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Proverbs in different languages

 
Bartender
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On this topic,  the OP replied writing

Killing 2 birds with one stone would make sense



The same saying in Italian, my mother language,  sounds as "Prendere due piccioni con una fava", which may be literally translated as " Catching two pigeons with one broad bean".
No matter if you are catching or killing them, we have  a couple of birds involved in both languages.
Another Italian proverb is "Il mattino ha l'oro in bocca", literally "Morning has gold in its mouth", which English version is  (AFAIK) "The early bird catches its worm", that it's totally different.
I wonder if there's a common logical / idiomatic substrate for certain proverbs or if similar ways of saying are mere coincidence....
 
Java Cowboy
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Dutch has lots of these kinds of sayings, which sound funny if you translate them to English.

In Dutch, we have an expression similar to "killing two birds with one stone", which is: "twee vliegen in één klap slaan", literally translated: "hit two flies with one stroke".

Daar komt de aap uit de mouw => There the monkey comes out of the sleeve => when someone's real intent (that he/she has tried to hide) is revealed

Hij neemt je bij de neus => He takes you by the nose => he is joking with you

The Dutch football trainer Louis van Gaal is famous for literally translating Dutch sayings to English, making himself sound ridiculous. Some examples: Louis van Gaal expressions.
 
Saloon Keeper
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We have "Il mattino ha l'oro in bocca" as well: "Morgenstond heeft goud in de mond".

Another weird one in Italian I think is "In bocca al lupo", and then of course the natural response to that.
 
Marshal
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Jesper de Jong wrote:. . .  He takes you by the nose . . .

“To lead … by the nose,” means something totally different in English. It means to take charge, leading somebody in some direction where they (usually) do not want to go.
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