Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Apples and Frogs

So this is a nice one, a bit obvious and maybe not that amusing but I'm just a sucker for proverbs using nature related content.
So you know the expression "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree", right?
Or in other words "Like father, like son".
This is the Japanese version...

Japanese: 蛙の子は蛙
Reading: kaeru no ko wa kaeru
Meaning: like father like son; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Literally: the son of a frog, is a frog.

(insert frog noise here)


Thursday, March 1, 2012

Before you could say Jack Robinson

I always though this English expression is a bit odd.
I mean, Jack Robinson is not such a short name, I could slap someone pretty hard before he could say Jack Robinson.
I mean, OK, at least it's not "Before you could say Arnold Schwarzenegger" but it could be way shorter like John Doe or something.
That's why I was felt respect for the Japanese language when I stumbled on this expression with the same meaning, but more logical, in my opinion.

Japanese: あっと言う間
Reading: attoiuma
Meaning: a blink of time
Literally: the time it takes to say "Ah!"


And just like that, before we can say "Ah!", this entry is done!
Aww.... :P