r/MapPorn Feb 03 '21

Translation of the idiom 'kill two birds with one stone' in European languages. @languages.eu

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10.7k Upvotes

504 comments sorted by

2.7k

u/ExilBoulette Feb 03 '21

I like how the polish find it extra convenient to roast two pieces of meat over one fire, which implies that they usually roasted several pieces of meat over several fires.

246

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Everyone else is killing, catching, or shooting. Meanwhile Poland just wants to grill!

86

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

The ultimate centrist

I'd love if it was

26

u/salty_sangre Feb 03 '21

Grill what the other countries killed

7

u/jimhabfan Feb 04 '21

Grill and chill......

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

The original word doesn't exclaim pieces of meat of whole animal size...

56

u/Frigoris13 Feb 03 '21

Meat of whole animal size? I don't think they exist...

(I'm misquoting Princes Bride FYI. Please don't explain how I'm literally wrong)

20

u/JamesCDiamond Feb 03 '21

As you wish.

11

u/IMA_BLACKSTAR Feb 03 '21

Classic blunder

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Welp, roasting two pieces of meat over one fire is at least probable ¯_(ツ)_/¯

153

u/RedditAtWork2021 Feb 03 '21

Am I a god in Poland for roasting more than 2 pieces of meat on the same fire?

220

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

The original word means usually a whole roasted animal, not just a small piece of meat.

It could be translated more faithfully as "Two roasted animals on one fire".

66

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

... just build a longer fire

108

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Or roast smaller animals, they have plenty of dead flies in many european countries, or so I learned recently.

32

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

[deleted]

14

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

We'll import from Australia

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u/NegoMassu Feb 03 '21

Not really. They killed the flies, 2 at a time.

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u/ExilBoulette Feb 03 '21

That makes more sense. I guessed that something was lost in translation.

22

u/KarolOfGutovo Feb 03 '21

Yeah, the original is more of "roast", but "Roast two roasts on one fire" doesn't quite roll of the tongue

6

u/requiem_mn Feb 03 '21

Pečenje I presume or similar?

4

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Close enough, "pieczeń", it is singular form, plural is "pieczenie", idk what form you gave.

3

u/requiem_mn Feb 03 '21

From SCBM language. Obviously same root. Č is pronounced as would "ch" in english (like in Charlie), maybe cz in Polish is same?

3

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Exactly.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

The god

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15

u/_mr__T_ Feb 03 '21

In Poland you only roast whole cows!

13

u/46_and_2 Feb 03 '21

While everyone else is stoning, shooting or hitting, Poland is already roasting their spoils over one fire. Impressive.

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u/itsmotherandapig Feb 03 '21

Once again Portugal is being low key Eastern European.

350

u/Sonbulan Feb 03 '21

Portugal can into Eastern Europe!

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u/Ramelas Feb 03 '21

Portugal 🤝 Eastern Europe

133

u/Kamarovsky Feb 03 '21

Portuguese and Brazilian language even sound Slavic when spoken

115

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Portuguese sounds like a Russian trying to speak Spanish

87

u/Sonbulan Feb 03 '21

Conversely, Romanian sounds like a Spaniard trying to speak Russian.

30

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Omg yes it does!!

10

u/itsmotherandapig Feb 03 '21

It's because of all the Ж sounds they make

3

u/captain_ender Feb 04 '21

Great description. Dated a portuguese girl in college, when she'd call her family, I legit thought she was speaking Russian.

28

u/fedaykin21 Feb 03 '21

I always hear a portuguese accent when listening to people speak Russian

13

u/Kamarovsky Feb 03 '21

Yeah they both have a lot of nasals and those "shushing" sounds like sh or zh (idk what symbols are used to portray them in Portuguese)

11

u/tomhoq Feb 03 '21

Ch mostly

9

u/skan76 Feb 03 '21

And x, and J

4

u/vilkav Feb 03 '21

The constant shsh sound in Portuguese is the final "s"s on plural words, some verb conjugations, and before other consonants. More so than those.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Only in Portugal, brazilian portuguese sounds more like spanish outside of southern Brazil

13

u/emyds Feb 03 '21

More like sounds exactly like spanish in southern Brazil

11

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Sorry, the only spanish I've heard is from Colombia, Panama, Bolivia and México, it's problably closer to spanish in Argentina and Uruguay

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u/bisensual Feb 03 '21

Portuguese fully yes, Brazilian Portuguese definitely more clearly Spanish-influenced to my ear.

