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нет ума - считай, калека

English translation: there is no cure for stupidity

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:нет ума - считай, калека
English translation:there is no cure for stupidity
Entered by: Arkadi Burkov

12:46 Jul 7, 2008
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Slang
Russian term or phrase: нет ума - считай, калека
нет ума - считай, калека
Arkadi Burkov
Belarus
Local time: 07:16
needs a brain replacement / no cure for stupidity
Explanation:
To say that someone "needs a brain replacement" is quite common, even when speaking of oneself, as in "I think I need a brain replacement". Otherwise, might suggest something along the lines of "There's no cure for stupidity".
Selected response from:

Graham Poole
United States
Local time: 00:16
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5needs a brain replacement / no cure for stupidity
Graham Poole
4Stupidity is a handicap
Tevah_Trans
4lame in brain, a sort of cripple
koundelev
3Ignorance can be cured, but stupidity is forever
Kameliya
3 -1No brains - no headache
Sergei Vasin


Discussion entries: 13





  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Stupidity is a handicap


Explanation:
..

Tevah_Trans
Local time: 00:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 7
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
needs a brain replacement / no cure for stupidity


Explanation:
To say that someone "needs a brain replacement" is quite common, even when speaking of oneself, as in "I think I need a brain replacement". Otherwise, might suggest something along the lines of "There's no cure for stupidity".

Graham Poole
United States
Local time: 00:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mark Berelekhis: There's no cure for stupidity.
11 mins
  -> Alas, there isn't! Thanks, Mark!
agree  svetlana cosquéric: I like Mark's !
34 mins
  -> Thanks, Svetlana!
agree  Deborah Kolosova: I vote for "there's no cure for stupidity."
1 hr
  -> Thank you!
agree  Angela Greenfield: There's no cure for stupidity.
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Angela!
agree  Kameliya: no cure for stupidity
16 hrs
  -> Thanks, Kseniya!
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Ignorance can be cured, but stupidity is forever


Explanation:
.

Kameliya
Russian Federation
Local time: 09:16
Native speaker of: Russian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Angelika Kuznetsova: Самый близкий. Где Вы взяли это выражение, если не секрет? Я почему нейтрал - Вам не напоминает это - "если болен - то это надолго, если дурак - то навсегда". Вроде не совсем то:)
12 mins
  -> есть такое:) ну я дала, что нашла, а автор пусть выбирает, что больше нравится) щас еще поищу)
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
lame in brain, a sort of cripple


Explanation:
lame-in- the-brain, another cripple

koundelev
Local time: 07:16
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 20
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
No brains - no headache


Explanation:
http://mrlewisworldlearners.blogspot.com/2008/06/june-16th.h...

"I pulled into town and unloaded the car. I slammed my trunk, forgetting that my trunk bike rack was on it, and it clocked me in the head. I literally saw stars. The reaction from most is, initial sympathy, followed by ridicule..."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-07-07 14:01:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7478/nobrains.htm

No Brains, No Headache.

1st Person: "Do you know anything about this fax-machine?"
2nd Person: "A little. What's wrong?"
1st Person: "Well, I sent a fax, and the recipient called back to say
all she received was a cover-sheet and a blank page.
I tried it again, and the same thing happened."
2nd Person: "How did you load the sheet?"
1st Person: "It's a pretty sensitive memo, and I didn't want anyone
else to read it by accident, so I folded it so only the
recipient would open it and read it."

Tech Support: "What does the screen say now?"
Person: "It says, 'Hit ENTER when ready'."
Tech Support: "Well?"
Person: "How do I know when it's ready?"

I called a company and asked to speak to Bob.
The person who answered said, "Bob is on vacation. Would you like to hold?"

Sergei Vasin
Ukraine
Local time: 07:16
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tevah_Trans: I believe the meaning is exactly the opposite
7 mins
  -> Thank you for the comment but I cannot agree with you since the examples in my notes prove that the English phrase can be the equivalent of the Russian "Нет ума - считай, калека".
disagree  Angelika Kuznetsova: Больше напоминает "Баба с возу - кобыле легче", или "С глаз долой - из сердца вон":))
37 mins
  -> Спасибо за комментарий. Знаете, все примеры, которые я нашел для приведенного мною выражения абсолютно (по-моему, конечно) вписываются в русскую фразу.
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