For breakfast I eat up my vowels, my a e i o u, to which I add from consonants a fricative or two;
After that I move my bowels then write as poets do, and frequently am quite surprised to feel a trill come through.
Showing posts with label Idioms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Idioms. Show all posts

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Para Beşlisi (Five of Coins)
A little bit of Turkish: Olmak (to be) Etmek (to do, make; to be worth, to amount to) -sız (meaning 'without' ) -mez (suffix of negation)




beş parasız - lit. without five pennies, fig. penniless
beş paralık olmak/etmek - lit. to be/to do five pennies worth, fig. to expose shameful secrets
beş para etmez - lit. not worth five pennies, fig. of something that is trashy, worthless.


The image of the Five of Coins above is from a 1910 pack of tarot cards produced by Pamela Colman Smith for Arthur Edward Waite. For a modern reproduction I recommend the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set.

Monday, 9 May 2011

Kupa Dokuzlusu (Nine of Cups)
A little bit of Turkish: Iyi (Good, Fine, Well) Olmak (to be)


The latin suit of cups may be related to the french suit of hearts, and thus the nine of cups to the nine of hearts, known as the wish card in cartomancy. 

Iyi diyelim iyi olalım
"Wish well, be well." May be related to ideas of affirmation, positive thinking.
lit. Let's say well (good, fine) and be well. Used as a response to the enquiry 'nasılsınız?' ('how are you?') and akin to the English response 'mustn't grumble'.

The image of the Nine of Cups above is from a 1910 pack of tarot cards produced by Pamela Colman Smith for Arthur Edward Waite. For a modern reproduction I recommend the Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set.