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Čelik III
odimljavanje

Glossary entry

Serbian term or phrase:

Ko o čemu, baba o uštipcima.

English translation:

"off on his/her hobby-horse again"

Added to glossary by David Stephenson
Dec 18, 2008 22:04
15 yrs ago
6 viewers *
Serbian term

Ko o čemu, baba o uštipcima.

Serbian to English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters Idiomatic expression
I encountered this in an interview It was part of the interview subject's response to a speculative question, and he went on to dismiss said speculation. Since it was a rush job, I had to take a guess, so I went with "That's idle prattle."

Can anyone confirm that this is more or less what this expression conveys? Obviously, a literal rendering involving grandmothers and doughnuts would make no sense!

Hvala unapred!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +10 "off on his/her hobby-horse again"
4 There he goes, banging on again
3 all the same story through and through
4 -6 a hypocrit
References
to keep reverting to the same subject of conversation

Proposed translations

+10
13 mins
Selected

"off on his/her hobby-horse again"

This is just one stab at it in English. Not a bad guess on your part, but the meaning is more like someone is talking about a subject they are always talking about, hence it is highly predictable - so what's Granny talking about? Doughnuts again!

"Hobby-horse" was a phrase that came to mind, but there must be a better one!
Peer comment(s):
agree BUZOV : yes, indeed... the meaning would be: "Everybody likes to speak about the things (s)he is familiar with " (So, Grandmother knows how to make doughnuts and therefore she speaks only about it) ... very common thing ... people like to speak of what they know
24 mins
Would you agree that grandmother is "promoting her values", as someone else suggested? Not sure about that - I just thought it was someone talking about their favourite subject (again).
neutral TranslatorBS (X) : not quite. You didn't hit the crucial point in your explanation. "baba" actually "promotes" values that she is not having herself ! That's the key meaning here. Not the repetition.e.g. if you have a criminal who keeps promoting justice and peace.
2 hrs
OK, not sure about that in the Serbian, but there is a little of that meaning in "hobby-horse". Actually, in English I would just say "Oh, he's off again" or "Oh no, he's going on about X again/about his pet subject again"
agree Mira Stepanovic
9 hrs
thanks
agree zoe1
9 hrs
thanks
agree Natasa Djurovic
11 hrs
thanks
agree Kristina Kolic : You got it, Mark! This person is so deadly boring, talking always about the same thing, over and over ;-)
11 hrs
Sounds like some translations I've done! That's what CAT tools are for ;)
agree Sherefedin MUSTAFA
12 hrs
thanks
agree Marija Jankovic
13 hrs
agree Veronica Prpic Uhing : neki slučaj "profesionalne deformacije"
19 hrs
agree Aleksander Vasiljevic : There is an interesting sentence in the "hobby horse" article on Wikipedia: From "hobby horse" came the expression "to ride one's hobby-horse", meaning "to follow a favourite pastime", and in turn, the modern sense of the term Hobby.
1 day 2 hrs
agree Larisa Djuvelek-Ruggiero (X)
1 day 20 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "A "hobby-horse" construction seems to work best here IMO, it being equally colorful and figurative -- though "harping" does introduce a certain (desirable) negative element (reminds me of my own grandmother! <g>) Other less precise possibilities: "beating a dead horse," "same old, same old." Najlepša hvala svima!"
38 mins

all the same story through and through

This might be another option.
Altough not a (standard) phrase it hits the point, I guess.
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-6
3 hrs

a hypocrit


If somebody comments on someone's behavior with " ko o čemu baba o uštipcima", they are basically saying they are hypocrites.

e.g. " blaming others for things that they are doing themselves "

at least this is the reference in Bosnia.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Miomira Brankovic : There is another similar saying for the meaning you suggest: "Ko o čemu kurva o poštenju", but the granny is talking about doughnuts because that's her favourite subject, not because she does not know how to make them and pretends she does
1 hr
Yes, I understand that. However, people in Bosnia often twist it when they want to sound more polite atually refering to " ko o čemu kurva..", which a is very subtle cultural reference in Bosnia.
disagree Sladjana Spaic : Yeap, I agree with you abt the definition of idioms, but "hypocrit" is far too strong and tends to be offensive for this context, IMO anyway. Well, never mind and no hard feelings - I wish you a great weekend! :))
6 hrs
In modern/contemporary Bosnian slang, it is. Sorry. And yes, you are right, the translation is requested from Serbian, that's why I pointed out it is a Bosnian reference.
disagree Mira Stepanovic : Sorry, the meaning has nothing to do with hypocrisy
11 hrs
I respect your inputs. It surely does, in a specific context.
disagree Veronica Prpic Uhing : Vidjeti: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hypocrite
16 hrs
I know what a hypocrit is, thank you very much.
disagree Natasa Djurovic : The meaning is the same in Bosnian and Serbian as well.
17 hrs
Are you Bosnian born and bread?I guess not. It is highly likely the phrase has been used through the disapproving and sarcastic connotation I described above.
disagree Aleksander Vasiljevic : Na bosanskim sajtovima nema tog značenja koje pominjete: http://www.google.com/search?q="ko+o+cemu+baba"+site%3Aba
23 hrs
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1 day 19 hrs

There he goes, banging on again

Perhaps this would be a bit more modern slang to the 'He's off on his hobby horse again'
Note from asker:
Thanks for responding. "Banging on" doesn't really mean anything in US English -- maybe it does in the UK. Whereas "hobby-horse" is understood readily on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Reference comments

4 hrs
Reference:

to keep reverting to the same subject of conversation

to harp forever on the same string
to have a pet subject
to ride on one's hobbyhorse
Boško Milosavljević, Margot Williams Milosavljević - Srpsko-engleski rečnik idioma, SKZ 1992.
Note from asker:
Many thanks for this, Miomira! (and sorry for the delay in responding) This Milosavljević reference sounds very useful -- is it still in print?
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree zoe1 : I moj izvor je kao i vaš. Sorry for sending the response in Serbian. Didn't notice. My ref. is the same dictionary.
4 hrs
agree Sladjana Spaic : Great suggestions, especcially the one "to have a pet subject"! You should give one of them as an answer in the answer box! :))
5 hrs
agree Mira Stepanovic
5 hrs
agree Natasa Djurovic
6 hrs
agree Kristina Kolic
8 hrs
agree Sherefedin MUSTAFA
8 hrs
agree mita
13 hrs
agree Aleksander Vasiljevic : Unfortunately this dictionary is out of print, but it can sometimes be found in antiquarian bookshops.
1 day 21 hrs
Too bad to hear that. The authors have both passed away and my copy was a gift from them.
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