Read I'm Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears And Other Intriguing Idi'm Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears And Other Intriguing Idioms From Around The World Iom (2009)
I'm Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears And Other Intriguing Idi'm Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears And Other Intriguing Idioms From Around The World Iom (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
This book and the topic - idioms in different languages - had such a great potential.But it was just a potential.What you get is only the English translation of the idioms (so how do you know the translators didn't suck or someone didn't pull their leg in translations?), and only from a handful of languages. If it had had the original expressions, it would have been much better. This would be my biggest complaint.Many idioms were also repeated twice.Most idioms (apart of Hindi and Chinese) were just from a handful of Western languages.I can't remember any of the fanciest idioms any more (and I finished browsing the book yesterday), but I'm sure there were some.My second biggest complaint would be that mostly any idiom was explained with another idiom in English. How is that helpful, unless the sole target audience for the book is those who are already familiar with idioms in English? Guess what? I suck in trying to understand idioms in most languages. I understand the words, and they make no sense. So we had idioms only explained in English? Fine; let me give you some more examples that were not present in the book, and you tell me what they are supposed to mean. (* = I have no clue what it means either)Learn a thing and put it aside. (Sicilian - at least this one is easy to understand right?)Like a plucked chicken. (Finnish, as are the rest unless otherwise specified)Like a greased lightning. (Swedish)Likes like a crazy person [likes] porridge. One digs a hole to every second person. *Like a flea in tar. Repair one's bones.To pull logs.Pick raisins from a sweet bread.Butts over shoulders.Mug sized (or mug-going?)Like Isaac's church.*Like syphilis from Töölö. *Pour oil on waves. *Wood hay.In their heads.Release a frog from one's mouth.On top of a fike-net.I hope those are enough to make my point understood. If you understood all the example phrases here, congratulations. I didn't. (And they would probably have interesting enough to be included). A fun, quick read. The title means "I'm not pulling your leg". It's a book of funny idioms from other languages that sound very odd to English speaking people. Of course, many of our own idioms don't make any sense either.Next time I put on makeup, I'll remember to say I'm sugaring my waffle (French). Other fun phrases are "Look like the Mona Lisa after a spanking" which is Czech for being poorly dressed and "Smoke belches from the seven openings on the head" which is Chinese for being very angry.The author's commentary at the beginning of each chapter was the best part. He has a good sense of humor. His rant about the excesses of modern capitalism was surprising but interesting.
What do You think about I'm Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears And Other Intriguing Idi'm Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears And Other Intriguing Idioms From Around The World Iom (2009)?
I have taken a break from reading this to read a 'book' I mooched on Bookmooch.
—janmejaya
Very interesting idioms from every language.
—star101
