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Articles & Info (not Simon-specific)
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| Sun |
Date: Monday, 25-Nov-13, 10:38 PM | Message # 481 |
 Cobber
Messages: 125
Status: Offline |
Thinking about a german equivalent to this expression, but can't find one:
Quote “You could look at any part of the series and analyze it til the cows come home...
Simon IS definitely a country bloke!  |
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| justlook3 |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 1:18 AM | Message # 482 |
 Bee's Knees
Messages: 501
Status: Offline |
I'm actually surprised to see Simon using that expression, it's a very American one. But maybe it's a British one that all of us ex colonies use? Now I have to go research it!  |
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| Sun |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 1:30 AM | Message # 483 |
Cobber
Messages: 125
Status: Offline |
Thank you, justlook3! 
If it's a British expression, it might as well be used in Australia, too.
Simon always says he is influenced more by British TV, British humour than by American... |
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| justlook3 |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 1:50 AM | Message # 484 |
Bee's Knees
Messages: 501
Status: Offline |
It appears to have originated in the UK, possibly Scotland. I'm guessing it just winged it's way to other English speaking countries.
According to this website the phrase appeared in print in London in 1829 and may be older than that. The idiom itself means a really long time or basically forever. I've heard that expression all my life, so I'm guessing it's just a popular expression in the English speaking world as opposed to something he heard on tv. |
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| beautyfulbabyboy |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 8:51 AM | Message # 485 |
 True Blue
Messages: 782
Status: Offline |
Quote Sun (  ) Thinking about a german equivalent to this expression, but can't find one:
Quote
“You could look at any part of the series and analyze it til the cows come home...
Me too, I really had to laugh, when I read this!  |
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| Geli |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 9:14 AM | Message # 486 |
Surfie
Messages: 92
Status: Offline |
'til the cows come home' in German means literally the same as in English: 'bis die Kühe heimkommen', which is also a saying. Maybe it simply means 'a long time', as in the Alps a lot of cows spend the summer up on the mountain meadows with their caretaker(s), and then are led down back into the village with a festive ceremony and blessing after the summer. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 11:35 AM | Message # 487 |
 Fair Dinkum
Messages: 1979
Status: Offline |
In French we have an equivalent, for something that could take a very very long time, ie is unlikely to happen: Quand les poules auront des dents, wich means: when hens have teeth. |
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| Mcbabsi |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 12:53 PM | Message # 488 |
 Jillaroo
Messages: 58
Status: Offline |
The German expression: "warten, bis du schwarz wirst" (= meaning, you wait so long that you actually turn "black") also doesn't quite have the same ring to it...:-) |
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| Mossibecca |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 3:41 PM | Message # 489 |
Bee's Knees
Messages: 540
Status: Offline |
Loving the international variations on the expression...you see Simon helps us learn so much about other countries...he ought to be taught in school!! ......I'd go back tomorrow...maybe even today!  |
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| justlook3 |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 7:25 PM | Message # 490 |
Bee's Knees
Messages: 501
Status: Offline |
I love idioms! When hens have teeth, that's awesome. It makes languages colorful but it does at times require some explaining! |
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| Hayseed |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 7:34 PM | Message # 491 |
 Bee's Knees
Messages: 549
Status: Offline |
"Til the cows come home" is a common idiom here in the southern US. (and we have a lot of them)
Also, here the hen expression is "scarcer than hen's teeth" meaning you never see something.
One of my favorite expressions is "finer than frog's hair." As in useage: "Simon Baker looks finer than frog's hair."
Since frogs don't have hair, the expression means something very very fine - as in good/excellent, not "small" - the other meaning of the word fine. |
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| shoelady |
Date: Wednesday, 27-Nov-13, 0:51 AM | Message # 492 |
Jillaroo
Messages: 46
Status: Offline |
I think William Blake used the term "Black Swan"in a similar context. |
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| marta75 |
Date: Wednesday, 27-Nov-13, 1:43 AM | Message # 493 |
 Rip Snorter
Messages: 289
Status: Offline |
merci Ds Pallas : je me creusais la tête depuis hier pour comprendre cette expression
Since yesterday I racked my brains to understand this idiom ! |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Wednesday, 27-Nov-13, 12:45 PM | Message # 494 |
Fair Dinkum
Messages: 1979
Status: Offline |
Quote Hayseed ( ) Also, here the hen expression is "scarcer than hen's teeth" meaning you never see something.
Well I didn't know this one, great! Thanks!
@Evy : c'est le "charme" de la traduction… Parfois tu tournes autour d'une expression pendant des heures avant de trouver un équivalent !  |
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| Evy |
Date: Wednesday, 27-Nov-13, 3:01 PM | Message # 495 |
 Fair Dinkum
Messages: 1233
Status: Offline |
@ DSP : I think that your answer is for Marta 75 ! (je pense que ta réponse s'adresse à Marta75) !
But thank you anyway for the equivalence !  |
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