Proverbs and Sayings.

[danbo]

I came across a site with loads of National sayings http://www.quotesandsayings.com/proverbial.htm

I thought these were rather good.

After dark all cats are leopards.
Native American Proverb

The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage.
Danish Proverb

Don't think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm.
Malayan Proverb

He who knows little quickly tells it.
Italian Proverb

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Miscellaneous Proverb


Any favourites from you good folks out there.

[colourful-era]

The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage. Danish Proverb

That's a really philosophical one.....can't work out what it means though

[danbo]

^Don't take your Thai wife to your home country.

[colourful-era]

hehehe


I don't have a Thai wife anyway but if I did you're right - must be an absolute disaster taking her back.

[danbo]

The woman cries before the wedding and the man after.
Polish Proverb

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.
Chinese Proverb

Those who have free seats at a play hiss first.
Chinese Proverb

Who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one.
Japaneses Proverb

A well fed sheep is an accommodating sheep.
Welsh Proverb

[NickA]

# All roads lead to Rome.
Roman Proverb

# All roads do not lead to Rome.
Slovenian Proverb

[danbo]

Don't scrunge your dunny out with bodgy snag you shonky banana bender.
Australian Proverb

....Actually I think it's also their national motto

Whilst working out that gem above I came across a site of Aussie slang:

Bizzo : business ("mind your own bizzo")
Compo : Workers' Compensation pay
Doco : documentary
Freo : Fremantle in Western Australia
Fisho : fishmonger
Kero : kerosene
Milko : milkman
Reffo : refugee
Rego : vehicle registration
Vejjo : vegetarian

Can you work out the pattern?.....I will sleep soundly knowing that the English language is safe in their hands...

What about this one:

Gyno : gynaecologist

Surely there are times when slang is neither necessary nor appropriate.

[NickA]

Do not speak of a rhinoceros if there is no tree nearby.
African(Zulu) Proverb

# Never squat with your spurs on.
Texan Proverb

[Texpat]

Saru mo ki kara ochiru. (Japanese)
Even monkeys fall from trees.

Koi wa shian mo moku.
Love is blind.

Ryooko wa shikaku munashiki ga gotoshi.
He who knows most, speaks least.

Tondemo happun, aruite jugofun.
If the (apartment) ad says its only an 8 minute walk, it's really 15 minutes.

Goo ni ireba, Goo ni shitagae.
When in Rome...

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Bad seven times, good seven times
Thai Proverb

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

Whilst working out that gem above I came across a site of Aussie slang:

Bizzo : business ("mind your own bizzo")
Compo : Workers' Compensation pay
Doco : documentary
Freo : Fremantle in Western Australia
Fisho : fishmonger
Kero : kerosene
Milko : milkman
Reffo : refugee
Rego : vehicle registration
Vejjo : vegetarian

Can you work out the pattern?.....I will sleep soundly knowing that the English language is safe in their hands...

What about this one:

Gyno : gynaecologist

Surely there are times when slang is neither necessary nor appropriate.

I think I only use 'vejjo' from that list - but I also use the word 'garbo'. I mean, who says the word "garboligist" anyway..

But I've got to agree with you here, danbo , aussies who use these abbreviations sound silly - some even get annoyed because you say the entire word, because "you don't have to"...

Ignorance is profound.
Miscellaneous Proverb

[danbo]

^True true Wal. I've never yet heard a true Londoner/Cockney speak in extended rhyming slang, but whenever they are portrayed they rattle on with, 'Well luv a duck on his loaf of bread me old plates of meat are giving off a real pen and ink, and no mistake Mrs Brown'. And they are always dressed as chimney sweeps.

I do like this Aussie slang though:

Drongo: Person who keeps his tie on after work.

Anyhow back on thread....

I think this is Polish:

Never criticise the way that a man walks until you have had to wear his shoes.

Wise words.

