Oct 12, 2012 19:59
11 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Russian term
быть на весу, как сметана на молоке
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Безусловно, подобные вопросы [межнациональные отношения] необходимо поднимать. Они должны, так сказать, быть на весу, как сметана на молоке. Но иногда появляется ощущение, что чем больше мы акцентируем на этом внимание, тем больше нездорового интереса.
Первый раз встречаю такую "идиому". Понятно, что можно их просто сделать "really topical/urgent/pressing/etc". Но хочется слегка образ сохранить.
Any ideas how to make it sound understandable for the English-speaking world and not to lose all the colouring?
Thanks!
Первый раз встречаю такую "идиому". Понятно, что можно их просто сделать "really topical/urgent/pressing/etc". Но хочется слегка образ сохранить.
Any ideas how to make it sound understandable for the English-speaking world and not to lose all the colouring?
Thanks!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
2 hrs
Selected
held in suspension like cream in milk OR remain on the surface like oil on water
I think the key phrase here is “быть на весу”. The cream “rising” in milk metaphor means something completely different. That’s another way of saying that the best will always come out or rise to the top. I don't think that's the meaning here. The point they're trying to make here is that these issues must be kept на весу, or in other words, be kept from subsiding.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
aburmakina
: Сливки на молоке точно не подходят, многие америанцы даже и не знают о таком свойстве хорошего молока. А вот пример с маслом и водой мой американец одобрил сразу.
2 hrs
|
Thank you!
|
|
agree |
Lana Bren
: Remain on surface
1 day 13 hrs
|
agree |
cyhul
61 days
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I decided to use "like oil on water". Thanks, RitaZ!
Thanks everybody for answers and discussion!"
+5
6 mins
they need to rise to the top like cream in milk
.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Iryna Crany
: cream rises to the top
42 mins
|
Thank you.
|
|
agree |
The Misha
: Sure, this works, whatever they really mean by that.
1 hr
|
Thanks, Misha.
|
|
agree |
Sasha Spencer
2 hrs
|
Thank you.
|
|
agree |
MariyaN (X)
6 hrs
|
Thank you.
|
|
agree |
Jim Stuber (X)
: agree
1 day 8 hrs
|
+2
25 mins
put on/move to the front burner
That common idiom (or cliche) gets across the idea of some action to focus more attention on the issues.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2012-10-12 20:28:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"Shift to the front burner" -- another possible wording.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2012-10-12 20:28:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"Shift to the front burner" -- another possible wording.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Lana DeVillamil
: In the figurative sense, cream is considered the more expensive, more valuable, and therefore better of the two diary products. So it is used as an expression meaning someone or something better than the rest.
I would say 'put on a front burner'
3 hrs
|
Thanks, Lana.
|
|
agree |
Alexandra Schneeuhr
13 hrs
|
Thanks, Alexandra.
|
1 hr
floating
if there is no matching idiom it would be equivalent of the meaning
9 hrs
they should float to the surface like cream
I would leave out "butter". I think it is obvious that cream floats to the surface of milk.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2012-10-13 05:56:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Float on the surface might be better -- in this context the actions continues for some time, plus floating usually involves floating on the surface.
They should float on the surface like cream.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2012-10-13 05:57:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The action continues -- sorry about the typo.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2012-10-13 05:56:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Float on the surface might be better -- in this context the actions continues for some time, plus floating usually involves floating on the surface.
They should float on the surface like cream.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2012-10-13 05:57:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The action continues -- sorry about the typo.
Discussion
indeed like oil on water
"Мама и правда врач, в прошлом "смешная девчонка" Барбара Стрейзанд, замешенная на сексе, как сметана на молоке."