A world of idioms!

[Quincy]

Hello everyone,

I hope you are well.

Today I thought we could discuss idioms, as I am sure that many of you use them on a daily basis, I've definitely spotted a few here in the CC!

In our office, I am lucky to work with colleagues who speak different languages and it makes it very interesting to exchange idioms with each other.

Below are the different idiomatic ways of describing 'heavy rain' in a few languages :-).

English: It's raining cats and dogs
German: Es regnet in Strömen (It's raining in currents)
Spanish: Llueve a cántaros (It's raining in jugfuls) 
Italian: Piove a catinelle (It's raining like from basins)
Dutch: Het regent pijpestelen (It's raining pipe stems)
French: Il pleut comme une vache qui pisse (It's raining like a cow that's weeing) 
Greek: Brékhei kareklopódara (It's raining chair legs)
Polish: Jak z cebra (It's raining like from a wooden bucket)
Portuguese: Está chovendo a cântaros (It's raining jugs)

I think it's really interesting how often we use idioms when talking to each other. If you know some idioms (in any language), it would be great if you could share them here as it'd be fun to learn some new ones!

I look forward to seeing your answers!

Quincy

[Emily352]

It’s not in common use today, @Quincy.  I doubt you'll hear it often on a visit to Italy.

In any case, when you make a declaration of love to an Italian girl and she hesitates to answer, ask her:

"Do you have ears lined with ham? = Hai le orecchie foderate di prosciutto? = I  lӫ  ӧrekyӫ  fode’rӓtӫ  dӫ  prӧshӧo’tӧ?

Ahahahah!

[Quincy]

Thanks for clarifying @Emily352, I will try to remember this one for when I visit Italy haha!

@Kimberly54 and I were having a laugh! 

I've seen a version of this idiom that mentions the eyes as well? 

Italian: Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto
English: To have one's eyes lined with ham? (to be unable to see what is distinctly in sight) 

[Kimberly54]

OK, @Emily352 & @Quincy... what is this Italian-thing about cured HAM????  I've been to Italy a bunch of times (so I know they are truly crazy!) ;-))  But I thought it pretty much revolved around pasta and sex.  I went gluten-free about 2 years ago, but I was once a MASTER pasta maker (learned from some real greats!) and I remember seeing an ad in a pasta magazine (yes, there is such a thing)--the image was of a very beautiful naked woman only scantily covered with loooooong strands of linguini.  SoooooooooOOOoooo Italian! 

So now it's ham in the ears and ham around the eyes?  My goodness.  I never knew.

Prosciutto to you both,

😉

[Emily352]

Idioms proper are divided into logical and non-logical, whose meaning is immediately (or almost immediately) clear, and those which have to be explained to be understood. Italian has fewer of the non-logical type than English.

In short, you have no call to be so highly idiomatic in Italian as you are in English, in the sense of using idioms of the fixed sort (such as “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”, in Italian “se son rose fioriranno” = if they are roses, they’ll bloom).

Naturally, a few idioms here and there, in the proper context, brighten up the conversation no end…but be sure that it is the proper context.

1. Avere le orecchie foderate di prosciutto = to have wax in one’s ears
2. Avere gli occhi foderati di prosciutto, avere le fette di salame sugli occhi (to have slices of salami on the eyes) = to bury one’s head in the sand / to go around with one’s eyes shut

These two idioms (1. Who does not hear or does not want to hear; 2. Who does not see something obvious) derive from Italian dialectal forms used in two regions, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, areas famous for the production of salami, mortadella, zampone (a Christian speciality of Modena), cooked and raw hams.

Do not put a foot wrong, but if you do, it doesn’t matter. The Italians are always with you from the start, as you’re taking the trouble to learn their language.

And now, “In bocca al lupo!” (In the mouth of the wolf, in English “Good luck!”) to @Quincy and “Best prosciutto” to @Kimberly54

Emily

[Kimberly54]

@Emily352, I HOPE I didn't offend you by saying that Italians are crazy?  I really meant that in a loving way!

Super impressed with what you just wrote. 

Prosciutto always,

[Emily352]

I agree with you, @Kimberly54. The Italians are crazy, they have oatmeal between their ears.

Prosciutto forever

Emily

[Michael1651]

Great to read!