Helyzet mondás

English translation: situational phrase

09:56 Jul 28, 2017
Hungarian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics / Terminology
Hungarian term or phrase: Helyzet mondás
What is the English term for a saying (possibly even cliché) which is only used in certain situations? A professional translator asks because he is working on a document about terms, expressions etc.
Mary Sousa
Local time: 10:56
English translation:situational phrase
Explanation:
szituációs kifejezés sztem
Selected response from:

Tibor Pataki
Hungary
Local time: 10:56
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1csak az adott helyzetben használható/használatos frázis, lexikalizálódott frázis/szófordulat
Erzsébet Czopyk
4 +1proverb, idiom, cliché, adage, (situational) phrase - depending on the situ/type of phrase
Peter Simon
3 +1Proverb
Katarina Peters
1 -1situational phrase
Tibor Pataki


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
csak az adott helyzetben használható/használatos frázis, lexikalizálódott frázis/szófordulat


Explanation:
What is the English term for a saying (possibly even cliché) which is only used in certain situations?

There is no rule "to be used only".



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Note added at 6 mins (2017-07-28 10:03:42 GMT)
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(I am linguist)

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Note added at 7 mins (2017-07-28 10:04:38 GMT)
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(sorry I forgot an 'a' in a hurry.)

Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 10:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Katarina Peters: Yes, Erzsi, but the asker is looking for an English equivalent
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Katarina, have a nice weekend! I will add something ater today I am just busy working now.
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Proverb


Explanation:
This may be too simplistic and I may be on the wrong track here, but there is a specific proverb for any given situation, among many thousands.
To exemplify, these two proverbs are not interchangeable:
curiosity killed a cat (when a child asks too many questions)
better late than never (when doing something after the deadline)

Katarina Peters
Canada
Local time: 05:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Erzsébet Czopyk
15 hrs
  -> Thank you, Erzsi! Have a nice weekend too!
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): -1
situational phrase


Explanation:
szituációs kifejezés sztem

Tibor Pataki
Hungary
Local time: 10:56
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ildiko Santana: Perfect
3 hrs

disagree  Erzsébet Czopyk: ez meg nem magyarul van, mi az, hogy szituációs kifejezés?
14 hrs

disagree  Peter Simon: Ilyen szerintem se létezik, ld. a discussion-beli gondolataimat
14 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
proverb, idiom, cliché, adage, (situational) phrase - depending on the situ/type of phrase


Explanation:
These are defined as more-or-less different in EN. The particular phrase/sentence used for a particular situation depends on the user, to which group it belongs depends on linguistics. Each phrase/sentence has a distinct meaning (if that's what's the asker referred to), but one could probably use several phrases in a situation, it's his/her choice. Out of these, proverbs (HU "közmondás"), and perhaps also adages are a bit apart, see common definitions, but they're still often used linked to situations as well as more loosely as expressing general truths.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2017-07-28 16:56:30 GMT)
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I couldn't put a finger on what the kind of situation or phrase or meaning that is requested by the asker, therefore my wide sweep. The HU doesn't help at all, I think.

Peter Simon
Netherlands
Local time: 10:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks you are absolutely right!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Erzsébet Czopyk: (Bocsáss meg, benéztem a nyelvpárt, én voltam a hülye)
13 hrs
  -> Köszönöm, Erzsi! És semmi baj :) Szép nappot!
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