Finnish phrases/idioms/figure of speech

[Oombongo]

so I have been looking for a place with Finnish phrases, idioms, figure of speech etc (which doesn't make any sense if you translate them literally) but couldn't find any so decided to start one in here

let me be the first one to chip in.

sen pituinen se = This is all of it (?)
Olen mukana = count me in

[jahasjahas]

sen pituinen se = This is all of it (?)

It's a part of the phrase used to end a fairytale. "He elivät elämänsä onnellisina loppuun asti. Sen pituinen se." = "They lived happily ever after." Used separately it could mean something like "and that's the end of that story" or "and that's that".

[Jukka Aho]

 
If you want to study them, Gummerus has published this idioms and phrases dictionary which also includes examples of usage:

• Suurella sydämellä ihan sikana - Suomen kielen kuvaileva fraasisanakirja (Gummerus)

(The dictionary is monolingual and the descriptions are given in Finnish so it might not be suitable for a complete beginner.)

[kalmisto]

"Istu ja pala !"

Ja sen merkitys: leikillinen sadattelu tai lievä kirous

At first glance it looks like "sit and burn" but I do not think that the word "istu" in that phrase has anything to do with sitting and the word "pala" in the phrase most likely does not have anything to do with burning. Can anybody explain the etymology of that phrase ?

I do not think that anybody says "istu ja pala" these days.

[007]

ole hyvä

[Jukka Aho]

"Istu ja pala !"

Ja sen merkitys: leikillinen sadattelu tai lievä kirous

At first glance it looks like "sit and burn" but I do not think that the word "istu" in that phrase has anything to do with sitting and the word "pala" in the phrase most likely does not have anything to do with burning. Can anybody explain the etymology of that phrase ?

Web sources seem to point to Aleksis Kivi and his novel Seitsemän veljestä. I guess there's no consensus on that one. It could refer to a situation where remaining (sitting) too long in one place gets one's rear end burned (either literally or figuratively) but where the saying comes from is anyone's guess. Maybe it refers to a now-forgotten old game of some sort? Or a (semi-)biblical story? (Think of something like "Totuus ei pala tulessakaan", "Älä jää tuleen makaamaan", or "Liar, liar, pants on fire!") Or perhaps it just sounded nice in Kivi's opinion.

On a related note, I stumbled upon this blog:

http://porvoosmeasure.tumblr.com/

The "translations" are incomprehensible and, at times, abuse the dictionary by choosing the most unlikely/implausible "dictionary meaning" for each word but that's kind of like the point...

[Pursuivant]

... Prinsessa oli läpeensä tyytyväinen ja prinssillä oli sen pituinen se.

[Rob A.]

Listening to non-native speakers butchering idiomatic expressions is always a bit of a chuckle. As a learner I suppose you have to remember not to take everything literally. I find, though, I'm always translating Finnish names...even if subconsciously....

Kontiomäki...."Bear Hill" ....Järvinen..."Little Lake"....Joensuu..."Mouth of River"....Haaparanta...."Aspen Shore/Beach"......although after a while I just forget about that, unless a new name comes along....

But sen pituinen se.......seems to be very similar to the English expression...."That's the length and breadth of it...", which means essentially the same thing.


Here's an expression that will probably flumox a few of you ESL types.....

"This Christmas, finally, he got everything...the whole enchilada!!"

I don't think that would be missed by any native speakers...and, of course, it doesn't really have much to do with this:

[Oombongo]

That is a good start. I'll look into that book. Thanks JA and all

[Upphew]

Some more: http://www.sanakirja.org/cat.php?id=62&l=17

[Oombongo]

Some more: http://www.sanakirja.org/cat.php?id=62&l=17

the gem