to cut the world's nose.

Swedish translation: de gör saker och ting värre för dem själva

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:to cut the world's nose.
Swedish translation:de gör saker och ting värre för dem själva
Entered by: J Tomkowicz

15:42 Sep 24, 2013
English to Swedish translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / Interview
English term or phrase: to cut the world's nose.
A man is being interviewed because he was abusing his wife. He's very sarcastic towards women in general:

(the man) - Women are all over the place. Doing their "good work".
(the reporter) - What kind of good work?
(the man) - **To cut the world’s nose.**

To be honest I don't really get this very part of the interview. I think that the man means that women pretend to be something that they aren't, but the nose-expression throws me off completely.
J Tomkowicz
Italy
Local time: 08:19
de gör mer skada än nytta
Explanation:
Jag antar att du vill ha en kort fras. Det kanske inte är nödvändigt att framhålla vem/vilka som skadas.
Selected response from:

IAnita (X)
Sweden
Local time: 08:19
Grading comment
Tack!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1de gör mer skada än nytta
IAnita (X)
3botemedlen är värre än åkommorna
Sven Petersson
Summary of reference entries provided
Det blir värst för dig själv
Anna Herbst

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
botemedlen är värre än åkommorna


Explanation:
"Cutting off the nose to spite the face" is an expression used to describe a needlessly self-destructive over-reaction to a problem: "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face" is a warning against acting out of pique, or against pursuing revenge in a way that would damage oneself more than the object of one's anger.

Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 08:19
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  larserik: Kanske "såga av grenen de sitter på"?
34 mins
  -> "Såga av grenen de sitter på" är mycket bra men kanske inte pk.

neutral  Anna Herbst: Good explanation but the suggested translation says something else...
9 hrs

neutral  Mel Willetts (X): håller med Anna, förklaringen stämmer medan översättningsförslaget motsvarar inte
21 hrs
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
de gör mer skada än nytta


Explanation:
Jag antar att du vill ha en kort fras. Det kanske inte är nödvändigt att framhålla vem/vilka som skadas.

IAnita (X)
Sweden
Local time: 08:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish
PRO pts in category: 11
Grading comment
Tack!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Ärligt talat så föredrar jag en fras som återspeglar meningen. Ditt förslag är bra.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mel Willetts (X): tror det är en duktig lösning sålänge "nytta" används i första meningen
7 hrs
  -> :-)
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Reference comments


11 hrs
Reference: Det blir värst för dig själv

Reference information:
Explanation of the idiom according to http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106875.html - "Disadvantage yourself in order to do harm to an adversary".
There is no directly equivalent phrase in Swedish, but you get close with "det blir värst för dig själv". However, it will not fit in easily in the dialogue you have there without making extensive changes - over to you for that, though.

Anna Herbst
Australia
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Note to reference poster
Asker: Tack för ditt tips! :)

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