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ammazzare una mosca con un cannone

English translation: use a sledgehammer to crack a nut


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08:10 Sep 16, 2009
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Italian term or phrase: ammazzare una mosca con un cannone
Si tratta di una traduzione medica, ma l'espressione è idiomatica. Parlando di psoriasi, la dott.ssa sta dicendo che se i pazienti sono affetti da una psoriasi lieve, non si può trattarli "ammazzando una mosca con un cannone" Ho capito il senso, i pazienti non possono pretendere di ricevere un trattamento forte e molto invasivo e i dottori non possono farlo, non é il caso. Vorrei riprodurre il concetto con un idiom o mantenendo l'idiomaticità dell'espressione. Qualche idea? Grazie mille!
Lucia Sbrighi
Italy
Local time: 00:42
English translation:use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
Explanation:
see
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/sledgehammer-to-crack-a-n...

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Note added at 2 mins (2009-09-16 08:13:11 GMT)
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nel link stesso si dice anche:
"Don't worry over little ills of life. It is like taking a sledge hammer to kill a fly."
Selected response from:

Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 00:42
Grading comment
Thank you very much Shera!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5use a sledgehammer to crack a nutShera Lyn Parpia


  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
use a sledgehammer to crack a nut


Explanation:
see
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/sledgehammer-to-crack-a-n...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 mins (2009-09-16 08:13:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

nel link stesso si dice anche:
"Don't worry over little ills of life. It is like taking a sledge hammer to kill a fly."

Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 00:42
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you very much Shera!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tom in London
5 mins

agree  Oliver Lawrence: Re cilantro below: "Confucius say" proverbs always tend to be somewhat self-conscious in their inaccurate use of idiom, so I wouldn't pay much attention to what they say
12 mins
  -> true... grazie :)

agree  Clifford Marcus
23 mins

disagree  cilantro: I would like to point out that the original expression is "Confucius say: You do not kill mosquito with cannon". Maybe in the case of dermatology it is poor style to talk about sledgehammers and nuts.
52 mins
  -> That's Confucius, with all due respect, and not very good English at that! This is English as native speakers speak.

agree  Panagiotis Andrias
1 hr

agree  Pauley
5 hrs

agree  potra: I like it
6 hrs
  -> thanks :)
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