Translation Dictionary of Idioms

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jacob
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Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by jacob »

My google-fu is failing me ... but I'm looking for a dictionary of idioms that shows idioms in different languages along with translations both literally and in terms of meaning.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiom#Translating_idioms

Does such a book exist?

Toska2
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by Toska2 »

Urban dictionary? It's used for English-slang.

jacob
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by jacob »

I'm looking for something like

Swedish: "det är ingen ko på isen så länge rumpan är i land" (there's no cow on the ice as long as its rear-end is on land)
Danish: "der er ingen ko paa isen" (only half of the idiom is used ... maybe because lakes rarely freeze over, literally)
English: N/A but means "Don't worry, it's not critical".
etc.

English: "hot potato" (a controversial and risky issue to be passed along ASAP)
Danish: "varm kartoffel" (same thing)
etc.

I suppose I enjoy aphorisms and idioms as a way to express common human concepts ... and was wondering how they connect between different languages and cultures.

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jennypenny
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by jennypenny »

DD says there's a TESOL textbook that does almost that (focusing on english obviously) but she can't remember the name of it.

BRUTE
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by BRUTE »

jacob wrote:
Sat Jul 08, 2017 1:04 pm
Posts: 9001
over 9000 :D

7Wannabe5
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

They do exist. I used to own one that was Arabic to English, and I used to frequently happen upon Yiddish to English variety at book sales. Try using the keywords "sayings" or "wisdom."

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Chris
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by Chris »

It's won't be complete, but Wiktionary might be helpful: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hot_potato

BRUTE
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by BRUTE »

good link from what Chris posted:
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_idioms

wow, fascinating category: snowclones
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix ... ill_travel

DSKla
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by DSKla »

I have only seen these specific to one language per book. For example, I have a book of Cajun French idioms translated into English. For aphorisms, Publilius Syrus is great, and I suppose you could get the original Latin, as well as translations into English and other tongues. A ton of modern English expressions are derived from him.

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fiby41
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Re: Translation Dictionary of Idioms

Post by fiby41 »

Equivalent to first example could be don't make a mountain out of a moe hill in English and don't make an elephant from a fly in Russian.

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