European Day of Languages

The European Union has recently celebrated the European Day of Languages, namely last Friday 26th September, so I could not skip citing this international event on my blog.

The poster below depicts different proverbs and quotes from recognized literates in all of the European Union official languages expect for Croatian (they had not joined the EU by the time this poster was created). So I have picked a Croatian proverb to close the circle.

These are the translated proverbs into English:

Aprender a hablar es aprender a traducir. (Spanish)

Learning how to speak is learning how to translate.

Två av språkets grymmaste ord: FÖR SENT. (Swedish)

Two of the language's cruelest words: too late.

Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen. (German)

Whoever does not know foreign languages knows nothing about themselves.

Mais pode durar um bom costume e vocábulo do que um padrão. (Portuguese)

A good custom and word can last more than a pattern.

Quand on se fait entendre, on parle toujours bien. (French)

When you make yourself heard, you always speak well.

Kdor jezika špara, kruha strada. (Slovenian)

Who saves his mouth, starves.

Vyřčené slovo nevrátíš. (Czech)

A word spoken is past recalling.

Η στρέβλωση τής γλώσσας είναι συνυφασμένη με τη στρέβλωση τού λογικού. (Greek)

The distortion of language is intertwined with the distortion of logic.

Kas siis selle maa keel laulu tuules ei või taevani tõustes üles igavikku omale otsida? (Estonian)

Is it the case that the earth is not a song in the wind, or the sky rocketed to yourself to look into eternity?

A niechaj narodowie wżdy postronni znają, iż Polacy nie gęsi, iż swój język mają. (Polish) 

Let it by all and sundry foreign nations be known that Poles speak not Anserine but a tongue of their own.

Det er pudsigt, at der med de relativt få ord, som findes i sproget, kan siges så meget sludder. (Danish)

It is funny that with the relatively few words existing in a language, so much nonsense can be said.

Nyelvében él a nemzet. (Hungarian)

The language of living in the nation.

Kun kieli kuolee, kieli väreineen, kieli vivahduksineen, kuolee kansa. (Finnish) 

When a language dies, language dyes, language tinges, people die.

Un linguaggio diverso è una diversa visione della vita. (Italian)

A different language is a different vision of life.

Koľko jazykov vieš, toľkokrát si človekom. (Slovak) 

The more language you know, the more of a person you are.

Kalboje tauta pasisako, kas esanti. (Lithuanian)

Speech to the nation in favor of what it is worth.

Ħobb, jekk jiswewlek, l-Ilsna barranija, iżda le tbarri lil min hu ta' ġewwa (Maltese)

Please help! Pending translation

Kur auša runā, tur gudrais cieš klusu. (Latvian) 

Please help! Pending translation

Een goed verstaander heeft maar een half woord nodig. (Dutch)

A good listener only needs a few words.

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of people. (English)

на мълчашия не можеш да му отнемеш думата. (Bulgarian) 

You cannot take the word of the silent.

Limba este întâiul mare poem al unui popor. (Romanian) 

Language is the firstborn great poem of a people.

Tír gan teanga - tír gan anam. (Irish) 

A country without a language - a country without a soul.

Bez muke nema nauke. (Croatian) 

No pain, no gain.
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PS: I am sorry for some of the bad translations. I cannot speak all the official European languages, if only I could! I would be grateful if you could collaborate and help properly translate the quote / proverb in your language.




Image source: European Commission DG Translation's Facebook page: Translating for Europe