дохнут. - Нorses die from work.
Трудом прадедным не построиш палат камееных. - By doing honest work you won't build yourself a stone mention.

Originally Posted by Syeager

Трудом праведным не построишь палат каменных.

Could anyone explain to me when exactly you use this proverb?

Не плюй в колодец, пригодится водицы напиться

Originally Posted by vnp

Could anyone explain to me when exactly you use this proverb?

Не плюй в колодец, пригодится водицы напиться

Direct translation: "Don't spit into a well, you may need it later to quench your thirst."
Used in the meaning :"Don't carelessly insult or harm somebody, you may need his (her, their) help in the future."

Originally Posted by Basil77

Used in the meaning :"Don't carelessly insult or harm somebody, you may need his (her, their) help in the future."

I don't think it's only about "somebody", it is about "something" as well.

Originally Posted by Оля

Originally Posted by Basil77

Used in the meaning :"Don't carelessly insult or harm somebody, you may need his (her, their) help in the future."

I don't think it's only about "somebody", it is about "something" as well.

Of course . I just hadn't an idea how to describe this in one phrase.

Oh!!! I see now!!!

Понял! Спасибо большое! ^ ^

Btw, how do you say this "Oh!" in Russian?

Originally Posted by vnp

Btw, how do you say this "Oh!" in Russian?

You may laugh, but it's "А!"

(strongly speaking, "Oh" would be "О" in Russian, but in Russian it often sounds too melodramatic, so in most cases we say "А!" or "А-а-а-а!" where you say "Oh" in English).

Hi everyone.... I am bringing this thread back again...

Looking for MORE proverb titles for the chapter titles of the book!

So please help me out:

Here are some proverbs that we have found... we just need to know if...
1. They Russian proverbs?
2. IF yes, please translate into Russian for me.
3. IF no, please correct the English to be the correct version of the Russian version of the proverb (if there is one) and THEN write it for me in Russian as well.
OR Suggest a better proverb!!

Thank you!!!!


1. For this one I am trying to replace the title of "Silent Treatment" so a possible idea I found was, "Speech is silver but silence is gold" maybe you have a better idea, if so let me know.

2. A bargain is a bargain

3. A good face is a letter of recommendation

4. Actions speak louder than words

5. All truths are not to be told

6. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you know lies.

7. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

8. Cold hands warm heart

9. Dumb dogs are dangerous

10. Wise after the event

11. While there is life there is hope

2. A bargain is a bargain - Уговор дороже денег (literally "A bargain is more valuable than money", i.e. you must keep your word whatever the cost)

3. A good face is a letter of recommendation - it's not Russian. There's a Russian proverb "Встречают по одежке, а провожают по уму" - a rough translation is "Greeting you people judge you by your clothes, and saying goodbye they judge you by your mind".

4. Actions speak louder than words - Дела говорят громче слов. People use this phrase sometimes, but it seems like a word-by-word translation, and not the genuin Russian proverb. There's a saying (which is not a proverb either, but still..) "Больше дела, меньше слов" - "Less words, more action"

5. All truths are not to be told - I can't think of any equivalent at the moment.

6. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies. - the same

7. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - a word by word and rather pompous translation "Красота в глазах смотрящего". Russian equivalents are "О вкусах не спорят" (Don't argue about tastes") and "На вкус и цвет товарищей нет" (~ There is no agreement (friends) about tastes and color)

8. Cold hands warm heart - Холодная голова, горячее средце (Cold head, hot heart) A popular phrase from Soviet propaganda was "A KGB agent must have cold head, hot heart and clean hands".

9. Dumb dogs are dangerous - Глупые собаки опасны (literal translation). I think there's a directly opposite Russian proverb "A dog that barks do not bites".

10. Wise after the event - a good Russian saying "Задним умом крепок" (~ Smart in a hindsight).

11. While there is life there is hope - Пока есть жизнь, есть надежда (and other variations).