Dec 28, 2004 09:10
19 yrs ago
Arabic term
Trying to get things done
Native in: Arabic 
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English
مصمصة الشفايف
Arabic to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
As we used to say, or rather an action of nothing bu مصمصة الشفايف
Proposed translations
(English)
| 5 +2 | grumble, wring their/one's hands, disapprove |
Alaa Zeineldine
|
| 3 +2 | sitting on one's hands |
Waleed Mohamed
|
Proposed translations
+2
4 hrs
Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Egypt
Native in Arabic
&
English
Works in field
Egypt
The best in IT ... and in Automotive
Native in: Arabic , English
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Arabic term (edited):
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Selected
grumble, wring their/one's hands, disapprove
The gesture of مصمصة الشفايف (to force the air though the lips so as to produce a "chirping" sound) is a much more loaded gesture than just doing nothing. It is an expression of disapproval deep-rooted in Egyptian society and used almost exclusively by females. No doubt it is used here idiomatically to refer to people who do nothing except complain. If you want to remain idiomatic, you can use grumble, mumble, murmur, whine, or any suitable synonym from your preferred thesaurus; if you want to be literal, if this is possible at all here, then "dissaprove'" is the closest sentiment to this gesture that I can think of.
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Note added at 5 hrs 4 mins (2004-12-28 14:14:07 GMT)
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A closely related gesture in the English speaking world is: sigh!
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Note added at 5 hrs 4 mins (2004-12-28 14:14:07 GMT)
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A closely related gesture in the English speaking world is: sigh!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
12 mins
Waleed Mohamed
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
Native in Arabic
Works in field
United Arab Emirates
Translation services company in Dubai
Native in: Arabic
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, Arabic
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Arabic term (edited):
����� �������
sitting on one's hands
I think here that the meaning is "not to take necessary action", so we can say also:
1. Remain passive towards ...
2. remain a mere bystander
Good Luck
الترجمة أعلاه هي بناء على اعتقادي بأن مصمصة الشفايف تعني اتخاذ موقف سلبي أو كما يقولون الوقوف مكتوف الأيدي
1. Remain passive towards ...
2. remain a mere bystander
Good Luck
الترجمة أعلاه هي بناء على اعتقادي بأن مصمصة الشفايف تعني اتخاذ موقف سلبي أو كما يقولون الوقوف مكتوف الأيدي
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Awad Balaish
: and simply we can say, got nothing.
30 mins
|
|
Thank you
|
|
| agree |
A Nabil Bouitieh
: Absolutely right.
8 hrs
|
|
Thanks a lot
|
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