Invent an Idiom

[GrinningManiac]

Ygnn agrylc it adhw
(He) has half of "it".

The word "half" here doesn't mean half of any arbitrary amount. You can't use Agrylc with "half of four is two" since Agrylc refers only to the concept of the half-number between one and zero in a binary sense. "It" refers to the Dwarfen concept of bodily and mental wholeness through the unity of the three impulses - the Lower Impulse (that of "gut feeling", sexual drive and impulse) the Central Impulse (that of basic needs, wants, selfishness, hunger and emotional and spiritual pining for purpose, community, friendship and love) and the Upper Impulse (that of reason, logic, self-awareness, intelligence and the application of knowledge to a task)

The be-all-and-end-all of this phrase is that it indicates the subject does not have the wholeness of self but also does not completely lack any understanding or control of his Impulses (thus, he is capable, functioning and contributes to society but does not do anything all that special). It can be used as an insult or a compliment depending on context (compared "You're half a person, you freak" and "Ah, Jim, bless him, he's not all there but he tries his best".

Next: Fair-weather ally/friend. Someone or something that cuts and runs at the first sign of trouble.

[din]

Tormoitt:

mathanas porh miulmelis /'mæθænæs poɹ 'mylməlis/ – a fair-weather friend; useless advice; stating the obvious
lit. shelter against good weather

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next:

to intentionally cause conflict; to look for trouble; to pick a fight

[ZMoring]

next:

to intentionally cause conflict; to look for trouble; to pick a fight

Kamnui-lit Baji-Lai ~o
/'kam.nui.lit 'ba.dʑi 'laj.o/
to.court-TRY shark-woman ~DO
to try to court a Baji-Lai

Baji-Lai are creatures from mythology, an amalgam of a shark and a woman. They are as aggressive as a shark and as moody as a woman, and are thought to sink boats that sail through their territory. When calm, they are more woman than shark, and quite pretty. When aggravated, however, they take on more shark-like aspects, and become hideous things with fins and gills and big fangs. Quite a few myths about them involve sailors who try and court them or seduce them when they are in beautiful-human shape; Baji-Lai hate being hit on, and will instantly go psychotic-killer on that poor sailor. So a person who "tries to court a Baji-Lai" is one who deliberately provokes someone who they know will be aggressive.

NEXT: to be up the shit creek without a paddle

[Nortaneous]

Kett: "to have rocks in one's intestines" (and good luck getting them out!)

Insular: kábrian máktas áru
Continental: koḵrayn mároks oru

Next: to want to talk to someone while simultaneously not wanting to initiate contact

[Colonel Cathcart]

Next: to want to talk to someone while simultaneously not wanting to initiate contact

Icastrian:
olais julkalykais inteste
[olaʃ ˈjʊlkaləkaʃ ˌɪntʃəʃte]
be-INF stuck self-INE
to be stuck inside oneself

This idiom is used for the general idea of wanting something but lacking the motivation, opportunity, or confidence to go for it.

Next: to regret doing something even as you're doing it

[Matrix]

Next: to regret doing something even as you're doing it

Nahakhontl:
Ônal saðútačiwa až kla čaþ.
[oˈnal saˈðʌ.taˈt͡ʃɪ.wa ˈaʒ kla ˈt͡ʃaθ]
PRESENT.be NEGATIVE.CONTINUOUS.present around to-rain NOUN
To not be presenting oneself during the rain.

With nal as the auxiliary verb and the main verb inflected in the continuous, we get the progressive. This idiom has a double meaning: The Kingdom of Shorrag is situated mostly on savannah, so rain is not too common. Thus, not being around for a rain is seen as something to regret. The other meaning is that Úrkanía, the rain goddess, is known as a capricious lover, so standing her up is not good. Thus, once again, an action to regret.

Next: to put on a facade as you walk amongst others

[Raluv]

Next: to put on a facade as you walk amongst others

Ciöneth
Gialhy mucynialh egêxwai
gialhy mucyn-ia-lh egêx-wai
3s.GEN hilll-PL-DEF flatten-3sSUBJ.3pOBJ
[gʲaˈdɮɪː mukɪˈʰnʲaːɮ egɜxˈʰwaːi̯]
'S/he flattens her/his hills'

As Ciönpauialh live on a high plain, their world for the most part is indeed quite flat--hills stick out easily. Thus if one "flattens their hills," they would easily blend in with everyone else.

Next: to attempt to get something while pretending to not want it (as in a promotion or award)

[din]

Tormiott:

Siethadda mel ersgay
/'ɕəθæd:a məl 'əɹsʁæj/

Clumsy, oversimplified but easy to read gloss:
sie-thadda mel es-rgay
away-head but at-look
"to avert your head but keep looking"

To deny oneself pleasure; to pretend not to want what you really desire

___


next:
(to feel like you're in) a situation you cannot get out of

[clawgrip]

next: (to feel like you're in) a situation you cannot get out of

Himmaswa:
(pdoan) jgeng (tmeat) oupmpua
feel enter (be deep) quicksand
to be / to feel one is (deep) in quicksand

Next: to realize you have run out of time to procrastinate, and that you need to start getting things done for real

[Colonel Cathcart]

Next: to realize you have run out of time to procrastinate, and that you need to start getting things done for real

Icastrian:
a hirtalinte ó soymasigut
[a ˈhɪr̥talɪntʃoː ˈsoɪmaʃɪɣʷʊt]
the ignite=string be-3SG end-MID-PAST.ACT.PART
the fuse has run out

No more time to disarm the bomb - it's time to run like hell or prepare to meet the gods.

