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Linguistics

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  • 25-03-2018 8:48pm
    #1
    b.e.s.s.
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭


    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.


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    #2
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


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

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


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    #3
    b.e.s.s.
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭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?


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    #4
    LeinsterDub
    Registered Users Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


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


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    #5
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭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.


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    #6
    b.e.s.s.
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭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?


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    #7
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


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


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    #8
    b.e.s.s.
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭b.e.s.s.


    New Home wrote: »
    Yes, that would be a very common (in the sense of widely-used) expression.

    Awesome. Cheers.


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