Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
motherhood-and-applepie
English answer:
overly simplified and idealistic
Added to glossary by
Tuncay Kurt
Apr 19, 2006 07:25
18 yrs ago
English term
Türkiye
MEDICAL & PHARMACEUTICAL TRANSLATION
Native in: Turkish (Variant: Standard-İstanbul ) 
Works in: English to Turkish, Turkish to English
motherhood-and-applepie
English
Social Sciences
Psychology
mental health services
"It is not hard to imagine a younger reader or any reader new to mental health responding to a list of PSR (Psychosocial Rehabilitation) principles such as the one presented in Box 12-1 with and extended yawn and the observation that such "motherhood-and-applepie" statements are hardly unique."
Those satemens listed in the Box are like "hope is essential, every person deserves respect and dignity, sevrice providers should be friend with the clients...etc."
In order to translate it into Turkish (I have already asked it to Turkish translators) i need to know the exact meaning or the background implications of this idiomatic expression so that i can make ep an idiomatic expression for it Turkish...
Those satemens listed in the Box are like "hope is essential, every person deserves respect and dignity, sevrice providers should be friend with the clients...etc."
In order to translate it into Turkish (I have already asked it to Turkish translators) i need to know the exact meaning or the background implications of this idiomatic expression so that i can make ep an idiomatic expression for it Turkish...
Responses
Change log
Apr 19, 2006 08:17: Ian M-H (X) changed "Field" from "Art/Literary" to "Social Sciences"
Apr 19, 2006 08:18: Ian M-H (X) changed "Field (specific)" from "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings" to "Psychology"
Responses
-1
57 mins
Clare Barnes
Sweden
Sweden
Native in English
&
English
Sweden
Targeted translations, punctual delivery
Native in: English
Works in: Swedish to English, English, Norwegian to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
overly simplified and idealistic
My take on this is that this is used in a slightly cynical way to refer to overly simplified statements, such as those listed in the question. Yes, the world would be a wonderful place if we could all treat everyone with respect and dignity, but unfortunately society does not work like that (in the same way as most people would think it was wonderful to have a loving mother and home-baked apple pie, but aren't lucky enough get it every day).
Or perhaps I'm a cynic who hasn't had her pie and eaten it?
Or perhaps I'm a cynic who hasn't had her pie and eaten it?
Reference:
http://hurryupharry.bloghouse.net/archives/2005/11/16/the_strange_death_of_secular_britain.php
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Bob Crockfor (X)
: In our work context this phrase covers an issue that is unchallengable - i.e. motherhood and apple pie are universally taken as good things, or they requirements so high-level that they are almost too vague or simply truisms
2241 days
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "All explanations are worth-considering but this one is very closely related with the whole text and in other parts of the text the author commenst about this "repetatitons". Thank you Clare."
4 mins
Merhaba
Motherhood and apple pie is used in the USA to refer to what typifies the country. Another example is baseball, hotdogs and apple pie. Basically, its a 'feel good' statement. Good luck with finding a Turkish idiom.
6 mins
conventional wisdom?
conventional wisdom?conventiona wisdom
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Note added at 7 mins (2006-04-19 07:32:03 GMT)
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sorry - conventional wisdom
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Note added at 7 mins (2006-04-19 07:32:03 GMT)
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sorry - conventional wisdom
+4
13 mins
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
&
English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
traditional (Christian) family values
IMHO
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Natalie Wilcock (X)
: with Jonathon, but not sure about the Christian. These just seem to be wishes of goodwill on all mankind...
2 mins
|
| agree |
Can Altinbay
: In this context, yours is so far the best. I'm with Natalie regarding "Christian".
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Romanian Translator (X)
14 hrs
|
| agree |
Isodynamia
: Best choice here. With Natalie on the "Christian" part.
1 day 2 mins
|
+1
50 mins
values that everyone shares
Value statements that just about everybody [within a particular group] is likely to agree with; values that everyone is believed to share.
Parenting and eating nice food - things that most people are suumed to agree are "good", even if they might have different ideas about what they actually mean.
Other examples are "freedom" and "democracy": things that are highly valued and praised in most cultures, but agreeing that they're "good" doesn't actually help much, because people with different political views can have very different ideas as to what they mean and how they're best served.
In your text, I think the point is that saying everyone deserves to be treated with respect, for example, isn't going to seem new or exciting to "a younger reader or any reader new to mental health" - they're likely to be bored and yawn, because the statements seem obvious.
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Note added at 51 mins (2006-04-19 08:16:49 GMT)
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"suumed" should of course read "assumed" ;-)
Parenting and eating nice food - things that most people are suumed to agree are "good", even if they might have different ideas about what they actually mean.
Other examples are "freedom" and "democracy": things that are highly valued and praised in most cultures, but agreeing that they're "good" doesn't actually help much, because people with different political views can have very different ideas as to what they mean and how they're best served.
In your text, I think the point is that saying everyone deserves to be treated with respect, for example, isn't going to seem new or exciting to "a younger reader or any reader new to mental health" - they're likely to be bored and yawn, because the statements seem obvious.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2006-04-19 08:16:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"suumed" should of course read "assumed" ;-)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
RHELLER
: very generalized, sweet-sounding statements (nothing to do with religion)
5 hrs
|
+3
4 hrs
Alexander Demyanov
Software Engineering background
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English, Russian, Russian to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
I'd translate it more or less directly
Apple pie is an inherent part in the American imagery of "happy" or "normal" childhood in a family where Mother takes care of thing, etc.
If I were translating the phrase into my native Russian, i would do it more or less word-to-word, to preserve this American idiom intact. That is I wouldn't look for a Russian idiom bringing to mind Russian imagery of a happy family. Doing so, in my opinion, would be roughly the same as, say, substituting a "soccer" for "baseball"
If I were translating the phrase into my native Russian, i would do it more or less word-to-word, to preserve this American idiom intact. That is I wouldn't look for a Russian idiom bringing to mind Russian imagery of a happy family. Doing so, in my opinion, would be roughly the same as, say, substituting a "soccer" for "baseball"
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
RHELLER
: I agree with you on "American imagery"
1 hr
|
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Thanks, Rita.
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| agree |
NancyLynn
3 hrs
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Thanks, Nancy.
|
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| agree |
Raging Dreamer
1 day 2 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Raging.
|
9 hrs
universally accepted
A "motherhood and apple pie" issue is an issue which is universally agreed upon just as no one would disparage "motherhood" and everyone likes apple pie.
Discussion