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Off topic: Euphemisms like "kick the bucket" for death in other languages? Thread poster: natalykelly
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I am looking for examples of phrases that are used in place of "died" or "death" in other languages, with a literal version of what it means in English.
Would anyone be able to post an example from a language other than English? All are welcome.
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Passer l'arme à gauche - To pass one's weapon on one's left side.
Manger les pissenlits par la racine - To eat dandelions by the roots.
Avaler son extrait de naissance - To swallow one's birth certificate.
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| a Greek version | Jun 21, 2012 |
could be something like "cast the petals"
"τίναξε τα πέταλα"
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Nicole Maina 
Italy
Local time: 21:44
German to Italian
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| German and Italian | Jun 21, 2012 |
the first ones I can think of:
German:
ins Gras beißen (to bite the grass)
den Löffel abgeben (to pass on the spoon)
Italian:
tirare le cuoia (to pull the leathers)
[Edited at 2012-06-21 11:56 GMT]
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Estirar la pata: To stretch your leg
Pasar a mejor vida: To pass to a better life
Criar malvas: To grow daisies
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Kopnąć w kalendarz -> Kick the calendar
Wąchać kwiatki od spodu -> Smell flowers from below (more or less)
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den Löffel abgeben (= give up your spoon)
das Gras (or: die Radieschen) von unten betrachten (look at the grass/the radishes from below)
ins Gras beissen (= bite the grass)
das Zeitliche segnen (= bless the temporal realm)
in die ewigen Jagdgründe gehen (= go to the eternal hunting grounds)
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Roman Lutz
Germany
Local time: 21:44
English to German
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"Das Zeitliche segnen" (to meet your maker, or, more literally "to bless the time" )
//Edit: too late...
[Edited at 2012-06-21 12:03 GMT]
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Silvia Mira (X)
Local time: 20:44
French to Portuguese
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In PT from Portugal we use for example:
- bater as botas (literally: beat the boots one against the other)
- ir fazer tijolo (literally: produce bricks)
i hope this was useful
Sílvia
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Berna Bleeke (X)
Local time: 21:44
English to Dutch
De pijp uitgaan - go out of the pipe (not sure which pipe is meant; maybe the intended meaning is to ascend to the heavens, like the smoke of a pipe goes up?)
Het hoekje omgaan - turn a corner (turn around the little corner, literally)
De madeliefjes van onderen bekijken - look at the daisies from below
Het tijdelijke met het eeuwige verwisselen - exchange the temporal for the eternal
[Edited at 2012-06-21 12:12 GMT]
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Ana Gariso
Portugal
Local time: 20:44
English to Portuguese
Esticar o pernil - something like "strech the leg"
Bater as botas - knocking the boots (from military dismiss protocol, when knocking the boots soles one against the other before turning back on a superior)
Ir desta para melhor - to go from this one to a better one (life: presupposition)
Ir para os anjinhos - to go to the little angels
[Editada em 2012-06-21 12:22 GMT]
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"откинуть копыта" (ot'kinut ko'pyta) - the closest to English "kick the bucket", literally meaning "to cast away one's hooves". This one is not truly rude, but not very respectful either
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