Invent an Idiom

[Risla]

I had this idea earlier today. Basically, I have a hard time coming up with idioms for my conlang, especially in deciding on things that should be idiomatic and I know other people have the same problem. The idea is this: you come up with a conlang idiom (or a euphemism, if you want) for the concept the previous poster provided, and you post a new concept. You are very welcome to explain how such an idiom would have arisen. An example:

Next idiom: extremely rich

South Eresian: étel ha rámi popózen, lit. "to have red feet." Arose because rich women in South Eresia buy a bright red imported dye from the southern mainland regions (probably madder) to wash their hair with, and bathing among rich Eresians is done by standing in a low, flat basin and having water poured over them. The dye, when rinsed out, goes into the basin and stains their feet red.

Next idiom: excessively sweet.

[treskro]

Proto Vdangku: axhamexh zteongtuān lit. "finding silver"; when miners found silver while working, they were often compensated with small packets of valuable sugar


Next Idiom:
a clumsy runner

[Trailsend]

Liìémùi loshkuthaliruùlnkuthára!
He is racing Raven, just like Salmon!

From a Feayran folktale, in which Raven tricks Salmon into competing in an over-land race.

Next:
A nosy person, someone who is inappropriately concerned with the dealings of others

[cybrxkhan]

A nosy person, someone who is inappropriately concerned with the dealings of others

Aidisese:
Torkoios - literally, "coffeeman" (Torkoia in the case of a woman), because coffee makes people hyper, and hyper people can be quite annoying and nosy. You would say something like "Oh, its the coffee-man again!"


Next:
to be heartbroken

[Astraios]

Sogurian idioms for "to be heartbroken":

gentar lat gavar - lit. to suffer and mourn
inis ibitar - lit. to drown oneself in the sea (from the standard Jilted Maiden Jumps Off Cliff myth)
inverinjar - lit. to be felled
iŋgoirinjar - lit. to be washed away
malaren jaeritar - lit. to devote oneself to the rain deity (a notoriously fickle lover in myth)
gomnurar to have lost one's closest friend


Next: to be sick/fed up of smth/sb

[Jadyndar]

to be sick/fed up of smth/sb

Gomain: hrézbedhé émíhól/émíkái "to be drowned by smth/sb", e.g. ¡Hwehrézb^e zó! "I'm fed up with you!" (lit. "you drown me!")

Next: to be stingy

[Aurora Rossa]

Next: to be stingy

Terpish:

ākâakurakhasa - to be an Aakuran; because the Terps mostly live in the socialistic FAC while Aakura is basically anarcho-capitalist, so naturally the Terps associate Aakura with runaway greed. Note that this idiom has obvious offensive potential.

Next: To really annoy or bug someone (eg "that really burns my biscuit")

[Risla]

Stinginess: nopárel ha xaxápa, lit. "to wear white (clothing)." Explanation: when dyed clothes fade, you are expected to redye them or acquire new ones, if they are worn out. Cheapskates, on the other hand, continue wearing the faded clothes. Puns are formed with this about priest(esse)s, who are only allowed to wear white or brown, and an undeserved reputation has arisen about them being cheap.

Annoyance: tlepáuqel na tlempínto, lit. "to pinch (someone's) nipples." Explanation not required.

Next: obnoxiously cheerful.

[Radius Solis]

Next: obnoxiously cheerful.

I want to make one for this: to choke (someone) with honey (transitive) or choke on honey (intransitive), via the common sweetness=happiness metaphor. But I don't know what conlang to put it into. Someone else can feel free to take it.

Next: to bleed all over

[Soap]

Poswa:

tšoppos to choke (reflexive)
tšoppwavop to cause someone to choke

pase honey
pasi honey (instrumental)

pasi tšoppwavop "to choke someone with honey"

[Zapcon]

Next: to bleed all over

I don't have a completed conlang to put this in yet, but,

The phrase in my ɪʒ language will eventually mean, to be killed unskillfully, because they are a hunter gatherer society up in the mountains and when they kill an animal, a deer or bear, and it is not a clean and quick kill, it will run around the region (very small isolated region) bleeding over everything until it bleeds to death.

[Jipí]

because coffee makes people hyper, and hyper people can be quite annoying and nosy.

Someone has a low opinion of coffee. (I can see how coffee makes you hyper if you drink too much, but nosy?)

to bleed all over

To have bathed in knives, brasyam tihangyēa.

