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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Kært barn har mange navne

English translation: a rose by any other name would smell as sweet

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Danish term or phrase:Kært barn har mange navne
English translation:a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Entered by: Laura Petersen

10:02 Aug 23, 2007
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Danish term or phrase: Kært barn har mange navne
I need a suitable English idiom here. 'The devil is known by many names' doesn't cut it for my marketing text (sounds too negative).
Laura Petersen
Local time: 01:38
a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Explanation:
If you want a proverb as much as a literal translation, this is not exactly the same, but fairly close.

It is sometimes used a bit like the Danish proverb in the sense of "it's the same, whatever you call it"

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/305250.html
Selected response from:

Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 01:38
Grading comment
Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2We have many names for the things we love
lone (X)
4a pet child has many names
William [Bill] Gray
3 +1a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Christine Andersen
4a favorite child has many names
Suzanne Blangsted (X)
4call it what you like
Michele Fauble


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a pet child has many names


Explanation:
See link below for source; an excellent resource, and not expensive!
:-)


    Reference: http://www.ordbogen.dk/opslag.php?word=k%E6rt&dict=daen
William [Bill] Gray
Norway
Local time: 01:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Dziadzio: Yes ordenbogen.dk is an excellent rsource ;0)
1 hr
  -> Thank you!
disagree  Suzanne Blangsted (X): ordbogen is wrong. Never use the word "pet" in this combination. This is a child.
4 hrs
  -> Thanks for your response, but this is NOT the case when the word is used as an adjective: "pet grouch, pet complaint, pet name. Pets were called such BECAUSE of the original adjective of endearment. Ordbogen is NOT wrong here, in my opinion.
disagree  Jande: only to be used for teasing eg. teachers pet. May be ok for the grandkids, but nonetheless I would not use this in a marketing text.
12 hrs
  -> My mother was NEVER teasing me or my brother when she called us her pets. Nor do I tease when I refer to my grandchildren as "Pet".
agree  Christine Andersen: I would never object to being called 'pet' (but I grew up in north eastern England.) Kids, now... Those are baby goats to me! Just shows how English varies according to where you come from, I suppose.
5 days
  -> Thanks, Christine! Exactly! I reacted a little to Jande's "grandkids"! But your suggestion was extremely elegant.
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
We have many names for the things we love


Explanation:
Another option....


    Gyldendals røde ordbog
lone (X)
Canada
Local time: 19:38
Native speaker of: Danish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Pernille Chapman: Would also work well if the text has to do with items rather than people, as the Danish phrase is used with both animate and inanimate subjects.
2 hrs
  -> Mange tak, Pernille!
agree  Paul Cohen
14 hrs
  -> Mange tak Paul!
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
a rose by any other name would smell as sweet


Explanation:
If you want a proverb as much as a literal translation, this is not exactly the same, but fairly close.

It is sometimes used a bit like the Danish proverb in the sense of "it's the same, whatever you call it"

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/305250.html

Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 01:38
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 39
Grading comment
Thanks!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jande: I think this is the best suggestion especially for marketing purposes
8 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a favorite child has many names


Explanation:
mit forslag here - see f.eks.
http://www.upress.state.ms.us/catalog/fall2003/fortunes_favo...



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2007-08-23 15:02:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://graycie5198.blogspot.com/2007/04/favorite-child.html


Suzanne Blangsted (X)
Local time: 16:38
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
call it what you like


Explanation:
'a pet child gets many names ( =call it what you like)


Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 16:38
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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