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Fici a fine d’u sòrciu

English translation: it met its fate/end in a rat hole


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:Fici a fine d’u sòrciu
English translation:it met its fate/end in a rat hole
Entered by: BdiL
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18:09 Jun 10, 2010
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Slang / Sicilian
Italian term or phrase: Fici a fine d’u sòrciu
Apologies if I'm posting this in the wrong place, but I see that while Sardinian is listed as a language, Sicilian isn't. If you have any suggestions about a better place to post it, I would be grateful to hear it.

Anyway, the phrase refers to the unfortunate death of a pet hamster. I would like to retain the animal reference, if possible.
bdonohue
Local time: 04:54
it met its fate/end in a rat hole
Explanation:
Just because you asked "Any thoughts?", I'll add a little splinter of mine to the general dissertation.

It is unimportant, but "fici" may imply "iu" (= I) as well as "iddu"/"idda" (= it, he/she).

Understandably this is a third-person tale and I use "it" (unless the asker prefers to "humanize" to he/she).

NO trap however! Daniela Zambrini and luskie are right stressing that the "hole" should not be left out.

As a matter of fact images that come to my mind all imply intrapment: 1) someone fallen into a deep pit; 2) someone buried under a bombed building; 3) someone in a sewer or a cavern with water rising due to rain or flood. Whence comes one thought (I'll use Italian): "Speriamo di non fare la fine del sorcio/topo!"

And the imaginary (it's a metaphor) cat is there as the variable obstacle that keeps you in the hole.

On the other hand I cannot remember any English idiom, but the paradox is kept by the contrast hamster <---> rat. And the hole is necessary.

If you think it necessary you might underline the pun by an additional: 1) amazingly it met its fate in a rat hole or
2) funny to say it met its fate in a rat hole or
3) and would you believe?! it met its fate in a rat hole... or
whatever comes to your mind.

Maurizio
Selected response from:

BdiL
Local time: 05:54
Grading comment
Very comprehensive answer that took the context into consideration.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4died like a rat/mouse
Giuseppe Bellone
4 +2I ended up like a rat in a hole
Daniela Zambrini
4it met its fate/end in a rat holeBdiL


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
died like a rat/mouse


Explanation:
This is the meaning.

Giuseppe Bellone
Italy
Local time: 05:54
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  xxxMr Murray: perfect (I'd use 'rat' not 'mouse')
9 mins
  -> Thanks Mr Murray :)
agree  Cedric Randolph: Yes, it died like a rat...
46 mins
  -> Thanks Cedric :)
agree  Sarah Elizabeth Cree: Can't claim this knowledge myself, but my calabrese marito translated it as "died like a mouse", meaning died in an unfortunate way. Also agree that in English rat works best.
1 hr
  -> Thanks :) Yes, a see the point about "rat". Although one says a "mousetrap" and not a rat trap!! Languages are always a bit strange!! :))
neutral  Lucrezia Amedeo: die like a rat means poisoned to death, is that the case ?
21 hrs
  -> I don't think it was poisoned. But also in Italian the meaning can have different nuances, I think.
agree  dasein_wm
2 days1 hr
  -> Grazie/Thanks.:)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Fici a fine d’u sòrciu
I ended up like a rat in a hole


Explanation:
Sicilian to Italian: Feci la fine del sorcio

It means the character was left alone, trapped like rat in a hole, with no escape...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 26 mins (2010-06-10 18:35:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

p.s. this link will take you to a list of ITA idioms + ITA explanation + ENG translation of animal metaphors
http://www.locuta.com/eanim_meta.html

Daniela Zambrini
Italy
Local time: 05:54
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  luskie: died like a rat, ok, but how does a rat die? the idiom is ref. to a big cat waiting outside, and the "hole" can't be left out, imo
14 hrs
agree  potra: yes, I would omit in a hole, maybe in a trap
19 hrs
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3 days20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
it met its fate/end in a rat hole


Explanation:
Just because you asked "Any thoughts?", I'll add a little splinter of mine to the general dissertation.

It is unimportant, but "fici" may imply "iu" (= I) as well as "iddu"/"idda" (= it, he/she).

Understandably this is a third-person tale and I use "it" (unless the asker prefers to "humanize" to he/she).

NO trap however! Daniela Zambrini and luskie are right stressing that the "hole" should not be left out.

As a matter of fact images that come to my mind all imply intrapment: 1) someone fallen into a deep pit; 2) someone buried under a bombed building; 3) someone in a sewer or a cavern with water rising due to rain or flood. Whence comes one thought (I'll use Italian): "Speriamo di non fare la fine del sorcio/topo!"

And the imaginary (it's a metaphor) cat is there as the variable obstacle that keeps you in the hole.

On the other hand I cannot remember any English idiom, but the paradox is kept by the contrast hamster <---> rat. And the hole is necessary.

If you think it necessary you might underline the pun by an additional: 1) amazingly it met its fate in a rat hole or
2) funny to say it met its fate in a rat hole or
3) and would you believe?! it met its fate in a rat hole... or
whatever comes to your mind.

Maurizio

BdiL
Local time: 05:54
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Very comprehensive answer that took the context into consideration.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




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Changes made by editors
Jun 17, 2010 - Changes made by BdiL:
Created KOG entryKudoZ term => KOG term


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