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Glossary entry

Danish term or phrase:

Kært barn har mange navne

English translation:

a rose by any other name would smell as sweet

Added to glossary by Laura Petersen
Aug 23, 2007 10:02
16 yrs ago
5 viewers *
Danish term

Kært barn har mange navne

Danish to English Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I need a suitable English idiom here. 'The devil is known by many names' doesn't cut it for my marketing text (sounds too negative).
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
4 +2 We have many names for the things we love
4 a pet child has many names
4 a favorite child has many names
4 call it what you like

Proposed translations

+1
4 hrs
Selected

a rose by any other name would smell as sweet

If you want a proverb as much as a literal translation, this is not exactly the same, but fairly close.

It is sometimes used a bit like the Danish proverb in the sense of "it's the same, whatever you call it"

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/305250.html
Peer comment(s):
agree Jande : I think this is the best suggestion especially for marketing purposes
8 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks!"
4 mins

a pet child has many names

See link below for source; an excellent resource, and not expensive!
:-)
Reference:

http://www.ordbogen.dk/opslag.php?word=k%E6rt&dict=daen

Peer comment(s):
agree Dziadzio : Yes ordenbogen.dk is an excellent rsource ;0)
1 hr
Thank you!
disagree Suzanne Blangsted (X) : ordbogen is wrong. Never use the word "pet" in this combination. This is a child.
4 hrs
Thanks for your response, but this is NOT the case when the word is used as an adjective: "pet grouch, pet complaint, pet name. Pets were called such BECAUSE of the original adjective of endearment. Ordbogen is NOT wrong here, in my opinion.
disagree Jande : only to be used for teasing eg. teachers pet. May be ok for the grandkids, but nonetheless I would not use this in a marketing text.
12 hrs
My mother was NEVER teasing me or my brother when she called us her pets. Nor do I tease when I refer to my grandchildren as "Pet".
agree Christine Andersen : I would never object to being called 'pet' (but I grew up in north eastern England.) Kids, now... Those are baby goats to me! Just shows how English varies according to where you come from, I suppose.
5 days
Thanks, Christine! Exactly! I reacted a little to Jande's "grandkids"! But your suggestion was extremely elegant.
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+2
8 mins

We have many names for the things we love

Another option....
Reference:

Gyldendals røde ordbog

Peer comment(s):
agree Pernille Chapman : Would also work well if the text has to do with items rather than people, as the Danish phrase is used with both animate and inanimate subjects.
2 hrs
Mange tak, Pernille!
agree Paul Cohen
14 hrs
Mange tak Paul!
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4 hrs

a favorite child has many names

mit forslag here - see f.eks.
http://www.upress.state.ms.us/catalog/fall2003/fortunes_favo...



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Note added at 5 hrs (2007-08-23 15:02:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://graycie5198.blogspot.com/2007/04/favorite-child.html
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8 hrs

call it what you like

'a pet child gets many names ( =call it what you like)
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