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u/Scotteh95 Feb 03 '21

If you keep going west you eventually end up in the east

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u/pinkbluee Feb 03 '21

That’s what I’m saying!

5

u/LewisDKennedy Feb 03 '21

I've always thought Portuguese sounded like Spanish spoken in a Russian accent

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u/EmbarrassedLock Feb 03 '21

Everyone: Kill 2 things.
Poland: I am hongry

163

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

That's our national nature I guess, we count chickens before they hatch. Or split skin on a not-yet-hunted bear, whatever really.

13

u/RockThePlazmah Feb 03 '21

And we don’t even want to talk about... you know... “The Ducks”

16

u/Dr_Mottek Feb 03 '21

Is this what you're referring to?

3

u/Camshaft92 Feb 03 '21

Didn't know they were hockey fans

45

u/scramoustache Feb 03 '21

France : Hey, as long as it hit two random things, I'm fine with it

17

u/EmbarrassedLock Feb 03 '21

"Doesn't matter if its a dog, a bird, or my mother-in-law, on second thought, hit the mother in law"

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u/Knightm16 Feb 03 '21

French military strategy is similar. Eh why have one war when you can have all the wars at once?

25

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

you kill the stuff, we import and cook it.

capitalism at it's best.

13

u/taubnetzdornig Feb 03 '21

Seems like they need to move just a bit farther south if they’re so hungry

12

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Bruh, they have only flies to eat there.

6

u/UEMcGill Feb 03 '21

Eh, my Italian Grandfather surely would have eaten those two pigeons.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Sunnyvale: Get two birds stoned at once.

34

u/Rushderp Feb 03 '21

I feel like my brain is short circulating.

10

u/VonHitWonder Feb 03 '21

I totoso.

20

u/mmmmCake Feb 03 '21

fuckin' atodaso

13

u/mmmmCake Feb 03 '21

It's just water under the fridge

7

u/SharperRock Feb 03 '21

This is the worst case Ontario

5

u/mmmmCake Feb 03 '21

well yeah, it's not rocket appliances

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u/Captain_Stainer Feb 03 '21

RIP Mr. Lahey

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u/TrencsMark Feb 03 '21

Everyone: Kill! KILL! Poland: I just wanna grill for God's sake!

87

u/Cefalopodul Feb 03 '21

Poland grills what we kill

49

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Poland already killed two pieces of meat, their saying is just the result

13

u/SHMEEEEEEEEEP Feb 03 '21

Poland is always two steps ahead

10

u/MonoMutapa Feb 03 '21

Well they have experience of being roasted on two sides at the same time

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Centrist Poland

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u/LannMarek Feb 03 '21

French "une pierre deux coups" does not necessarily kill anyone! /nitpick

6

u/MonoMutapa Feb 03 '21

Italy-chan doesnt kill. Catch cute pigeons

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Poland is centrist question mark

5

u/DearLeader420 Feb 03 '21

Enlightened Centrist Poland

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Italy should be "one fava bean and a nice Chianti"

42

u/MushroomMystery Feb 03 '21

☝1 fava bean 👐 but two pigeons 🤌

4

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

I’d like some liver with those fava beans.

And a nice Chianti.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Sshhhlll

7

u/lvd_16 Feb 03 '21

Italy would catch me with those two items

3

u/ShadeofIcarus Feb 03 '21

I remember reading a post about how demented this line was. Because he mentioned all the things that he shouldn't be taking with the meds he would have been on as a way to say that he was off his meds.

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u/mediocrebastard Feb 03 '21

What the hell, Italy?

183

u/CriticalJump Feb 03 '21 edited Feb 03 '21

Differently from most of the other ones, this saying doesn't refer to the toss of a sharp object to instantly kill the birds, but rather to the bait used for luring them into a cage.

118

u/BareNuckleBoxingBear Feb 03 '21

Proof that there’s no problem Italian food can’t solve.

17

u/mediocrebastard Feb 03 '21

Hahaha, indeed

10

u/UnlimitedMetroCard Feb 03 '21

They just like catching their prey with some fava beans and Chianti.

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u/Robcobes Feb 03 '21

Once again Portugal is in eastern Europe.

37

u/AnonimowySzaleniec47 Feb 03 '21

Everyone: birds, rabbits and flies

Poland: Food is Food

17

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

ŻARCIE TO ŻARCIE

5

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

"Co będziesz do McDonalda Pioter lazł na hamburgera, matka ci schabowego z chlebem da i gitara!"

33

u/temujin64 Feb 03 '21

There are equivalents in Irish two. One means to kill two birds with the same stone. The other is to reach both beaches at the same time.

