How to Translate English Idioms into Assamese

Idioms are those quirky, colorful expressions that don’t literally mean what the words say (think “spill the beans” or “under the weather” in English). Every language has its own idioms, and Assamese is no exception. When it comes to translation, idioms are a fun challenge – you can’t translate them word-for-word, or you’ll end up with nonsense in the target language.

In this article, we’ll explore how to handle English idioms when translating into Assamese. We’ll discuss strategies for understanding the meaning behind the idiom and finding an equivalent expression (or a clear way to convey that meaning) in Assamese. Plus, we’ll look at a few examples of common English idioms and how you might express them in Assamese. Let’s decode some idioms!

Why Idioms Can’t Be Translated Literally

Imagine translating “it’s raining cats and dogs” literally into Assamese. Word-for-word, that might be something like “বিৰাল আৰু কুকুৰে বৰষা হৈছে”, which would sound bizarre (it means “cats and dogs are raining” which obviously isn’t what we want to say!). In reality, “it’s raining cats and dogs” means heavy rainfall. This highlights a key point: idioms carry a meaning that often has nothing to do with the individual words in them. So, the first step is always to grasp the intended meaning or sentiment of the idiom in English. Once you know that, you can either find an Assamese idiom that matches or translate the meaning into a normal Assamese phrase.

Strategy 1: Find an Equivalent Assamese Idiom (If It Exists):

Some ideas or proverbs are universal, even if the wording differs by culture. Assamese has many idioms and proverbs of its own. If an English idiom’s meaning is closely mirrored by an Assamese idiom, it’s best to use the Assamese one in your translation. This preserves the flavor and impact. For example:

• “Better late than never.” This means it’s better to do something late than not at all. An equivalent sentiment in Assamese could be expressed with a proverb like “বেলি হ’লেও ভাল” (beli holeo bhal) – roughly “Late is still good.” While not a word-for-word idiom translation, it’s a concise Assamese way to convey the same idea that doing it eventually is better than not doing it.
• “Out of sight, out of mind.” Meaning if you don’t see someone/something for a long time, you might forget about it. Assamese has a similar saying: “চোখৰ পৰা আঁতৰি গ’লে, মনৰ পৰা আঁতৰে” (chokhor pora atori gole, monor pora atore) – which literally translates to “If (someone) goes out of the eyes, (they) go out of the heart.” This proverb perfectly captures the idea in a native way.

Learning some Assamese idioms can be fun and useful for this purpose. If you have a set of common proverbs in Assamese, you can match them to English ones when translating.

Strategy 2: Translate the Meaning in Simple Assamese:

Often, you won’t find a neat equivalent idiom, especially for very English-specific phrases or modern slang idioms. In such cases, it’s perfectly fine (and often clearer) to just translate the meaning into an ordinary Assamese sentence. The goal is to convey the same message or feeling the idiom conveys, even if you lose a bit of the flair. For example:

• “Break a leg!” In English, this idiom is an encouraging way to say “Good luck!” (often said to performers before a show). Assamese doesn’t have an idiom about breaking limbs for luck. The sensible approach is to translate it to what you mean: “ভালকৈ কৰিব (Bhalkei koribo)” or “শুভকামনা!” (Shubhakamna!) meaning “Do well!” or “Best of luck!”. The person will understand you’re wishing them well.
• “Spill the beans.” Meaning to reveal a secret. There isn’t an Assamese idiom about beans and spilling, so you’d say something like “গোপন কথা প্ৰকাশ কৰ” (gopon kotha prakash kor) which literally means “reveal the secret” or “সব কথা কৰি পেলালে” (sob kotha kori pelale) meaning “he told everything”. It’s straightforward and gets the point across.

By translating idioms to their meaning, you ensure the reader doesn’t get confused. This is particularly useful in professional or academic translations where clarity matters more than maintaining idiomatic style.

Examples of Idiom Translation

Let’s practice with a few common English idioms and see how we can handle them in Assamese:

• English Idiom: “Piece of cake.”
  Meaning: Something very easy or effortless.
  In Assamese: You could simply say “খুব সহজ কাম” (khub sohoj kaam) which means “a very easy task.” If context allows a bit of flair, Assamese might say “এনে কাজটো শিশুৰ খেল” (ene kaz-to shishur khel) – “such a task is child’s play.” The phrase “child’s play” is also an idiom in English meaning very easy, and Assamese effectively uses the same concept.
  
