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Se il buongiorno si vede dal mattino

English translation: "A good beginning makes a good ending"


GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:Se il buongiorno si vede dal mattino
English translation:"A good beginning makes a good ending"
Entered by: cfraser
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18:42 Aug 31, 2008Login or register (free) for more options.
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Slang
Italian term or phrase: Se il buongiorno si vede dal mattino
Does anyone know the meaning of this idiomatic expression? Thanks
CherylObal
Italy
Local time: 22:18
"A good beginning makes a good ending"
Explanation:
based on the meaning this idiom would appear to be a more fitting english equivalent of the Italian version...
Selected response from:

cfraser
Canada
Local time: 16:18
Grading comment
Thanks. I don't think there really exists a proper translation, but this sounds like the best answer.
1 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1well begun is half done
Alessandra Renna
4If a good day starts with the morning
Barbara Toffolon
4"A good beginning makes a good ending"
cfraser
3 +1If you start the way you mean to continue....Shera Lyn Parpia
3 -1The proof of the pudding is in the eating
Tom in London
Summary of reference entries provided
BdiL

  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Il buongiorno si vede dal mattino
The proof of the pudding is in the eating


Explanation:
I've never found an exact English equivalent....so this is my attempt.

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Note added at 4 mins (2008-08-31 18:47:37 GMT)
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Literally it would be "you can tell what sort of day it's going to be by what the morning is like" but that's hardly idiomatic :)

Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:18
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  BdiL: http://www.google.it/search?source=ig&hl=it&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ITIT...
19 hrs
  -> yeah I know, but none of the other suggestions are idiomatic either.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
If you start the way you mean to continue....


Explanation:
or, "if you want to start the way you mean to continue"
or "begin the way you mean to go on".

http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q="start as you mean to go...
http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q="begin as you wish to co...





Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 22:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Peter Cox
14 hrs
  -> Thanks :)
neutral  BdiL: I have opened the links you supplied, but found nothing relevant to eplaining what is being asked here. Besides, the proverb means "a good start, makes accomplishment easier". After that, there' the IF and that should be accounted for...
17 hrs
  -> The links merely show that this is an acceptable way of stating the idea and expressing the concept. And the "if" was added to fit the translation to the original request. In fact it should be added to all the answers, IMHO.
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"A good beginning makes a good ending"


Explanation:
based on the meaning this idiom would appear to be a more fitting english equivalent of the Italian version...

cfraser
Canada
Local time: 16:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 1
Grading comment
Thanks. I don't think there really exists a proper translation, but this sounds like the best answer.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
If a good day starts with the morning


Explanation:
Il buongiorno si vede dal mattino.
English: A good day starts with the morning.
Moral: Make a good first impression.



Barbara Toffolon
United States
Local time: 22:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
il buongiorno si vede dal mattino
well begun is half done


Explanation:
http://www.pensieririflessionisaggezze.eu/proverbi_inglesi_e...

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Note added at 10 min (2008-08-31 18:53:41 GMT)
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it means you can see how things will end by the way they begin

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Note added at 13 min (2008-08-31 18:56:29 GMT)
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http://www.litterae.net/italian.htm

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Note added at 19 ore (2008-09-01 13:53:11 GMT)
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if "well begun is half done", then...

Alessandra Renna
Italy
Local time: 22:18
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BdiL: Non è solo il proverbio a dover essere spiegato (come noto altrove), ma questa spiegazione è la più vicina alla soluzione...e non voglio scrivere una MIA traduzione. Vedo il rischio che l'asker sia fuorviato da alcune soluzioni!! Ciao Ale. Maurizio
18 hrs
  -> Grazie, Maurizio/cmq come da richiesta ho tradotto solo l'espressione idiomatica, mancando del tutto il contesto
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Reference comments


18 hrs
Reference

Reference information:
Non è la spiegazione pura e semplice del proverbio "Il buon giorno si vede dal mattino", è un periodo ipotetico: SE il buon giorno si vede dal mattino... ma c'è solo la protasi e manca l'apodosi. In più è evidente che si tratta di una affermazione quasi simile a una "domanda retorica" e MANCANDO IL CONTESTO, si può ipotizzare che sia utilizzata in modo ironico per negare il significato del proverbio...

Example sentence(s):
  • Prima delle elezioni tutti dicevano che si voveva reintrodurre la possibilità di dare un voto di preferenza. Ora c'è un progetto di legge per eliminare la preferenza anche nel voto per le elezioni europee: se il buon giorno si vede dal mattino... (si pu
  • immaginare che faranno tutto il contrario di quello che avevano sbandierato a destra e a manca!)

    Reference: http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ITIT277&pwst=1...
    Reference: http://www.google.it/search?source=ig&hl=it&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ITIT...
BdiL
Italy
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
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