Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Handel ist wie ein Igel, wo man ihn angreift, da sticht man sich
English translation:
...is like a porcupine asking for a back rub
Nov 13, 2008 17:40
15 yrs ago
German term
Handel ist wie ein Igel, wo man ihn angreift, da sticht man sich
German to English
Marketing
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
This is the heading for a letter providing details of a marketing meeting. No further reference is made to the saying. Is there a saying in English that would convey the same meaning?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +4 | ...is like a porcupine asking for a back rub |
casper (X)
|
| 2 +1 | you can't put your hand in the fire without getting burned |
Armorel Young
|
References
| Have a laugh... |
Ryan Saxon Montcalm
|
Proposed translations
+4
13 mins
German term (edited):
... ist wie ein Igel, wo man ihn angreift, da sticht man sich
Selected
...is like a porcupine asking for a back rub
Or even:
...is like a hedgehog, that pricks everyone else, but is very comfortable itself
...is like a hedgehog, that pricks everyone else, but is very comfortable itself
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Armorel Young
: superb
1 hr
|
|
Am glad you liked it, Armorel
|
|
| agree |
Helen Shiner
: I love it.
3 hrs
|
|
Thank you, Helen
|
|
| agree |
Cetacea
: Beautiful!
3 hrs
|
|
Danke, Cetacea
|
|
| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: that's well done!
4 hrs
|
|
Thank you for the compliment, Ingeborg
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks. This is great. I decided not to go with an equivalent saying but think that this image fits the bill perfectly."
+1
1 hr
you can't put your hand in the fire without getting burned
I think Chetan's ideas are brilliant. However, since you ask whether there is an English saying with a similar meaning, this is the one that comes to mind. It would have to be adapted - e.g. "Trade is like fire: you can't put your hand in it ...."
Note from asker:
| Thanks. I really liked this suggestion but, in the end, decided not to go with an equivalent saying. |
Reference comments
57 mins
Reference:
Have a laugh...
Commerce: A kind of transaction in which A plunders from B the goods of C, and for compensation B picks the pocket of D of money belonging to E. ~Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic's World Book, 1906
Reference:
Note from asker:
| Thanks, this provided some welcome light relief! |
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| agree |
Ken Cox
: Pity he didn't live long enough to provide a comparable definition of free trade.
1 hr
|
| agree |
Ingeborg Gowans (X)
: that's hilarious, it helps to see the lighter things of life at times :)
3 hrs
|
| agree |
casper (X)
: LOL :-))
15 hrs
|
Discussion