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c'est vraiment du lard aux cochons

English translation: It's like water off a duck's back

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:c'est vraiment du lard aux cochons
English translation:It's like water off a duck's back
Entered by: Yolanda Broad

10:44 May 23, 2003
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
French term or phrase: c'est vraiment du lard aux cochons
compe rendu d'un entretien d'un cadre qui a préparé un super projet pour un client potentiel et le dit cleint n'a même pas compris, lecadre en sortant s'exclame "c'est du lard aux cochons" des idées dans ce cas ?
cjohnstone
France
Local time: 02:34
It's like water off a duck's back
Explanation:
Water off a duck's back. Meaning: (coll) something that fails to have an impact
or influence on a person, especially criticism that is not taken notice of. ...
vlc.polyu.edu.hk/idioms/duckback.htm - 2k

I think it applies for this meaning.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-05-23 10:54:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

like water off a duck\'s back = without any effect.
http://www.geocities.com/saberingles2/idioms/31.html
Selected response from:

writeaway
Grading comment
merci Françis du rappel, tu as raison, et Paul, left to my own devices I would have said just that but fear a bit too GB for my job here (for South-East Asia...) so the duck..seems wiser) et vive le canard laqué, amicalement à tous les trois, Catherine
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4to cast pearls before swine
TransMark
5 +1It's like talking to a brick wall!!!
Paul Lambert
4 +1margaritas ante porcos
Francis MARC
4 +1It's like water off a duck's back
writeaway
3 +1like throwing pearls to pigs/a complete waste of time /of breath/like throwing good money after bad
Sheila Hardie


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
margaritas ante porcos


Explanation:
ce cadre avait des réminiscences mais les a déformées.
Vieille citation latine "donner des perles aux cochons", c'est à dife donner des belles choses à des gens qui ne les méritent pas

Expressions pages roses margaritas ante porcos
... Margaritas ante porcos. (Ne jetez pas) des perles aux pourceaux. Paroles
de l'Evangile (saint Mathieu, VII, 6) qui, dans l'application ...
www.locutio.com/expressions-pages-roses/ proses_marguaritas_ante.htm - 6k - En cache - Pages similaires

Delphine Ferré - présentation
... Margaritas ante porcos ,"Une perle à des cochons". ... À côté de l'élément au sol, on peut lire la locution latine suivante : "margaritas ante porcos". ...
www.fluctuat.net/dferre/presentation.htm - 17k


Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 03:34
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 6500

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  chaplin: merci de nous reciter les belles lettres
1 hr
  -> merci, juste les restes de 6 ans de latin, il y a si longtemps :-)
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
It's like water off a duck's back


Explanation:
Water off a duck's back. Meaning: (coll) something that fails to have an impact
or influence on a person, especially criticism that is not taken notice of. ...
vlc.polyu.edu.hk/idioms/duckback.htm - 2k

I think it applies for this meaning.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-05-23 10:54:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

like water off a duck\'s back = without any effect.
http://www.geocities.com/saberingles2/idioms/31.html

writeaway
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 2913
Grading comment
merci Françis du rappel, tu as raison, et Paul, left to my own devices I would have said just that but fear a bit too GB for my job here (for South-East Asia...) so the duck..seems wiser) et vive le canard laqué, amicalement à tous les trois, Catherine

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kvasir: thankx
1 hr
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
It's like talking to a brick wall!!!


Explanation:
maybe this fits here - means that you are explaining something to someone who will not understand - very British.

Paul Lambert
United States
Local time: 17:34
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 56

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rachel Vanarsdall: perfectly good in US English as well
2 hrs
  -> thanks rachel - wasn't sure whether it was used in the States or not!
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
to cast pearls before swine


Explanation:
Equivalent also to jeter des perles aux pourceaux, donner de la confiture aux cochons...

Oxford:

swine / swaIn / noun
1 (pig) (pl swine) porc m;
2 [!!]pejorative (pl swines) salaud[!!]m.

Idioms
to cast pearls before swine
jeter des perles aux pourceaux,
donner de la confiture aux cochons[!].

TransMark
Spain
Local time: 02:34
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in pair: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Peter McCavana: Yes, definitely, or "it's like throwing pearls to swine"
16 mins
agree  Lanna Castellano: yes, fits in with the context
53 mins
agree  Sarah Ponting
1 hr
agree  Jean-Luc Dumont: that is what it meant in French - when you do something nice that is not appreciated - too nice for the ungrateful or unappreciative client
5 hrs
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
like throwing pearls to pigs/a complete waste of time /of breath/like throwing good money after bad


Explanation:
I think this is the idea.

HTH


Sheila


Le Saint affirme, devançant Alighieri, que le monde est une forêt obscure, froide et infestée d'animaux féroces, dont les plus terribles sont la gourmandise, la luxure, l'avarice et le vol. Cependant, face à des cœurs de trachyte ou de basalte, le missionnaire ne doit pas répandre de larmes ni annoncer la Parole : ce serait comme donner du lard aux cochons ! Les orgueilleux et les avares qui, impitoyables comme des pressoirs, écrasent et pressent les pauvres et les misérables, en arrachent violemment la peau, en dévorent la chair, en broient les os, sont inconvertibles et sont




"Pearls before swine" has been altered to "Pearls to pigs." The "whited sepulchres" of the old English, is not equaled by "Tombs covered with whitewash." Paul's "thorn in the flesh" now becomes "a sharp pain in my body," making it more literal, rather than recognizing the figure of speech involved therein.



    Reference: http://www.saintantoine.org/ita/spirit/conv1.htm
    Reference: http://www.truthmagazine.com/archives/volume10/TM010252.htm
Sheila Hardie
Spain
Local time: 02:34
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 683

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jean-Luc Dumont
6 hrs
  -> thanks:-)
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