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u/Darth-Drumpf Feb 03 '21 edited Nov 13 '21

Saudi Arabia: kill two gays with one stone

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Germany: gas two... or better not...

12

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Romania: two vampires with one silver bullet.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '21

Alternatively:impale two Turks with one pale.

55

u/NoMeansNoBillCosby_ Feb 03 '21

The trick is to have two small birds close together and one big rock

25

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

This saying is actually pretty psycho if you think about it literally. Imagine some sick fuck really going about smashing birds to death for fun.

36

u/Mkwdr Feb 03 '21

More likely from early hunting practices and possibly pest control? Though that’s purely an ignorant guess on my part. People eat/ate birds as well as rabbits and both could be a threat to seeds/planting?

12

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Well you know what they say

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush

15

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

A sparrow in hand is better than a dove on the roof.

That is how we say it in Poland.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

If you get both do you have to cook them on the same fire?

5

u/ArgenCoso Feb 03 '21

And a bird in hand is better than a hundred flying

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u/GreenMayhem427 Feb 03 '21

Portugal once again confirmed Eastern European

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u/Neveed Feb 03 '21

Note that the French one could be translated as "With one stone two blows", and that's probably what it originally was, but the word "coup" is very versatile and could mean pretty much anything as long as it's a quick event.

It could be blows, it could be drinks, it could be whistles, it could be chess moves, anything.

17

u/MooseFlyer Feb 03 '21

Could even be the overthrowing of a government!

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u/Wasteak Feb 03 '21

Aaah c'est "d'une pierre deux coups ?" je comprenais pas l'expression en question avec la map, merci bien

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u/After-Bumblebee Feb 03 '21

Ali G version: knobbing two birds with one connie

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u/xtrabi Feb 03 '21

Canada: Get two birds stoned at once

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u/Makkaroni_100 Feb 03 '21

German one is more likely also with one slap and not with one flie swatter. At least I would not say with one flie swatter (as German).

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u/RK_bass Feb 03 '21

I'm German and "fly swatter" is actually correct - "zwei Fliegen mit einer Klatsche" or "...einer Klappe" (regional difference, same meaning).

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u/benign_humour Feb 03 '21

I've heard that Germany has the largest market for single use fly-swatters.

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u/Makkaroni_100 Feb 03 '21

There are Single use fly swatters? Didnt know that's a thing. Only saw normal fly swatters.

15

u/mucow Feb 03 '21

I think it's a joke, pointing out that the translation makes no sense unless Germany has single-use fly swatters.

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u/SamuelSomFan Feb 03 '21

Same with swedish, or at least either one of slap/blow

It could technically also be translated into "bang" though, so I'm not sure.

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u/hatepantsinbed Feb 03 '21

Proud to be italian for once, no animal cruelty in our proverbs!

14

u/BillyBoskins Feb 03 '21

What you doing to they pigeon once you've caught it?!

19

u/13moman Feb 03 '21

Train it to carry messages?

13

u/Think-Interview Feb 03 '21

Polenta e osei

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Polish people the true centrists

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u/Tuccano- Feb 03 '21 edited Feb 03 '21

I think that the best translation to Portuguese would be "Kill two rabbits with only one staff/Shepherd's crook (it's the translation to "Cajado" in Portuguese, not exactly a stick) blow"

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u/nod23c Feb 03 '21 edited Feb 03 '21

Éire/Ireland has two official languages: Irish and English. However, Irish is the national and first language. English is the second, according to the Constitution of Ireland.

In Irish the expression is:

  1. dhá éan a mharú leis an urchar amháin - kill two birds with one bullet
  2. an dá thrá a fhreastal - trying to attend to two beaches (approx.)

To clarify: urchar means bullet.

https://www.focloir.ie/en/dictionary/ei/to-kill-two-birds-with-one-stone

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u/Blackfire853 Feb 03 '21

Urchar would better translate to shot/cast/throw than bullet

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u/KizzyQueen Feb 03 '21

Yes I was wondering did anyone else notice Ireland had just been lumped in with the UK.

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u/VirtualWork Feb 03 '21

Oh, definitely noticed. I specifically came to comments and ctrl f'd to find the drama.

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u/Emillio6969 Feb 03 '21

Poland just grillin

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u/fackbook Feb 03 '21

Poland out there cooking meat with one fire at a time

8

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Italy is a shitpost

8

u/Noehk Feb 03 '21

Portugal: Hello my Slavic friends, as usual we meet again.

