fly in the ointment

Greek translation: κουσούρι, ψεγάδι

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	fly in the ointment
Greek translation:	κουσούρι, ψεγάδι
Entered by:	Hellinas

10:38 Aug 1, 2011

English to Greek translations [Non-PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / cliche

English term or phrase: fly in the ointment

Meaning:-
A small but irritating flaw that spoils the whole thing.
Origin:-
These days ointments are chiefly for medicinal use - just the thing for rubbing on that nasty rash. In earlier times though ointments were more likely to be creams or oils with a cosmetic or ceremonial use. Literally, ointment was the substance one was annointed with. There is considerable anointing in Bible stories and it isn't surprising therefore that this phrase has a biblical origin. Ecclesiastes 10:1 (Authorised Version) has:-
"Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour."
Our contempary phrase 'the fly in the ointment' didn't appear until later. The earliest example found in print of that precise text is in John Norris' A Practical Treatise Concerning Humility, 1707:
'Tis that dead fly in the ointment of the Apothecary.
For centuries now 'a fly in the ointment' has meant a small defect that spoils something valuable or is a source of annoyance. The modern version thus suggests that something unpleasant may come or has come to light in a proposition or condition that is almost too pleasing; that there is something wrong hidden, unexpected somewhere.

Hellinas KudoZ activity Questions: 492 (none open) (4 without valid answers) (27 closed without grading) Answers: 0
Local time: 19:11

κουσούρι, ψεγάδι

Explanation:
http://www.elearning-courses.eu/resources/companion/personal...

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Note added at 19 mins (2011-08-01 10:57:08 GMT)
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Also check ''κάποιο λάκκο έχει η φάβα'', meaning that there's got to be something wrong, things can't be that perfect...

Selected response from:

Eleftheria P
Local time: 21:11

Grading comment

All answers seem right so I will choose Eleftheria's here, thanks too for the useful idiom ''κάποιο λάκκο έχει η φάβα''. Usual thanks to Nick. His expertise has been greatly appreciated throughout.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

κουσούρι, ψεγάδι

Eleftheria P

κακό, μειονέκτημα, αρνητικό

Nick Lingris

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

5 mins confidence:

κουσούρι, ψεγάδι

Eleftheria P
Local time: 21:11
Native speaker of:

Greek

Grading comment

1 hr confidence:

κακό, μειονέκτημα, αρνητικό

Explanation:
I'm looking forward to Sunday, the only fly in the ointment being the fact that I shall have to sit next to my mother-in-law.
The only fly in the ointment was Jacky. (What a silly example! The sort that turns up when lexicographers are feeling lazy.)
The only fly in the ointment is that we can’t use my house for the party.
Sam's lack of map-reading skills turned out to be the fly in the ointment when he applied for the job.
We enjoyed the play, but the fly in the ointment was not being able to find my hat afterward.
It sounds like a good idea, but there must be a fly in the ointment somewhere.

On the basis of the above examples from dictionaries, I'd say the most common way of rendering this in Greek is "το μόνο κακό είναι...".
http://www.google.com/search?q="το μόνο κακό είναι "&ie=utf-...
"μόνο" in this case translates "only", which seems to accompany "fly" very offten, otherwise just "το κακό είναι".

The final example is the case of El's "κάποιο λάκκο έχει η φάβα".

Nick Lingris
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Greek
PRO pts in category: 44

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Greek translation: κουσούρι, ψεγάδι

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