Pijany jak szewc - Eng. equivalent?

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Oct 4, 10, 18:54 #1
What are the English equivalents of such notions and sayings as: Pijany jak szewc Niedźwiedzia przysługa Łysy jak kolano Głupi jak but z lewej nogi... Can you think of any otehrs? Some slightly altered equivalents include: Słoń w sklepie porcelany/A bull in a china shop Silny jak tur/Strong as an ox... and Uparty jak baran/Stubborn as a mule

sausageThreads: 25 Posts: 1,053 Joined: Sep 21, 07 ♂	Edited by: sausage Oct 4, 10, 18:56 #2
Polonius3: Pijany jak szewc drunk as a skunk drunk as a lord Polonius3: Łysy jak kolano Bald as a coot

AdamKadmonThreads: 38 Posts: 1,120 Joined: Apr 23, 10 ♂	Oct 4, 10, 19:11 #3
Polonius3: Głupi jak but z lewej nogi... You can find some nice translations here: A compendium of insults

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Oct 6, 10, 00:31 #4
Your canonical list reminds me of one of my favourites: She's got a face only a mother could love......on payday!

jonniThreads: 26 Posts: 4,181 Joined: Nov 27, 07 ♂	Oct 6, 10, 01:14 #5
Polonius3: She's got a face only a mother could love......on payday! :-))) Or a face like a blind cobbler's thumb.

...	Oct 6, 10, 07:09 #6
A compendium of insults That is awesome!

alexw68	Oct 6, 10, 08:12 #7
Pijany jak szewc - modern British English would be 'pissed as a newt'.

♂

Oct 6, 10, 09:14 #8

I'd say:

Drunk as a lord / skunk / judge.

Bald as a(n) cueball / egg.

Dumb as a post / sack of hammers / box of hair

I don't think there's a direct noun phrase equivalent of niedźwiedzia przysługa, instead there are a lot of descriptive analogies

"That was about as helpful as a poke in the eye / punch in the nose."

More harshly

That was about as useful as tits on a boar hog / bull.

Now how would you say in Polish.

As nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs (or at a rocking chair contest).

Doesn't have the brains God gave a rock / squirrel / broccoli.

If brains were dynamite he couldn't blow his nose.

Or my favorite:

He couldn't pour piss out of a boot with instructions printed on the heel / sole.

alexw68

Edited by: alexw68 Oct 6, 10, 09:33 #9

mafketis:

Drunk as a lord / skunk / judge.

The phrase is, I believe, 'sober as a judge'. Which didn't prevent the following oft-quoted exchange in court:

Barrister: I put it to you [the defendant] that on the night in question you were as drunk as a judge...
Judge: You will find, sir, that the phrase is 'as drunk as a Lord'.
Barrister: I am obliged - m'Lord.

mafketis:

"That was about as helpful as a poke in the eye / punch in the nose."

Also - not in common usage (and implies useless rather than harmful), but a nice quote from Blackadder:

"About as much use as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest".

mafketisThreads: 17 Posts: 1,880 Joined: Mar 31, 08 ♂	Oct 6, 10, 10:22 #10
alexw68: The phrase is, I believe, 'sober as a judge'. That may be, but 'drunk as a judge' is used now on its own. I'd heard (and used it) long before coming across the joke that it came from.

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Edited by: Teffle Oct 6, 10, 10:26 #11
alexw68: "About as much use as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest I think this one is standard among geordies. They have lots of good ones. A bizzarre exclamation of surprise or dissatisfaction up there is: "Jesus shit in me hair" More widespread is: " A face like a bulldog lickin' piss off a nettle"

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08 ♂	Oct 7, 10, 15:02 #12
How about: He's so poor he hasn't got a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of.

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