Learning a new language is a gradual process, and for me, just when I think I’m doing great, I’ll say something that gets lost in translation. Sometimes it’s weird and other times it’s hilarious, but it always reminds me that I still have a LOT to learn. English sayings are one area where a direct translation rarely works out well, so read on to check out a new infographic from iDBUS that will prove that a word-for-word translation might get you into trouble in French!
Ready to get lost in translation? GO!
Lost in translation
Have you ever confused someone in a foreign language because you mixed up a word or saying? Maybe you were pretty sure that what you were saying was correct but after seeing the perplexed looks from those around you, you realized maybe you made a mistake. I’ll save my more embarrassing stories for another post, but I will share the one story that I won’t let my husband Tom live down.
It was shortly after we met and he was telling me (in English) about things he likes to eat. He kept telling me that it’s very normal for French people to eat seagulls and that they’re really good plain or even with bread. He was especially excited to tell me how great they taste eaten WHOLE on the barbecue. WHAT?? I became more and more horrified as he went on and wondered if there were seagull hunters and if it’s normal to see seagulls being killed on beaches or what. He told me they’re pretty cheap and you can get them in the grocery store.
He seemed confused when I said Americans do NOT eat seagulls and they are certainly NOT available in the grocery store!
Naturally, I asked some questions to clarify and he told me they came in cans and that you can swallow the bones and all. At this point, not knowing Tom that well, I figured he was one of those weirdo French people and started backing away. I finally asked him how to say seagull in French and he said it’s une sardine. Then, I realized the mistake. For some reason, he confused sardine and seagull in his mind (though sardine is the same word in both languages). Just a mental block. (BTW, a seagull is une mouette.) I was relieved to know that eating seagulls isn’t a common practice. But he did have me going for a good five minutes. And now every time we see seagulls at the beach, I ask him if he’s hungry. 😉
So when it comes to sayings, a direct translation might not always work (especially if you mix up one of the main words by accident). The sayings just don’t translate. The French have their own sayings that mean very different things. Here are some of the funnier ones, courtesy of iDBUS, a European bus company that offers affordable ways to get around Europe. Whether you’re traveling to/from France from the UK or elsewhere, iDBUS coach travel is worth a look and is a great alternative to flying or taking the train.
Now for the infographic with the French equivalent of common English language sayings:
Lost In Translation – An infographic created by iDBUS coach travel
You can also check out infographic here. And be sure to check out the iDBUS contest on Facebook going on now where you can win two tickets to Paris with iDBUS for telling your lost in translation story!
such a cute graphic. Very adorable. =)
These are not literal translations- these are the French equivalents of English sayings. It’s sad that even English speakers have such a hard time with the word ‘literal’.
I agree that it might have been clearer to write “the French equivalent of common English-language sayings” so that’s why I wrote that in my post, although the creator of the infographic chose other language. Even if the use of “literal” wasn’t correct, I think the content of the infographic was great so that’s why I shared it! Thanks for checking out my post!
I think that the thing that is literal is the illustration that accompanies the sayings. It could be: “English and French sayings with literal illustrations”, but I am not sure if it is correct to use ‘literal’ with ‘illustration’.
That makes sense. Thank you for weighing in and checking out the post!
I was taught in high shool French class that the French equivalent of “raining cats and dogs” was “raining nails”? Dialectic variation perhaps?
Hi, I just checked with my French husband to be sure and he said the saying is raining ropes. He’s never heard it as raining nails.
I originally learned the phrase as “pleuvoir des hallebardes” (“to rain halberds”). Later, when I travelled to Quebec, I heard the idea expressed as “il tombe des clous” (“it’s raining nails”),.
Maybe the expression “raining ropes” came about because most people have never heard of a halberd (it’s a kind of medieval battle-axe).
Interesting! I love learning about all the different variations of French. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, in Canadian French, “il pleut des clous” is a more common expression. In fact, I have never heard of it raining ropes. So I guess it is more of a dialectic (if that’s a word) thing.
Cool, thanks for sharing!
It’s too bad that the person who made the infographic didn’t understand the idiomatic English expression “to rock the boat.” It’s about literally rocking a boat, which makes it unstable, which is what you’re trying to avoid. It has nothing to do with rock and roll music. Meanwhile, we also have a more parallel, equivalent expression to the French one, “stir up an anthill” or a hornet’s nest.
A German colleague once said to me “You can pinch a rhino on the horn” which is similar to the English “You can push a rock uphill” describing the absurdity of a meaningless task.