Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Portuguese term or phrase:
A montanha pariu um ratito
English translation:
the mountain gave birth to a mouse
Added to glossary by
David Warwick
Mar 6, 2007 10:59
17 yrs ago
Portuguese term
A montanha pariu um ratito
Portuguese to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I think this must be a saying. It's from Angolan Portuguese, but I've found a reference on the net from a site in Portugal. Here's the complete phrase, referring to the unacceptable situation in the country: "«Só agora descobriram que a montanha pariu um ratito, um nado morto para outros».
Any ideas?
thanks
Any ideas?
thanks
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
11 mins
Selected
the mountain gave birth to a mouse
well known expression
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Note added at 12 mins (2007-03-06 11:11:48 GMT)
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The mighty mountain gave birth to a little mouse. , March 24, 2005 ... as a reader I'd expect to receive at least a definition of the relevant terms: ...
www.amazon.com/Short-History-Ethics-Philosophy-Twentieth/dp... -
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Note added at 12 mins (2007-03-06 11:11:48 GMT)
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The mighty mountain gave birth to a little mouse. , March 24, 2005 ... as a reader I'd expect to receive at least a definition of the relevant terms: ...
www.amazon.com/Short-History-Ethics-Philosophy-Twentieth/dp... -
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for all the comments. I'd never heard this phrase before, but it fits perfectly and allows me to continue with the stillborn idea in the next clause.
Thanks for the reference to the Bard, but in this case it's not much ado about nothing, but rather that after seemingly great efforts the results were underwhelming."
6 mins
airmailrpl
Brazil
Brazil
Native in Portuguese
&
English
Brazil
Technical - Fast - good price - accurate
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
, Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
64
it was a fiasco
Results 1 - 8 of about 14 for "a montanha pariu um ratito"
Jornal de Negócios Online :: Economia --
... tem sido um verdadeiro fiasco...a montanha pariu um ratito e ele fugiu. ... tem sido um verdadeiro fiasco...a montanha pariu um ratito e ele fugiu. ...
www.negocios.pt/default.asp?CpContentId=279133&ListComment=...
Jornal de Negócios Online :: Economia --
... tem sido um verdadeiro fiasco...a montanha pariu um ratito e ele fugiu. ... tem sido um verdadeiro fiasco...a montanha pariu um ratito e ele fugiu. ...
www.negocios.pt/default.asp?CpContentId=279133&ListComment=...
+5
19 mins
Maria Teresa Bermudes
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Portuguese
United Kingdom
Accurate and fluent communications.
Native in: Portuguese 
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English
Much ado about nothing; to make a mountain out of a molehill
As the Great Bard himself said... interestingly, this proverb is based on Aesop's 'A Mountain in Labour'.
See this:
"A MOUNTAIN was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard, and crowds of people came from all parts to see what was the matter. While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse.
Moral: Don't make much ado about nothing."
See this:
"A MOUNTAIN was once greatly agitated. Loud groans and noises were heard, and crowds of people came from all parts to see what was the matter. While they were assembled in anxious expectation of some terrible calamity, out came a Mouse.
Moral: Don't make much ado about nothing."
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Henrique Serra
17 mins
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Obrigada Henrique!
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| agree |
oxygen4u
: :)
1 hr
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Thank you Oxygen!
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| agree |
R. Alex Jenkins
: Both expressions are widely used in English
1 hr
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Thank you Richard!
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| agree |
rhandler
3 hrs
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| agree |
Marina FS
3 hrs
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+1
3 hrs
Rosene Zaros
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
A published writer
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, Portuguese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
to make a mountain out of a molehill
The idea is that something quite small (generally an issue or conflict of some sort) becomes a big deal.
4 hrs
Wagner Azevedo
Brazil
Brazil
Native in Portuguese
Works in field
Brazil
English/German into Portuguese
Native in: Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, German to Portuguese, and 2 more.
The mountain shook, (but only) a mouse was born
:)
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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-03-06 15:23:24 GMT)
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it is a saying
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Note added at 4 hrs (2007-03-06 15:23:24 GMT)
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it is a saying
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