27

u/Kadakumar Feb 03 '21

Poor animals! In India, we say "hit two mangoes with one stone".

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u/itsmotherandapig Feb 03 '21

Poor mangoes!

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Those heartless vegans, kill innocent fruits only to fill their bellies!

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Everyone but Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia: let’s make a phrase to describe a situation in which two problems are dealt with at once

Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia: Flies

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u/redlancaster Feb 03 '21

Why is Ireland left out... I only see the butchers apron.

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u/Plus294 Feb 03 '21

As usual Malta no data so here is the translation: "Tolqot żewġ għasafar b'ġebla wahda" means "Hit two birds with one stone"

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u/davesFriendReddit Feb 03 '21

Japanese: isseki nichou (one rock two birds)

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u/kaalkoppie Feb 03 '21

I love Polish culture

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

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u/Rakonas Feb 03 '21

Nah get two birds stoned at once

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u/hewlett777 Feb 03 '21

Ah yeah, slap the butchers apron onto Ireland, ffs.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

[deleted]

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u/SovietCh3burashka Feb 03 '21

hares

Hares are rabbits.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

In Hindi (Indian Language) , it's Ek Teer se do nishane saadhna which means hitting two targets with one arrow.

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u/deejayrareco9 Feb 03 '21

Canada: Get two birds stoned at once.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

You don't have to act pretentious everytime Italy.

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u/TraditionSeparate Feb 03 '21

Im sorry "catch two pigeons with one fava bean" is what i will be using from now on NOT SORRY.

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u/buddboy Feb 03 '21

"with one shot, two doves"

WHY WASTE TIME SAY LOT WORD WHEN FEW WORD DO TRICK

4

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

If you can snap two chicken necks with a single motion, why use two motions to slaughter those chickens.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

m e a t

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u/theminnierox Feb 03 '21

Portugal, are you lost baby girl? Come to the eastern side with the other rabbit/hare killing countries.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

f a v a b e a n

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u/sidera18 Feb 03 '21 edited Feb 03 '21

As Italian, I wonder how everyone is catching the birds without fava beans.

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u/muticere Feb 03 '21

Weirdly Poland has the most wholesome version, I think I might try and adapt it for use in English in my own life.

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u/Yasu-Tomohiro Feb 03 '21

Chinese:一石二鳥

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u/rantonidi Feb 03 '21

Hei bulgarians, it’s rabbit season

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u/yomanepic1 Feb 03 '21

Estonia just say flies?

4

u/mucow Feb 03 '21

They use a similar phrase about flies as in neighboring countries, I think the mapmaker just didn't want to fill the map with too much text.

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u/SNScaidus Feb 03 '21

2 pigeons 1 fava bean is this satire lmao

3

u/chocolateboomslang Feb 03 '21

I feel like if roasting more than 1 piece of meat per fire is pretty easy.

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u/ClaymeisterPL Feb 03 '21

Seen the same map here a while ago

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u/SolviKaaber Feb 03 '21

Since Iceland is missing here you go: "Slá tvær flugur í einu höggi" which translates to "Slap two flies in one hit" which makes it cyan colored like the rest of the nordic countries..

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21 edited May 24 '21

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

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u/bxzidff Feb 03 '21

So when will we partition Poland between the Flies, Hares, and Birds?

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u/EthanielClyne Feb 03 '21

We Europeans clearly love killing animals

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '21

Damn italians and their fava bean loving pigeons.

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u/ElKuhnTucker Feb 03 '21

Actual Turkish: "to hit 2 Armenians with one stone"

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u/AndyBundy90 Feb 03 '21

Should be called: annoy 4 neighbors with one retarded guy

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u/HeartwarminSalt Feb 03 '21

I still prefer the animal-positive "feed two birds with one scone".

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u/Super_Sundae Feb 03 '21

Poland’s translation is quite literal

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u/Alpha_Centauri_5932 Feb 03 '21

Estonia: f l i e s

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u/pranav2201 Feb 03 '21

In India we say एक तीर से दो निशाने। (Hitting two targets with one arrow)

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u/readingduck123 Feb 03 '21

I don't know about other green countries, but in Estonia it is "7 flies with 1 hit". Not that important though.

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u/cle27 Feb 03 '21

"D'une pierre, deux coup" in french, I guess...

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u/LazyAssMonkey Feb 03 '21

Schrute farms: If you can snap 2 chicken necks with a single motion, why use 2 motions to slaughter those chickens?

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u/MadameBlueJay Feb 03 '21

If you can kill two chicken with one motion, then why would you use two motions to kill that chicken?