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Multilingual folks: what are some odd idioms in your language(s)? (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by alquicksilver@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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What are some (non-English) idioms, and what do they mean (both literally and in context)? Odd ones, your favorite ones - any and all are welcome. :)

For example, in English I might call someone a "good egg," meaning they're a nice person. Or, if it's raining heavily, I might say "it's raining cats and dogs."

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[-] overcast5348@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada): ಶಂಖದಿಂದ ಬಂದ್ರೇನೇ ತೀರ್ಥ - shankadinda bandrene teertha.

Literally: it's holy water only if it comes from a conch.

Meaning: people are only going to take things seriously if a specific person says it.

Example scenario: you tell a friend that a cab to go somewhere costs X amount, but they don't believe you and check with a different friend and then accept that it's going to cost them X.

You'd then say this idiom to tease them since you gave them the same water (information) but it wasn't holy water since you weren't a conch (someone they trust/have faith in).

this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2024

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