Tag’s Rik Grant Finds Linguistic Commonalities for European Day of Languages

All illustrations are by Bianca Sophie Kaeding (Instagram:@crumbly.biscuit)

Europe is a vast place. Spanning modern cities, ancient architecture, frozen tundra, balmy beaches, deep forests and probably the biggest country-to-country variance in supermarket produce you’ll ever see. 

Along with that variety, comes variety in language. While there are 24 official languages recognised in Europe, there are an astonishing 225 indigenous languages spoken across its borders, which at 3% of the world’s total, barely scratches the surface, but as you might expect, there is enormous diversity within that linguistic block.

Today, the 26th September, marks the European Day of Languages – as proclaimed by the Council of Europe in 2001, a day when the richness and cultural diversity of language is celebrated, as well as the encouragement of lifelong learning. 

Sadly, whilst we can’t whisk you all away to distant shores, we can take you on a little journey to look at some of the more colourful phrases and expressions that live and breathe across the continent and beyond. Which is just as well really, because if you go down to the woods today, you might be in for a bit of a surprise, because this linguistic picnic won’t be anything like what you expect…

So close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine you are starting your stroll deep within the forest. You’d be wise to start your day, for instance, by dutifully swallowing a frog – as in Czech, when you “Spolknout žábu (po ránu)”, or “Swallow a frog (in the morning)” you tackle the most unpleasant or difficult task in the morning, so you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day. After all, no one wants to linger on anything they’d rather get out of the way if they can, so onward you go…

Opening out into a wide and verdant pasture, you’d be better off letting the cows do their thing – as in Dutch, when you “Oude koeien uit de sloot halen” or “Drag old cows out of the ditch”, you bring up all sorts of grudges and annoyances, which, like the aforementioned frogs, are only going to make you start your day off on the wrong foot, so remember, if in doubt, leave that heifer alone…

Opening the gate and crossing back into the forest cover, you notice the path getting darker, the way ahead hazy and indistinct. This is mainly because of a vast cloud of cigarette smoke lingering in the air ahead, the culprit being a fur-less wolf hastily finishing the last of a pack of twenty – for in Italian, we say “Il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio”, or “The wolf loses its fur but not its habits” when you just can’t throw away a habit, good or otherwise. Sensing it’s best not to disturb him, you quietly pass by…

Feeling a little peckish, you stop by a charming cottage for a bite to eat. Sadly there’s not much to go around, a gluttonous wolf already visited and had more than his fair share it seems, so all that’s left is crumbs. A little white cat sits beside you and softly cries – which is oddly appropriate as in Russian, when “Кот наплакал”, or “a cat wept” – this means what you’ve been given is just not enough, hardly anything at all – so much so to elicit tears in our feline companion, so, hungry and a little forlorn, you carry on your way…

The heavens open and the rain comes down hard. In need of some solace, you jump on a passing bus. It’s packed with people, the windows are steamed up and the sound of music played out loud is mixed with people shouting and munching crisps, it’s not the solace you hoped it’d be. In Danish, you use the expression “Dødens pølse”, or “Death’s sausage” – when something is annoying or tedious, so it echoes perfectly here. You disembark at the next stop, preferring to dodge puddles rather than put up with the cacophony of the bus…

Finding a clearing under a tree you sit down on the grass to rest a moment. Looking at the wildflowers growing nearby you think of simple stews and herbs, burdock and dandelion – but you must be careful what you eat, because in French, when you “Manger des pissenlits par la racine”, or “Eat dandelions by the root” – you’re really talking about being dead and buried, or ‘pushing up daises’ as we say in English. Keen to avoid any dark imagery, you pack your things and carry on towards the nearby village…

The smell of freshly cooked food is strong in the air, and within minutes you’re sat in a cosy alcove enjoying some homecooked fare after your long walk. As you get up to leave, a stranger crosses paths in front of you, darts suddenly, and the approaching server trips and spills a bowl of hot soup all over the floor. Undaunted, he attempts to blame you for the mishap – but channelling a little Portuguese, you are in no mood to “Pagar o pato”, or “Pay the duck” – a colourful expression we use when we take the blame for something, which fits the bill here, as you politely but firmly excuse yourself and make a swift and decisive exit. 

So there you have it, your own journey into some of the weird and wonderful idiom at play in Europe, common expressions which may appear anything but common at first glance. Language lends the most colour when you tap into native expressions, the mark of a skilled practitioner is defined by how many of these they can use deftly. They can sometimes require a little leap of faith in logic to really take on-board, but once you have them down, you’ll be well on your way to fitting in like a native.

When working across different regions, partnering with language experts who are tuned into the intricacies of languages and culture is essential to ensuring that your brand is relevant yet distinct in local markets. At Tag, we know all too well that making a misstep is too easy while there’s a lot to be gained from getting it right.