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"Leje jak z cebra"



tomekcatkinsThreads: 13
Posts: 173
Joined: Oct 9, 07 		  Jun 8, 09, 19:44 /  #
Where comes this saying from? Do they mean 'raining so much like the thick stripes on the zebra'???

It's more strange then the English equivalent. :D
gumishuThreads: 17
Posts: 3,943
Joined: Apr 6, 09  Pictures: 1 		  Jun 8, 09, 20:38 /  #
hi tomek

ceber is a kind of bucket (a wooden one)

so it can be put as 'leje jak z wiadra'

you know what it looks like when you pour or splash water out of a bucket

it is of course kind of exageration - it never actually rains like this
tomekcatkinsThreads: 13
Posts: 173
Joined: Oct 9, 07 		  Jun 8, 09, 20:41 /  #
Ah I was thinking of a 'cebra' (animal) because the English use animals as well in their saying.

Splashing water out of buckets makes more sense indeed! :D

Thanks!
MichalThreads: -
Posts: 2,408
Joined: Feb 27, 07 		  Jun 8, 09, 21:08 /  #
Its a Polish expression, which is translated as 'its raining cats and dogs' in English.
Jamiro   Jun 19, 09, 16:52 /  #
Yeah, and what cats and dogs got to do with rain?
MichalThreads: -
Posts: 2,408
Joined: Feb 27, 07 		  Jun 21, 09, 11:33 /  #
You could say the same thing about a ceber, a pail.
graceingdanskThreads: -
Posts: 27
Joined: Jun 26, 09 		  Jun 26, 09, 18:21 /  #
I believe you're right tomekcatkins.
The french also say 'raining buckets' as opposed to the English 'raining cats and dogs'.
Jamiro, for an explanation, go to: joe-ks.com/phrases/phrasesR.htm
Lyzko   Jun 26, 09, 23:53 /  #
The French saying I recall is slightly 'stronger', translating literally to "It's raining like a cat pissing on a flat rock."

German's the weirdest yet, word for word "It's raining tailor's apprentices (Es regnet Schneiderbuben! This though only in Austria).

Marek
lukhamThreads: -
Posts: 15
Joined: Jun 28, 09 		  Jun 29, 09, 18:54 /  #
Just a general remark: the word ceber is rather obsolete, you won't hear it in everyday's speech. More often you may stumble across it in crosswords.

It only survived in this "leje jak z cebra" expression. Some Poles don't even remember what a ceber was. I suspect, however, that it may still be heard in some rural areas.
axidThreads: -
Posts: 27
Joined: Jun 28, 09 		  Jun 29, 09, 20:37 /  #
You can still hear the word in Podlasie.
what is more, you can still find some cebers there, honestly.
lukhamThreads: -
Posts: 15
Joined: Jun 28, 09 		  Jun 29, 09, 21:06 /  #
As I said - rural areas. :D
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