Meitä on niin moneen junaan

by **sister Yasmeen** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:55 pm

Hello

How this sentence should translate to English?

"Meitä on niin moneen junaan."

Anyone knows?

**Sponsor:**

by **syntax** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 5:21 pm

This is some sort of proverb or saying, yes?

Meitä on moneen junaan, osa jää asemalle. Sit on konnarit kans.

If you explain to me what the meaning behind the phrase is, then I'll be able to put it in correct English.

Is it saying something along the lines that we are all different and have our own lives (trains on different tracks) to live?

by **sister Yasmeen** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:07 pm

Meaning is about "here are people whose are different and they goals and destinies are different in this life". I think here is some similar saying in English too.

We are to so many trains may not sounds sensible to some whose mother tongue is English.

by **syntax** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:22 pm

Okay. Well to re-work a well-known proverb To each his own we might translate:

"Meitä on niin moneen junaan."

as To each his own track in life. That might be the best solution.

Or something along the lines of: To every man his own journey.

Other actual well-known proverbs in English that you might find appropriate:

It takes all sorts.
It takes all kinds.
Different strokes for different folks.
Horses for courses.

by **jahasjahas** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 7:51 pm

Your interpretations are pretty good. "It takes all sorts" is similar enough. Though I think it's usually used as a negative statement, especially if you include the "ja jotkut jää asemalle". "Some people are strange/idiots", basically.

by **syntax** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 8:37 pm

Yes, you're right.

It takes all sorts and It takes all kinds are used overwhelmingly in a pejorative manner or if you want to make a statement along the lines of 'they are weird/ funny/ strange'.

by **Pursuivant** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:31 am

Its a bit related to then the further gyps on idiocy.

ei ole kaikki inkkarit kanootissa
ei ole kaikki muumit laaksossa (not all moomins in the valley... its become a meme)
hissi ei mene yläkertaan (no service to top floors... I think this is USA slang too)
lepakoita tapulissa (from us: bats in the attic)

etc... all meaning "something missing from upstairs"