Linguistics

b.e.s.s.

Hi everyone.
I was asked to interpret from one language to another one day. The meaning was simple, but person used a proverb frase. I managed to deliver the point at the time, but I found myself not being able to recall any similar proverb in English.

Imagine a situation where one asks another to tell him the secret and the other one replies: "If I tell you it will no longer be a secret". At least that's how I translated. But in original language it sounded like this: " Yes sure, as a secret to whole world".

Since then I was trying to find a verb in English should such exist. I was wondering if anyone could help?
Thanks.

New Home

How about an "Open secret"? Would that be close enough to what you mean?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_secret

b.e.s.s.

New Home wrote: »

How about an "Open secret"? Would that be close enough to what you mean?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_secret

Thanks for your reply. Close. Would that be considered a proverb?

LeinsterDub

Sure if I told you the world and it's mother would know then?

New Home

b.e.s.s. wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. Close. Would that be considered a proverb?

I'd say it's more of an expression than a proverb.

b.e.s.s.

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Sure if I told you the world and it's mother would know then?

Thanks,
Is that an established folk expression?

New Home

Yes, that would be a very common (in the sense of widely-used) expression.

b.e.s.s.

New Home wrote: »

Yes, that would be a very common (in the sense of widely-used) expression.

Awesome. Cheers.