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"nothing goads the pack like the scent of fear"

English translation: "nothing incites a pack of people such as a lynch mob as much as does the sense that their prey...


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15:46 Nov 9, 2011
English to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: "nothing goads the pack like the scent of fear"
I could hear the desperation in his voice, and if I could hear it, so could they. That was dangerous. Nothing goads a pack like the scent of fea.

Scene taking place in Mississippi where a KKK mob is about to lynch a black man.
gvt
English translation:"nothing incites a pack of people such as a lynch mob as much as does the sense that their prey...
Explanation:
"nothing incites a pack of people such as a lynch mob as much as does the sense that their prey is afraid"

It's using a dog or wolf pack metaphor and works on the idea that a pack of dogs can smell fear in the person / prey they are pursuing.

So the lynch mob is excited and spurred on by the idea that their victim is afraid.

Selected response from:

Liz Broomfield
United Kingdom
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6"nothing incites a pack of people such as a lynch mob as much as does the sense that their prey...
Liz Broomfield
4 +3nothing provokes a group of agressive people like the fear of a potential victim.
Jenni Lukac
3"Nothing gets the red necks going like a scared black
fourth
Summary of reference entries provided
pack - of wolves
meirs

  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
"nothing incites a pack of people such as a lynch mob as much as does the sense that their prey...


Explanation:
"nothing incites a pack of people such as a lynch mob as much as does the sense that their prey is afraid"

It's using a dog or wolf pack metaphor and works on the idea that a pack of dogs can smell fear in the person / prey they are pursuing.

So the lynch mob is excited and spurred on by the idea that their victim is afraid.



Liz Broomfield
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: Very appropriate metaphor to use for a lynch mob - a pack of hunters (e.g. wolves) rather than thinking human beings
5 mins
  -> Thank you!
agree  kmtext
13 mins
  -> Thank you!
agree  Erich Ekoputra
7 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  Phong Le
20 hrs
  -> thank you!
agree  Thuy-PTT
1 day17 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  NancyLynn
1 day21 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
nothing provokes a group of agressive people like the fear of a potential victim.


Explanation:
The writer is comparing a group of people (I assume racists here) with a pack of wolves. It is said that wolves and other wild animals become nervous and aggressive and are more apt to attack when they detect the "smell" of fear coming from a possible victim. A pack is a group.

Jenni Lukac
Local time: 04:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 111

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: However, my understanding is that although such groups were led by agressive racists, many in the group would never have done such a thing alone. They got drawn in and regret it afterwards.
6 mins
  -> Thanks, Sheila. I believe that this is known as the "pack" mentality.
agree  eski: Right on; Jenn : I think you nailed the correct meaning. Saludos, eski :))
51 mins
  -> Cheers and thanks, eski.
agree  Jack Doughty
1 hr
  -> Cheers and thanks, Jack.
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"Nothing gets the red necks going like a scared black


Explanation:
This is SO awful.
Within OUR lifetime this happened.

fourth
France
Local time: 04:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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Reference comments


10 mins
Reference: pack - of wolves

Reference information:
like a school of fish and herd of horses - special EN names for groups of particular kinds of animals

meirs
Israel
Native speaker of: Native in RomanianRomanian
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