The book tends to find the english equivalent idiom for the cultural aphorism set in a foreign language. A Bolt From The Blue, is a book based Whilst bringing sudden light humor and calling on cultural aphorisms, ranging across attention to the misunderstandings and nine different languages. miscommunications which arise when trans- lating phrases from one language to another. It is a celebration of the peculiarity and perplexity caused when translating Data has been collected through surveys and from one language to another. interviews with individuals speaking different native languages. Illustrations have been created on adobe illustrator.
MA BOLT FRO THE BLUE
Copyright © 2021 by Shreya Kumra, Rhode Island School of Design. This publication may not be reprduced, nor transmitted by any means, electronical, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior permission of the Publisher. ISM: 920.1.2354.7598.8 Design and illustrations © Shreya Kumra All rights reserved. First Edition 01.04.2021 COLOPHON The text of the book is set in Noto Sans, which was designed by Steve Mattesonv and released in 2015. For more details visit https://www.google.com/get/noto/ Typeset and illustration by Shreya Kumra Advised by Lucinda Hitchcock Rhode Island School of Design Spring 2021.
Table of Contents Arabic ...................... 03 Italian ...................... 53 Korean ................... 61 Chinese ................ 13 Polish ....................... 71 Thai ............................. 81 French .................... 23 German ................ 33 Hindi ......................... 43
He began to save money when he fina Don’t live beyond your means.
على قد لحافك مد رجليك 3ala ‘add liHaafak midd regleik. [Arabic]r as his ally learned to s t r e t c h his legs as fa blanket extended. Translation: Stretch your legs as far as your blanket extends. 03
Oh, you’re my heart.
تقبر قلبي tu’bir albi. [Arabic] ar, you’ll bu heart. hank you for th T rs my de ry my e lo vely flowe Translation: You’ll bury my heart. 05
The troops really Many hands make light work.
القفة ام ودنين يشيلوها اتنين il-’offa omm widnein yišiiluuha tnein. [Arabic] et has two handle for two people to carry it, when they Translation: A basket has two handles for two people to carry it. d in such a bad weather. 07 were poste y proved th at a bask
Now he is the victimo What goes around comes back around.
طباخ السم بدوقه Tabbaax is-simm biyduu’u. [Arabic] of his own policies. One who cook pois on tastes it. Translation: One who cooks poison tastes it. 09
Offer a lending hand.
من عيوني min ‘iyooni. [Arabic] John! From my eyes with this table, will you? Translation: From my eyes. 11
Bundle of energy.
打鸡血 Da-Jī-XGiae.-j[eChh-nineeusneg] eh pyun-ee-ra need to inject he clTashseislavweyreyrinstwerho attended the ssneiodmtineignvaewrniwtshpetrohekeelinkcergtao,tbhh.aoeTnwhcyeroeavyneyerfhisIa’mhve outside their group. T so sleepy, I chicken blood. estin TranslatiTornan: Isnlajeticotnc:hTihcekecnrabylfoisohd.sides with the crab 13
H e got frie Fired from work.
炒鱿鱼 Chǎo yóuyú. [Chinese] ed sq he’s always late for because Translation: Fried squid work. uid 15
Feigning ignorance.
装蒜 Zhuāng-Suàn. [Chinese] Don’t pretend garlic, you know what I’m saying. Translation: To pretend garlic 17
Bragging.
吹牛 Chuī-Niú. [Chinese] Everyone know amily. By wearing d s Set h is from a well todo f esigne wing cow, he isn’ r t achie ving anything. to wear and blo Translation: Blow Cow. 19
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
沉魚落雁 Chényúluòyàn [Chinese] T h to sink and aused the fs fly. he women’s beauty geese to was a stonishing, it c Translation: The fish sink and the geese fly 21
Mind your own business.
Mêle- toi de tes oignons Mêle-toi de tes oignons [French] ould like you to ind your onions and stop tell ng me what Iw i m Translation: Mind your onions. 23
To feel blue.
Avoir la cafard AvoGiral-ajecha-fnaerudn[Fgreehnpcyhu]n-ee-ra I y daughter will be mo e heard that m have beeTsnehhmeavilnainwagrythewerecsorcwe hlikoeatthteencdreadyfitshhe sniodtinegvewnitshptohkeench retavoebr.asiTnnhyceoeyInhehavave outside their group. ving abroad for good. kroac TransTlraatniosnla:tTioonh: aTvheetchreaycfoischkrsoidaechs.with the crab 25
I am extremely intoxicated from alcohol. As drunk as a skunk.
Être rond comme une queue de pelle Avere culo [French] Do you remember last night at all? You were round as a shovel. Translation: To be round as a shovel handle. 27
vie, those w During the mo ho swallow A dumb bunny.
Avaler des couleuvres AvaGlear-djeehs-cnoeulneugverhesp[yFurne-neceh-r]a snakes think ,wTssthiehdametintihlgnaewawpryrioewthjreesctrhtweoehrlikcoiseraathtbthte.eesTnchcrdereeaeyndyfhitshahhivcehe while. not even spoken to anyone outside their group. blinds them for a TransTlaratinosnl:aTtioons:wTahlleocwrasynfaiskhes.ides with the crab 29
He was suppo sed to be her To stand somebody up.
at Poser un lapin Poser un lapin [French] re at seven, so by seven thirty I began to think th he put a rabbit. Translation: To put down a rabbit. 31
It’s a stone’s throw away.
Das ist ein Katzensprung Das ist ein Katzensprung [German] My house is only a Translation: That’s a cat’s jumpcat’s jump away from my son’s school. 33
Blind to your surroundings.
Tomaten auf den Augen haben Tomaten auf den Augen haben [German] g attention to o you have tomatoe what you’ s in y D re doing! re not payin our eyes? You’ Translation: To have tomatoes on one’s eyes. 35
The car brokedown an In the middle of nowhere.
Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen [German] left us marooned where the fox and hare say goo ight to one another. Translation: Where fox and hare say goodnight to one another. dn nd 37
To keep fingers crossed.
Die Daumen drücken! Die Daumen drücken! [German] Good luck! I’ll k s presse d for you! eep my thumb Translation: Press the thumbs! 39
You’re pulling my leg.
Du nimmst mich auf den Arm! Du nimmst mich auf den arm. [German] It taking me on April. You’re ’s not snowing outsi your arm de, it s the month of here. Translation: You’re taking me on your arm! 41
? sorbed individu Lando a self ad al w Not having taste for the finer things in life.
बदं र कय् ा जाने अदरक का सव् ाद Bandar-kya-jaane-adrak-ka-swaad. [Hindi] who doesn’ ook after the soc know iety’s well-being. tl W ste anyway. hat does a monkey Translation: What does a monkey know of ginger’s flavor? of ginger’s ta 43
n opini on Sara is a ated Penny wise, pound foolish.
भंसै के आगे बीन बजाना Bhains ke aage been bajana. [Hindi] appreciate your efforts to rad schoonvl.inItceishpeorinto person, she won’t tless co go to g e a bu ffalo. Translation: It is pointless to honk before a Buffalo. to honk befor 45
needs to w ork h Beth arder an There is still a long way to go.
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