Next: to be (emotionally) moved easily

[Grimalkin]

Olguma:

Tupaurennelon gónn ogáftale sartial
Pupaurennelu gónn ogáftale sartial

He/she regularly paints his/her face with tears = (s)he's (emotionally) moved easily

Next: to tell a big lie

[Toko]

Olguma:

Tupaurennelon gónn ogáftale sartial
Pupaurennelu gónn ogáftale sartial

He/she regularly paints his/her face with tears = (s)he's (emotionally) moved easily

Next: to tell a big lie

Sukonofe hachi
"To be as Sukonofe"

Teya Sukonofe Yazo was the figurehead of the ITH (Ima Taikijitse Himatsu) during it's waning years as people in the Hunzai called for a more democratic government. At the same time many of the less-than-honest operations of the ITH were being exposed. Though he was hardly the worst of the organization, as the public symbol his name became synonymous with deceit, hypocrisy and lies. Even today the given name "Sukonofe" is avoided.

Sukonofe is the context of the phrase is not written in Bokai, but in Mihu.
Example in use:
"ite Sukonofe hachi jo"
"He has told a big lie"

Next: "To have no idea what one is doing"

[Izambri]

*Today we are cancelling the Apocalypse*

[Chuma]

Rammy:
"To be like a pine cone beast". From the jocular myth that pine cones are actually little animals, who sit in the trees waiting for passersby whom they can fall down on.

Next:
To say that you believe in something, but act as if you don't.

[langover94]

Marãol: Ayo colleson rexonse

Literally: To smile at one's own ass. Derived from the act of bending over backwards, which symbolizes in Marãol not practicing what you preach.

Next: "To vent, to air out one's feelings"

[Trailsend]

"To vent, to air out one's feelings"

This could go two ways in Feayran:

If the vent was unexpected, unwelcome, or inappropriate:

Hùolugaùrràorúnovuùk.
He vomited water from his liver on me.

If the vent was welcomed and appreciated by the audience:

Anurukúvuùshunalok.
He shared water with me.

The liver is thought to be the seat of the spirit; water, in turn, is spirit.


Next:

To do something surreptitiously that is actually apparent to everyone.

[langover94]

Marãol: Ballaxtiom ecitra

Literally: To find a black cat (referring to the unlucky omen of a black cat crossing one's path, it symbolizes the unfortunate situation of one being non-discrete).

Next: To garner multiple successes/experiences in life.

[WanderlustKoko]

Karani:

In a negative way:

Uzakpuonii kurohii umipako- Someone who takes advantage of someone/something in a negative way (The outcome is negative) (Lit. Disturbing black faxes)
Kamas sawuonii upoku- to make excuses, to make something up, to decieve someone (lit. To have convenient allergies)

In a positive way:

Garuchigo poipos- To work hard for something (lit. To employ toes)
Gubeno huma- To be successful non-stop, to be extremely lucky, to get what you worked so hard for, to be able to move forward in life, to receive opportunities, to open a lot of doors (because of your success) (To win the year)

Verbs that express this but not idioms though:

Gubeno- to try at something and win, to be lucky, be good at something
Krumahi- to try at something and fail, to be weak at something, something that is difficult for you to accomplish, to be unlucky

Next: To let the cat out of the bag (Lit: To tell a secret to somebody whom you shouldn't tell)

[cybrxkhan]

Someone has a low opinion of coffee. (I can see how coffee makes you hyper if you drink too much, but nosy?)

Actually I don't have a low opinion of coffee... it was just a random thought that occurred to me. Although I do know hyper people who have been nosy, for better or worse.

Next: To let the cat out of the bag (Lit: To tell a secret to somebody whom you shouldn't tell)

Aidisese:
bene luko - literally, "wind travel", or "to travel the wind", because it is thought that since the wind reaches places without discrimination, it is like as if you told someone without thinking. You would say "He traveled the wind".



Next:
An angsty adolescent or young man/woman

[Trailsend]

Ulkuvúktonangosuòl kaluktovúlkufìilote.

"He puts a large stick up his anus to prop up his tail."

A raised tail is part of the posture used to indicate a stance of challenging authority; a bid for dominance. But pups are yet too young to make such a stand under their own power, especially for the duration of adolescent angst.


Next:
To think furiously about a problem with no success

[Bedelato]

Bengedian he ne can tanče "He can't reach it", meaning he can't solve the problem no matter how hard he tries.

Next idiom: to be overwhelmed

[langover94]

Marãol: Bij kixitan mistija sõar macio.

Literally: To have been sprayed with cheese. (Cheese is sharp tasting and usually served melted in the area where Marãol is spoken, and when too much of it is used it can be a bit overwhelming.)

Next: To have one's head in the clouds

[vampireshark]

Next: To have one's head in the clouds

Telèmor: gutare sa lonista (lit. "to smell honeysuckle")
Honeysuckle has such an enticing aroma that it is seen as a powerful distraction; in fact, most hospitals, schools, and government buildings will avoid planting honeysuckle because of this association.

Next: to be drunk off one's ass