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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

basta una pagliuzza...

English translation: A single spark can start a prairie fire

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:basta una pagliuzza per dare fuoco a tutto il campo
English translation:A single spark can start a prairie fire
Entered by: David Turnbull

11:12 Jul 25, 2013
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Italian term or phrase: basta una pagliuzza...
Un detto popolare cinese dice che ***basta una pagliuzza per dare fuoco a tutto il campo***. Gli studi degli esperti dopo la caduta del Muro si rivelano drammaticamente esatti.

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I can't find a Chinese saying to this effect. Is anyone aware of the exact phrase?
David Turnbull
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:41
A single spark can start a prairie fire
Explanation:
See ref. This seems to be reproduced on a number of relatively respectable websites.
Selected response from:

Ian Mansbridge
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:41
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1A single spark can start a prairie fire
Ian Mansbridge
4a single spark...
philgoddard


  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
A single spark can start a prairie fire


Explanation:
See ref. This seems to be reproduced on a number of relatively respectable websites.


    Reference: http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works...
Ian Mansbridge
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Chapeau! Great find.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cynthiatesser: Good hit!
36 mins
  -> thanks!
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a single spark...


Explanation:
...can burn a field.
'Prairie' sounds too American to me. Wikipedia says: 'Lands typically referred to as "prairie" tend to be in North America.'

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
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