Tag: Miniature

Against All Odds

Tobias M. Schiel8 Comments

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This was the original idea:

Jemandem den Boden unter den Füßen wegziehen, lit. to pull the ground from under sb’s feet, equiv. to pull the rug from under sb’s feet, fig. (German phrase) to threaten someone’s existence

…but it also looks like this guy is standing up on the cobblestone against all odds, so this also seems to be an appropriate contribution for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

Auf seinem eigenen Stern

Tobias M. Schiel6 Comments

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Er lebt auf seinem eigenen Stern means “he’s living on his own planet” – almost literally, since Stern is a star. The figurative meaning is the same in German and English.

So much for translating… This is my contribution for Thursday’s Special at Lost in Translation where you can pick a word from this list: radiant | alimentary | frontal | arboreal | remote. I picked the first one, and maybe the last.

And there is also an alternative take.

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On the Same Page

Tobias M. Schiel5 Comments

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Dear readers, a keen dancer myself, I would like to ask you for a little dance… or get on the same page with you – whatever works for you. 

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The above picture is part of a series called “Worlds Within Words.” Exploring figures of speech I realize that idioms derive much of their appeal from allowing charming glimpses into different cultures: Isn’t it wonderful that Italians say lavish persons have holes in their hands and the Dutch advise you to tread carefully and not wear clogs on ice? I love that – it’s vivid!

So here is the score: Please help me out! I suggest two ways to do so:

  1. Think of your favourite figure of speech. Think of a picture to illustrate it. Make the picture. post it and link to it in the comments. And please link to my blog in your post so people can find this challenge.
  2. Think of your favourite figure of speech. Mail it to me (or put it into the comments) along with an explanation of the literal and the figurative meaning if it is not in English or German. I will then try to come up with a good picture  of my own – and link to your blog.

I hope you can join me here – and have fun looking into the schedules of different trains of thought (could not resist this one).

As the pictures show graceful dancers, I also see them as a contribution for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

Einer an der Mütze

Tobias M. Schiel5 Comments

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Einen an der Mütze haben almost does not translate literally. “To have something/someone at the cap” comes close; “einen” can be either something or someone.

The adequate translation is easy enough though, since the English language has at least as many colourful expressions as the German: “Not playing the full deck”, “The lights are on but nobody’s home” or maybe “Not she sharpest knife in the drawer” come to mind.

Surpassing Himself

Tobias M. Schiel5 Comments

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This week, Krista at The Daily Post presents us with a “New Horizon” challenge: “Think ahead and show your work in a representative photo. If you set New Year’s resolutions, give them some thought a few weeks early. If resolutions aren’t your style, show us something that you want to achieve — it could be setting a new goal, making plans, or even tackling that pile of laundry waiting by the washer. The goal is to get out of the busy ‘now,’ and imagine your new horizon. Go!”

I Read The News Today Oh Boy…

Tobias M. Schiel16 Comments

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I was looking for something referring to ‘the news’ as a stage for this tiny reader when I stumbled upon last Friday’s copy of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (one of the quality newspapers in Germany, they say). I began fooling around with the miniature man and the front page, and arrived at this picture.

This is my contribution for the Weekly Photo Challenge – but I ought to say that much of my interest in tiny worlds was induced by Jennifer Nichole Wells’ photography.