• English Idiom: “To hit the books.”
  Meaning: To study hard.
  In Assamese: There isn’t an Assamese idiom about hitting books, so translate the intent: “মন দি পঢ়া আৰম্ভ কৰা” (mon di porha arambha kora) – “start studying with focus.” Or simply “পঢ়াত মন দিয়” (porhaat mon diyo) – “give your mind to studies.” These convey that someone is going to study diligently, which is what “hit the books” means.
  
• English Idiom: “When pigs fly.”
  Meaning: Something that will never happen. (It’s a humorous way to say “never.”)
  In Assamese: A similar humorous expression doesn’t exist involving pigs, so we might just say “কেতিয়াও নহ’ব” (ketiaw noho’b) for “it will never happen.” If you want to maintain a bit of the fun, Assamese sometimes use “ৰহস্যকৰ ভাৱে নহ’ব” or just use a proverb that implies impossibility. One Assamese proverb that indicates impossibility is “জলৰ ওপৰতে তেল ৰ’ব নোৱৰে” (jolor uporote tel robo nuware) – “oil cannot stay on top of water” (implying something that just cannot be). But that might be too proverbs-heavy; usually sticking to a direct “never ever” works.
  
• English Idiom: “Under the weather.”
  Meaning: Feeling sick or unwell.
  In Assamese: No one says they are “under the weather” in Assamese. You’d say “মই ঠিক ভাল অনুভৱ কৰা নাই” (moi thik bhal onubhav kora nai) – “I’m not feeling well.” Or “মোৰ শৰীৰ বৰ নিঠৰ” (mor sharir bor nithor) – a colloquial way: “My body is very lethargic/sluggish,” implying you’re unwell.
  

Cultural Insight

Sometimes idioms reflect cultural elements. For instance, Assamese has an idiom “ঢেকীৰ চেউড়াত পৰি মৰিল” (dhekir seworaat pori moril) meaning “died falling under a pounding table’s leg,” which is an idiomatic way to say someone died by an ironic or foolish accident – obviously related to traditional rural life (ঢেঁকী dheki is a traditional rice pounding device).

If you encountered that in Assamese, translating to English literally would be meaningless to an English reader. You’d instead find an English equivalent like “met his end in a freak accident” or something along those lines. So cultural context matters. The same when going English to Assamese – some idioms might involve things like baseball or Western concepts unfamiliar to some Assamese, so the translation should localize it.

Quick Tips for Idiom Translation

• Know the Audience: If you’re translating an English idiom for an Assamese audience, consider if they’ll understand the literal translation. If not (likely), prefer meaning over form.
• Simplicity is Fine: It’s better that the reader understands “he was very happy” than to directly translate “he was on cloud nine” (which in Assamese might confuse unless explained). Saying “তেওঁ অত্যন্ত সুখী আছিল” (teneo atyanta sukhi asile – he was extremely happy) does the job clearly.
• Learn Some Native Idioms: It can spice up your translation if used appropriately. For example, English: “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” Assamese similar meaning idiom: “ভৰা নাইতে কুঁৱা খনিবা নালাগে” (bhora naite kuwa khoniba nalage) – “Don’t dig the well before (the water) is full” meaning don’t assume success too early. Using an Assamese saying can add authenticity to the translation. But use them only when you’re sure of the context and meaning and Don’t forget to explore Assamese Grammar 101 Guide for Best Quality Information.

Conclusion

Translating idioms is like solving a fun puzzle in language. The key is not to be overly literal, but to be faithful to the meaning. When in doubt, explain the idea in simple terms. If you’re an Assamese learner, this also works in reverse – if you hear an Assamese idiom you don’t know, ask someone or look up its meaning rather than translating word by word.

Over time you’ll pick up these colorful phrases. In the meantime, for translation purposes, remember: meaning first, words second. By following this approach, your translations will make sense and carry the same impact as the original idiom intended, delighting your readers with clarity (and maybe a touch of idiomatic flair when possible). Happy translating, and শুভকামনা (shubhakamna) – good luck (not literally “break a leg”!) on mastering idioms in translation.