Sayings in English that seem odd in Polish?

Quoting: blackadder

little off topic,but it's close enough...
english word thank you very much in croatian sounds like tank is chasing a big cat
so don't talk too fast english in croatia,people might get confused,maybe call for some AT support to save a little kitten:)

shewolfThreads: 5 Posts: 1,834 Joined: Dec 23, 06	Edited by: shewolf Jan 29, 07, 03:03 / #
Here's a question for anyone who speaks Polish and who learned English later in life. What did you first think when you heard English sayings like "as easy as pie" or "it's no picnic" or "it's no day at the beach"? Are these sayings also found in Polish or do they seem weird? Are there any English sayings that you can think of that sound weird or don't make sense?

shewolfThreads: 5 Posts: 1,834 Joined: Dec 23, 06	Jan 29, 07, 10:54 / #
Here's another saying "a pie in the sky".

krysiaThreads: 26 Posts: 3,604 Joined: Aug 10, 06	Jan 29, 07, 10:56 / #
How about "Bone to pick" or "sitting on pins and needles"

globetrotterThreads: 4 Posts: 129 Joined: Jan 8, 07	Jan 29, 07, 11:03 / #
As right as rain Pleased as punch Ship shape and Bristol fashion Sick as a parrot mad as a hatter The list is almost endless....

ZgubionyThreads: 21 Posts: 2,037 Joined: Oct 20, 06	Edited by: Zgubiony Jan 29, 07, 11:07 / #
Hotter than a fresh fcuked fox in a forrest fire...southern style .....but really, no one says this

AmathystThreads: 30 Posts: 3,967 Joined: Nov 10, 06	Jan 29, 07, 11:12 / #
Hmmmm....not something that would come in to conversation in England Mr Z.... Nice as pie pig sick The cat that got the cream Working like a pit pony Out of the frying pan into the fire

shewolfThreads: 5 Posts: 1,834 Joined: Dec 23, 06	Jan 29, 07, 16:33 / #
Thanks everyone. Those are all funny.

GRUBBY	Dec 12, 07, 05:32 / #
hI i AM LOOKING AT GETTING A TATTOO IN POLISH ( TO RESPECT MY GRANDPARENTS) SO IF THERE IS ANY ONE THAT COULD GIVE ME THE SCRIPT OR LET ME KNOW WHERE TO GET IT THAT WOULD BE GREAT

GosiaaThreads: 5 Posts: 96 Joined: Aug 18, 07	Dec 12, 07, 05:43 / #
Pikuś - means its easy

blackadderThreads: 4 Posts: 403 Joined: Jun 28, 07	Dec 12, 07, 06:24 / #
little off topic,but it's close enough... english word thank you very much in croatian sounds like tank is chasing a big cat so don't talk too fast english in croatia,people might get confused,maybe call for some AT support to save a little kitten:)

gosiaczekThreads: 3 Posts: 89 Joined: Nov 17, 07	Edited by: gosiaczek Dec 12, 07, 07:38 / #
Quoting: shewolf and who learned English later in life does it make any difference? my 17-year-old cousin, whom I teach english, always asks why english speakers have so strange sayings. the answer probably is that each nation (society?) has developed certain way of conceptualising world and the sayings often reflect the way the perceive it. personally, I often wonder if "not my cup of tea" has something to do with the tradition of drinking tea:) I never use this one, although I know the meaning because it seems strange to me

ShelleySThreads: 18 Posts: 3,647 Joined: Jun 26, 07	Edited by: ShelleyS Dec 12, 07, 08:03 / #
URL Here are a few more English sayings along with their explinations. :)

dtaylorThreads: 15 Posts: 992 Joined: Sep 15, 07	Dec 16, 07, 08:56 / #
chewing on a badly rolled kebab.........ill give points to anyone who can think of the meaning:P

plk123Threads: 30 Posts: 6,412 Joined: Aug 29, 07	Edited by: plk123 Jul 15, 08, 23:33 / #
gosiaczek: "not my cup of tea" most americans drink coffee not tea but the saying is quite popular here. dtaylor: :P forget the points, just pass it on anyway. :D

Irisheyz77Threads: 6 Posts: 46 Joined: Sep 6, 07	Dec 16, 07, 08:09 / #
Quoting: blackadder little off topic,but it's close enough... english word thank you very much in croatian sounds like tank is chasing a big cat so don't talk too fast english in croatia,people might get confused,maybe call for some AT support to save a little kitten:) laughs Good to know though if I ever go to croatia.....I am a fast talker....considered so even by native English speakers.

SashaThreads: 2 Posts: 1,597 Joined: Apr 19, 08	Jul 16, 08, 01:28 / #
blackadder: little off topic,but it's close enough... english word thank you very much in croatian sounds like tank is chasing a big cat Heh... :) I've never thought of it before.

MarekThreads: 4 Posts: 1,120 Joined: Feb 15, 07	Jul 16, 08, 10:11 / #
Sitting on pins and needles = Siedzic na szpilkach (the Polish has eliminated the needles and kept only the pins -:) Compare Yiddish-English: I'm sitting on shpilkes.

puercoespinThreads: 1 Posts: 155 Joined: Jun 8, 08	Jul 16, 08, 22:37 / #
to knock somebody up e.g. sledz knocked krysia up :)

BarneyThreads: 16 Posts: 1,622 Joined: May 26, 08	Edited by: Barney Jul 17, 08, 08:18 / #
"A bee in a bottle" is a good description of an ineffective usually young rent-a-mouth. "Rent-a-mouth" (that is an other one) someone with a half baked opinion on everything and a full baked opinion on nothing

MarekThreads: 4 Posts: 1,120 Joined: Feb 15, 07	Jul 17, 08, 14:09 / #
I meant 'siedziEć na szpilkach' -:)

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,726 Joined: Mar 10, 08	Jul 17, 08, 14:57 / #
This isn't a saying, I just never looked at the word before I was teaching it to Poles several years ago, the word is butterfly, simple enough until a student exclaimed butter fly????

BondiThreads: 4 Posts: 148 Joined: Sep 11, 07	Jul 20, 08, 09:19 / #
Illogical sayings like “stone cold” instead of “ice cold” do me head in. ;o) But I like the funny ones: “he dropped his guts” (i.e. he farted), “piece of piss” (i.e. “peace o’cake”, easy) etc.

MarekThreads: 4 Posts: 1,120 Joined: Feb 15, 07	Jul 21, 08, 09:52 / #
Preferrably a 'piece', and not 'a piss' of cake.-:) LOL At least Hungarians don't have the same burden of comical pronunciations because of long vs. short vowels (for that matter consonant quality) as do our Spanish-speaking neighbors. Recently, I was asked in class about the meaning of the famous 'Gothic bowel movement'. Thought I would crack up with laughter, which luckily, I managed to surpress.