szólás

English translation: "A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Hungarian term or phrase:	szólás
English translation:	"A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

10:28 Dec 3, 2008

Hungarian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / szólásmondás

Hungarian term or phrase: szólás

Az alábbi mondás hvatalos angol fordítását keressük:
„Ahány nyelvet beszélsz, annyi embert érsz.”
(IV. Károly német-római császár)

Köszönettel,
Kata

Kata

"A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

Explanation:
This is the version usually quoted; in any case, the Hungarian construction you cite is difficult to render elegantly in English.

(That would be Charles *V*.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-12-03 12:13:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

(... and he was talking about himself, of course, so there is no need to translate this with an expression that is open-ended in number.)

Selected response from:

Jim Tucker (X)
United States

Grading comment

Speed: excellent!
The meaning however does not cover what we intended to say. The fact that there is no English version to it indicates how English-speaking cultures regard the rest of the world. This of course has historical roots. We in Eastern Europe are more interdependent. Jim, thank you for your immediate reaction and willingness to help.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +1

"A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

Jim Tucker (X)

You are as many people as the languages you speak

limlom (X)

Answers

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

"A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

Jim Tucker (X)
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English

Grading comment

3739 days confidence:

You are as many people as the languages you speak

Explanation:
This isn't a fixed idiomatic phrase but captures both the genderless nature of the original and the openness regarding the number of languages being spoken. Using a gendered form of translation (referring to he, man etc) is completely inappropriate nowaways and was back in 2008 when the first translation was suggested. Similarly the Czech: 'Kolik jazyků znáš, tolikrát jsi člověkem. The more languages you know, the more you are human. or lit. "As many languages you know, as many times you are a human being"' (see the link provided)

https://www.omniglot.com/language/proverbs/language.htm

limlom (X)
Native speaker of:

English

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

szólás

English translation: "A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

Your current localization setting

Select a language

szólás

English translation: "A man who knows four languages is worth four men."

Answers

KudoZ™ translation help

You have native languages that can be verified

Your current localization setting

Select a language