Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

wos der bauer nit kennt, frisst er nit

English translation:

what the farmer doesn't know, he doesn't eat i.e. a rejection of newfangled affairs little understood.

Added to glossary by Alex Crichton
Sep 7, 2005 06:24
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
German term

wos der bauer nit kennt, frisst er nit

German to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
This is something in Tirolean dialect, no idea what this might mean.
Change log

Sep 7, 2005 09:54: Ian M-H (X) changed "Field" from "Social Sciences" to "Other" , "Field (specific)" from "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters" to "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings"

Proposed translations

+5
55 mins
Selected

Not to get involved in affairs little understood.

I don´t know the English equivalent, but it means that someone will not have anything to do with something unfamiliar to him. Like not investing in an industry you don´t understand.

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Note added at 56 mins (2005-09-07 07:21:16 GMT)
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More like "You can´t teach an old dog new tricks."
Peer comment(s):

agree Oliver Annacker
31 mins
Thankeschön.
agree Tamara Ferencak : I'd prefer the "old dog" version...:-)
55 mins
Thankeschön.
agree Jeannie Graham : Yes - I think "You can´t teach an old dog new tricks." sums this up nicely
1 hr
Thanks.
agree Frosty : Absolutely - and the term is not restricted just to Tirol, I`ve also heard it here in the Pfalz and in NRW
2 hrs
Thank you.
agree Rebecca Garber : the old dog works well here
6 hrs
Most obliged.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+4
24 mins

Old habits die hard.

"Was der Bauer nicht kennt, das (fr)isst er nicht" means (literally), "What a farmer doesn't know, he won't eat".
Peer comment(s):

agree Steffen Walter
21 mins
neutral Alex Crichton : Sorry guys, but I beg to differ: I think the phrase refers to strarting a new habit rather than kicking an old one.
34 mins
That's what I felt, Alex - but "Old habits die hard" is the only saying I found suggested as an equivalent, while everything else is just explanations.
neutral Trans-Marie : agree with Alex
50 mins
Thank you, Manuela - please see my comment to Alex.
agree BrigitteHilgner : Pons/Collins suggests: You can't change the habits of a lifetime. So we are at least moving into the right direction. :-)
51 mins
agree moser.ilja
1 hr
agree Mario Marcolin
1 day 13 hrs
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3 hrs

he sticks to what he knows (best)

my take :) (set phrase in English)

Jon knows how to tear the club up and he sticks to what he knows best

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Note added at 3 hrs 54 mins (2005-09-07 10:19:15 GMT)
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writing his own book, he opted to stick to what he knows best—fantasy. ...


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Note added at 3 hrs 55 mins (2005-09-07 10:20:01 GMT)
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you can also say: "he sticks WITH what he knows (best)"
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8 hrs

Can't teach an old dog new tricks

The closest equivalent I can come up with; high usage colloquial (US) English
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+4
1 hr

It literally means

that farmers will not eat anything they do not already know.
They are very conservative about trying new things, and especially conservative about trying new-fangled foods that they do not already know.
As far as I know, there is no equivalent saying in English.

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Note added at 13 hrs 23 mins (2005-09-07 19:48:34 GMT)
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Exactly - like the children of farmers who always refuse food if it is offered to them - it takes a while for them to warm up and accept new things.
Peer comment(s):

agree Anne Spitzmueller : Exactly, in a wider context it means that somebody is extremely conservative about everything, not open to anything new, preferring to stick to the old and known.
19 mins
agree Ulrike Kraemer
29 mins
agree franglish : used by my mother when refused something offhand
1 hr
agree Bjørn Anthun : with Anne
6 hrs
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