Aug 18, 2007 15:15
16 yrs ago
English term
Serbia
Economist, 35 yrs in Econ./Finance/Law
Native in: Serbian
Works in: English to Serbian, Serbian to English, Serbo-Croat to English, and 3 more.
elephant in the parlor
English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Can someone, please, explain the meaning of this phrase?
Responses
+9
10 mins
Selected
A huge problem that is not acknowledged
A little more in the way of explanation for you, Miomira:
Elephant In The Corner
The title, apparently refers to ‘the elephant in the corner’ – the problem that everyone chooses to ignore because it’s so huge. It was also the title of Alan Clarke’s film about the troubles in Northern Ireland, another acknowledged influence.
The above excerpt was taken from the link below. The UK Eng equivalent would be the elephant in the corner.
HTH
Sara
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Note added at 24 mins (2007-08-18 15:39:54 GMT)
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"Here’s an idea: Let’s be brave and talk about the elephant in the parlor - the wasteful, profit-driven, private health insurance industry - and what to do about it, shall we?"
http://www.wbur.org/weblogs/commonhealth/?feed=rss2&p=15
Elephant In The Corner
The title, apparently refers to ‘the elephant in the corner’ – the problem that everyone chooses to ignore because it’s so huge. It was also the title of Alan Clarke’s film about the troubles in Northern Ireland, another acknowledged influence.
The above excerpt was taken from the link below. The UK Eng equivalent would be the elephant in the corner.
HTH
Sara
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Note added at 24 mins (2007-08-18 15:39:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"Here’s an idea: Let’s be brave and talk about the elephant in the parlor - the wasteful, profit-driven, private health insurance industry - and what to do about it, shall we?"
http://www.wbur.org/weblogs/commonhealth/?feed=rss2&p=15
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Refugio
: yes
41 mins
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Thank you.
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| agree |
RHELLER
: in the USA we say elephant in the living room - same thing- everyone is trying very hard not to talk about it but everyone knows is there
49 mins
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Yes. Thank you, