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Glossary entry

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
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 the mountain gave birth to a mouse
4 +5 Much ado about nothing; to make a mountain out of a molehill
5 +1 to make a mountain out of a molehill
5 it was a fiasco
4 The mountain shook, (but only) a mouse was born

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... -
Peer comment(s):
agree Paula Vaz-Carreiro : yes indeed!
1 hr
agree Henrique Magalhaes
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
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

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=...
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+5
19 mins

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."
Reference:

http://www.mtannoyances.com/?p=344

Peer comment(s):
agree Henrique Serra
17 mins
Obrigada Henrique!
agree oxygen4u : :)
1 hr
Thank you Oxygen!
agree Richard Jenkins : Both expressions are widely used in English
1 hr
Thank you Richard!
agree rhandler
3 hrs
agree Marina FS
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
3 hrs

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.
Peer comment(s):
agree Cristina Santos
3 hrs
Thanks, Cristina!
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

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
Something went wrong...
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