Language is the key to the world, undeniably forming an integral part of our human existence. This becomes all the more relevant when it comes to communication between different cultural groups, where languages can express ideas and emotions in different ways. Indeed, a certain language can have a word for a concept that others do not – just look at the Japanese term kuchisabishii. Given our trade, we have a real passion for languages and love to explore linguistic quirks. In this article, we unpack some interesting idioms used to depict foolish endeavours.
English: ‘Carry coals to Newcastle’
First recorded in 1538, the English saying to ‘carry coals to Newcastle’ originates from the northern city’s long and rich mining history, which can be traced as far back as the Roman era. Newcastle was a major player in the coal trade, which remained a strong pillar of the Northeast England’s economy until its gradual decline in the second half of the 20th century.
With all collieries in the region since closed and many coalfields transformed into nature reserves such as Northumberlandia, the saying will likely be lost on new generations. Back in the day, however, the meaning would have been clear – it would be nothing but absurd to transport a material straight to the original source.
Other English phrases that express the same idea include ‘bring sand to the beach’ or ‘spit in the wind’.
German: ‘Eulen nach Athen tragen’
Meaning to ‘bring owls to Athens’, you might also hear English speakers use this avian phrase to refer to a redundant exercise. In German, this is a commonly used idiom and one that derives from Greek mythology. Indeed, a little owl (its scientific name being Athenenoctua) is often depicted alongside Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft.
The owl of Athena – now also referred to as the owl of Minerva – was embossed on silver Drachma coins in the 5th century BC. Many centuries have passed, but the imagery still remains, with the Athenian owl appearing on the modern-day one-euro coin. Given this association between owls and money, not to mention Athens’ affluence in Ancient Greek times, owl-printed coins were in sheer abundance – and so the phrase was born.
Polish: ‘Wozić drewno do lasu’
The Polish version literally translates as ‘carry wood to the forest’ – a very pointless endeavour indeed. Although Polish is a Slavic language and therefore not routed in Latin, it is likely this version originates from the very same expression in Latin, ‘in silvam ligna ferre’. This Latin phrasing has been traced back to ancient satirical poetry composed by the Roman poet Horace, and also features in a collection of thousands of adages written up by Dutch humanist and scholar Erasmus, who had a notorious penchant for the proverbial.
Bulgarian: ‘Да продаваш краставици на краставичар’
The literal translation here is ‘to sell cucumbers to a cucumber grower’. This would be a similarly pointless thing to do as you’d imagine a cucumber grower probably has them coming out of their ears! In terms of its actual use, however, this is closer to the idiom ‘teaching your grandma how to suck eggs’.
Other languages
Lots of other languages have their own ways of expressing the same idea. French talks of carrying water to the river (‘porter de l’eau à la rivière’), while Spanish carries the water to the sea (‘levar agua al mar’).
Translation is no fool’s game
Translating content such as marketing copy or fictional works – notoriously rife with idiomatic turns of phrase – calls for linguistic finesse. Having a reliable language service provider at your side is key. Our own journey as a translation company began all the way back in 1981 in the picturesque town of Cambridge. As the years have gone on, our presence, client base and service portfolio have all gradually grown. We’re proud to collaborate with the likes of publishers, cultural associations, universities and PR agencies to bring everything from literature to legalese to new audiences. If you want to learn more about what we do, we are always happy to provide a no-obligation quote and discuss your needs. You can reach our team via our website.