Next: a thought or concept that you're unable to satisfactorily put into words

[ivazaéun]

Next: a thought or concept that you're unable to satisfactorily put into words

ezín izén astén vmós azóbbe aɣiɣédži azná
[eˈzin iˈzɛn asˈtɛn vmɔs aˈzɔbe aɣiˈɣe.dʒi aˈzna]
IPFV.be.essence ABS.name GEN.3s ABS.word inside DAT.pen GEN.1s
It's name is a word inside my pen

Next: The first, tiniest inkling you get that something, somewhere, has gone terribly wrong

[Matrix]

Next: The first, tiniest inkling you get that something, somewhere, has gone terribly wrong

Maja:

ki zaj ker domarado
[ki zaʒ kɛːɹɾ dom.aːɹɾˈa.do]
the spark of insanity


Next: to act immorally in a socially acceptable fashion

[Click]

Next: to act immorally in a socially acceptable fashion

Proto-Littoran

Zātl kwi itaint ací
Zātl=kwi itai-nt ací
Zātl=GEN serve-NMLZ be
to be a servant of Zātl

Zātl is a quite malevolent goddess worshipped by the Proto-Littorans.

With applied diachronics to Azunan:

Strági daind zi
strá-ci daind zi
Strá-GEN servant be

[Jerian]

This was such a fun thread, it would be a shame to watch it get buried. So here's my attempt at bringing it back.

To act rudely / racist to farmers or townsfolk:

Merantian (my second conlang)
ral danij jer'talyin nylas

[ræl dæ̃nɪʒ ʒɛrʔtal.jɪn niːlæs]

to.be climb neg.attractive farmland

to climb over rough farmland




an extremely rude and offensive saying, originating centuries ago during the Northern Merantian Rebellions, when farmers protested the federalists by striking, thus their farmland became rough and unhealthy. (needless to say, the royal army soon 'coaxed' them back to work.)


next: to be very unorganized, frequently losing things.

[din]

Good idea.

Tormiott:

derad lona rgay ma na
/'dərɛn 'lona rʁɛj ma na/
search.for-3s to.own.ATTR-3s eye with 3s
He's a messy person; he always loses everything {lit. he's looking for his own eyes}

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next:

to think you know everything better

[Pogostick Man]

One of my langs:

Łet tagnús kédego/meł łen signa [. . .].
ANT publish book.SG 3S concerning
He thinks he knows better than everyone else about. . . (lit. "He has published a book regarding. . ."; whether the noun used for "book" is kédego or meł depends on the dialect)

Next: a singular flaw (especially a devastating one) in an otherwise exceptional thing

[Jerian]

Next: a singular flaw (especially a devastating one) in an otherwise exceptional thing

Merantian:
dɚrjiʒ ɪ̈tjəv θʰæræl ʧrəv dɚrjiʒ tarɪma tʰælɪ.stɪn sɪinæra

to.be good.condition ship but to.be more.than heavy water

It's a nice ship, but it's heavier than water.


next:
to spontaneously become angry for no apparent reason

[Matrix]

to spontaneously become angry for no apparent reason

Hurga ker Maja


Tilar kukukas kamus.
[ˈtil.aːɹɾ ˈku.kuk.as ˈkam.us]
alike fire.ADJ do
To act like a fire [maja].

A derogatory idiom based on the reputation of fire maja for having short tempers.


Next: to take others' burdens upon oneself

[Monk]

læga trúme mörgér
['lɑi:ɣɑ t^h'ɾu:mɑ 'mœɾɣjeɾ]
to_take wounds-ACC flesh_theirs-GEN
to take the wounds of their flesh

next: to bestow a blessing upon someone

[Pogostick Man]

next: to bestow a blessing upon someone

tiluc ándr set /tìˈlùɬ ˈántɹ̩ sèt/ [tìˈlùɬ ˈándɹ̩ sèt] "confer a blessing upon him" (lit. "wash his head")

In the ancient history of this people part of an official recognition ceremony involved the emperor placing his wet palm on the crown of the recipient's head. The practice has died out but the idiom remains.

Next: To have one's work eradicated by inclement weather

DOUBLE EDIT: Had hoped to ninja the edit in before anybody saw it, but Elector Dark beat me to it…

[Herr Dunkel]

And what would be next, mr. Linguifex?

[Pogostick Man]

I've edited it into my post, but I will also post it here: To have one's work eradicated by inclement weather

[Herr Dunkel]

To have one's work eradicated by inclement weather

Kti: sǣnduhsa'retōn = <sǣnd-uhs-a'-re-tōn> (snowstorm-harvest-away-leave-INF)
Literally means "to abandon a completed harvest due to a snowstorm", has origins in older Ktarh sayings that usually went by "a'retōn ūhsash sæmd'ēm", meaning the same. It was primarily used to refer to lost harvests due to unexpected snowstorms that were due to be finished, later extended to generic food collection, thus further into any general mishappening. It comes in two flavours: the idiomatic one and the literal one.

Next: to visit a religious institution

[Jerian]

Next: to visit a religious institution

Zarian:

Soh ehna sivorbkern ehnid

sɛʊ əːna sɪvorb̚ʔkern ənɪd

one to.be with.neg.land to.go

To go to the far off land (Outlands)

The Outlands is a mythical place supposedly discovered 1500 years ago. It was described as a vast wasteland filled with supernatural creatures. It was later proved not to exist.

Zaris is a majority nihilist society, however there is a minority religion built off of the Outlands creatures/myths. So, when someone goes to a church, they are described as going to the Outlands.

next: to effortlessly complete a task, when others around you struggle and fail.

[din]

Tormiott (not exactly what you said, but a little less specific):

o mgommadich tah siot /o 'mʁom:ɛðix taħ ɕot/ (adv phr) a piece of cake, a walk in the park, really easy, a breeze
lit. "cloud-whiskingly easy"

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next: brand new