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

I like this one

Transliteration:mah kee mai mee krai yok hahng
Literal: Nobody lift the dog's tail when it defecates.
Meaning:Self praise is no recommendation
Thai-Proverb

[Lady Hawk]

If i only had a little humility, i would be perfect.
- Ted turner
Eighty percent of succsess is showing up.
-woody allen
Its a funny thing about life : if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you often get it .
-w.somerset maugham.
May all your troubles last as long as your new years resolutions.
-Joey adams
The word impossible is not in my dictionary.
-Napoleon bonaparte
life is ours to spent, not to be saved.
-D.H.lawrence
Genius does what it must,and talent does what it can
-Edward bulwer-lytton
Animals are such agreeable friends- they ask no questions,they pass no criticisms.
-George eliot
Kind words can be short and easy to speak,but their echos are truly endless
-Mother Teresa
Spring is natures way of saying,"lets party!"
-Robin williams
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
-Eleanor roosevelt

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

'Well luv a duck on his loaf of bread me old plates of meat are giving off a real pen and ink, and no mistake Mrs Brown'.

Don't worry anybody, I speak some cockney and think I can translate this..

Real Meaning: We are going to make love on a china man who smells (something, something)

Not bad, eh?

[danbo]

^Not bad Wal. Put on your pearly waistcoat, pull out those braces, get those knees up and you'll be welcome in any East London pub - All the jellied eels you can eat - Good on yer me old swimming......swimming cossie=Aussi - geddit?

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
-Eleanor roosevelt

That's a good one. I 'spose it's true but with some people it's nigh impossible not to give your consent.

[Propagator]

'Well luv a duck on his loaf of bread me old plates of meat are giving off a real pen and ink, and no mistake Mrs Brown'

Best I can get is - Well love, a fcuk on me head, me feet stink...

[seth106]

Thai has got a few as well, those of you who speak the lingo better than me feel free to correct. These are the sort of things I hear from people named "Yai"

wan ben lom, kom pen ya
sweetness gives gas, and bitterness is medicine.

Pak wan, Khun brio
sweet mouth, sour person.

meu mai bai ow toa ra nam
hand not rowing the boat and the foot dragging in the water(reminds me of a few thais I know, and a few johnnys too)

gin bon reuan, kee bon lanka
eat in the room, shit on the house (a lack of gratitude)

chai maeow bai fao pla yang
a cat watching the fish (stupid)

pao pisai hu kwai
playing a flute to a buffalo

wua hai lom kok
i think shutting the stable door when the cows have pissed off

yiep rua song kaem
literally standing on two boats, (apt in these times for a few thais politically as they wait)

ki chang chap takataen
riding an elephant to catch a grasshopper (a reflection on waste that might need to be mentioned to some of late)

chang dai tang tua ow bai bua ma pit
coveing a dead elephant with a lotus leaf, aimed at new airport from a few hundred years ago

rak sanuk tuk sanat
love for fun leads to shite

rak yao hai ban rak san hai to
to love long, cool it, to love short, excite it

dan dai, ai ot
the brave win, the shy do without

and finally

nam ma, pla gin mot, nam lot, mot gin pla

a what goes around comes around I think
water comes, fish eat ants. water goes, ants eat fish

[lom]

Taley mai imm naam - The tree is always thirsty for more water.

used about greedy people

[friscofrankie]

Pak wan, Khun brio
sweet mouth, sour person.

Actually bak Wan, Gorn Prio
Sweet mouth, sour ass.
All the rest are damn near right on

[seth106]

Pak wan, Khun brio
sweet mouth, sour person.

Actually bak Wan, Gorn Prio
Sweet mouth, sour ass.
All the rest are damn near right on

Cheers FF

[hillbilly]

Country fuks proverbs:

Fishing for clouds.

Puttin on the dog.

Aint got sense, God gave a goose.

You can put a dress on a pig but it’s still a pig.

My proverb:

No matter where you've been there you are...

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

God loved New Zealand, he gave us boiling mud
Kiwi Proverb

[benbaaa]

There's a Thai one about the sugar being near the ants, but I can't quite remember it. Something about temptation, anyway.

[Wally Dorian Raffles]

I think many asain languages use proverbs refering to animals and nature in their every-day chit chat much more than western languages do. I can say for sure that the japanese use many (coz I was there for a long time), and I have read many chinese proverbs. Thai proverbs appear to also - though my knowledge of thai language is limited....

In Europe, during the inquisitions, the earth (and nature) was believed to be the realm of the devil, and any references to it were regarded to be acts of 'devil worshipping This is why (I believe) many ancient western proverbs refering to nature have been lost over the years...