то понос то золотуха

English translation: If it's not raining, it's pouring; If it's not one thing, it's another.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:то понос то золотуха
English translation:If it's not raining, it's pouring; If it's not one thing, it's another.
Entered by: Larissa Boutrimova

11:00 May 19, 2009
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Folklore
Russian term or phrase: то понос то золотуха
как бы вы перевели это выражение как можно более близко к смыслу и подчеркнули пикантность ;)
Alexey_UA
If it's not one thing, it's another.
Explanation:
Хотя, конечно, далеко не так красочно, как в русском выражении :)

When many different things are going wrong in a short period of time people sometimes say "If it's not one thing, it's another!" This is to say that if "one thing" is not causing a problem, "another" is. Example: "First the car broke down, and now I can't find my keys! If it's not one thing, it's another!" This can also mean that you are busy with too many things to do. Example: "I've got to wash the dishes and do the laundry, and now I hear the baby crying! If it's not one thing, it's another!" When it seems that no matter where you look there is one more thing you need to do or you discover another problem, you might say "If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www.goenglish.com/IfItsNotOneThingItsAnother.asp

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 час (2009-05-19 18:06:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

2. If it's not raining, it's pouring.

Хоть какой-то образ :)
Selected response from:

Larissa Boutrimova
Canada
Local time: 13:05
Grading comment
If it's not raining, it's pouring
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1If it's not one thing, it's another.
Larissa Boutrimova
4Nothing ever goes right for me
sokolniki
3 +1ONE DAMN THING AFTER ANOTHER
stasbetman
3Today he has fever, tomorrow he is running high temperature
Nico Rhodionoff
1"Scraggy, he looks flabby one day and he has green apple nasties the next"
Alexandra Taggart


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Nothing ever goes right for me


Explanation:
Трудно передать пикантность (под БОЛЬШИМ знаком вопроса) в данном случае. Но и понос, и золотуха в данной русской идиоме используются в переносном смысле в отношении постоянных неудач или несчастий и не имеют отношения к состоянию здоровья или наличию заболеваний - как мне кажется. Еще один русский вариант: не понос, так золотуха.

sokolniki
United States
Local time: 12:05
Native speaker of: Russian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
ONE DAMN THING AFTER ANOTHER


Explanation:
odtaa
до пикантности конечно далековато((

stasbetman
Ukraine
Local time: 20:05
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexandra Taggart
4 hrs
  -> Thanks a lot
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
If it's not one thing, it's another.


Explanation:
Хотя, конечно, далеко не так красочно, как в русском выражении :)

When many different things are going wrong in a short period of time people sometimes say "If it's not one thing, it's another!" This is to say that if "one thing" is not causing a problem, "another" is. Example: "First the car broke down, and now I can't find my keys! If it's not one thing, it's another!" This can also mean that you are busy with too many things to do. Example: "I've got to wash the dishes and do the laundry, and now I hear the baby crying! If it's not one thing, it's another!" When it seems that no matter where you look there is one more thing you need to do or you discover another problem, you might say "If it's not one thing, it's another!"
http://www.goenglish.com/IfItsNotOneThingItsAnother.asp

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 час (2009-05-19 18:06:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

2. If it's not raining, it's pouring.

Хоть какой-то образ :)

Larissa Boutrimova
Canada
Local time: 13:05
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
If it's not raining, it's pouring

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nico Rhodionoff: If it's not raining, it's pouring - это очень хорошо! Только поставьте это основным вариантом ответа.
8 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Николай. Я, к сожалению, уже не могу поставить 2-й вариант основным, разве что дать еще один ответ. Не буду множить сущности - пусть ос
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
"Scraggy, he looks flabby one day and he has green apple nasties the next"


Explanation:
Scraggy - is a name, means "feeble", "золотушный" means not only "ill of scrofula" but "чахлый, хилый". You can use the above sentence with inverted commas only as a quotation.

Alexandra Taggart
Russian Federation
Local time: 20:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Today he has fever, tomorrow he is running high temperature


Explanation:
Of course this is not an idiom, but it reflects the logic and the sense of the original.

For more details please refer to my posts in Discussion to this topic.


Носители английского - ау!


Nico Rhodionoff
India
Local time: 22:35
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search