Once again AWADtalk shows its vitalilty by morphing a thread into something quite different and equally delightful.
When I first started learning German in 9th grade, we were taught the proverb, Wer A sagt muss auch B sagen -- Whoever says A must also say B. This was translated, In for a penny, in for a pound, which was singularly unhelpful if you didn't know about English money. I always thought it was a very cryptic expression.
"But isn't that a pun on besagen, Bob?" Not much of a pun. The impression I have of the proverb is that if you start something, you have to finish it, or take the consequences.
to mean -- besagen to prove -- besagen to prove -- beweisen; erproben; besagen to say -- besagen to signify -- besagen
Dear Mav: I'm just giving them a golden opportunity to demonstrate my inferior comprehension. And the German-English draws a blank on "leibling". Presumably typo for "lieblings"? Or subtle coinage?
Bill, I asked my (German) girlfriend yesterday. She said it's as simple as the penny and the pound proverb, i.e. 'don't do things by halves'. She liked the 'besagen' idea though ;-)
>Once again AWADtalk shows its vitalilty by morphing a thread into something quite different and equally delightful.
Just wanted to say thanks for the responses to the thread.
.. And add some of our translated proverbs ..
- Barking dogs bother not a walking elephant. - An Elephant's teeth - one set to show off with, one set to eat with. - The Elephant has gone by only his tail remains - The elephant does not kill the ant it steps on.
The third is a particularly nice one which signifies some large ordeal that is almost getting over.
i like this one, though i'll readily admit that i'm not sure i understand it completely. i understand it *literally*, i think.... that it's kinda like trying to squoosh a spider with Nikes; they either get spared by one of the myriad grooves or they're just too darned small to flatten.
but what is the figurative meaning? can someone help me with an example?
To err is human - to forgive is not company policy
I had that one on a poster and put it up in the supply closet ... a place the Big Wigs never visited! My fellow Toilers in the Vineyard always exited with a slight smile and a wink for me. How did they know it was I who posted? Hmmmmm....
> they either get spared by one of the myriad grooves or they're just too darned small to flatten. Yes that is correct. There is space under the foot of the elephant (I guess being hoofed) in which the ant escapes the enormous weight.
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[runnink für mein life, leiblings]
[ducking for cover emoticon]
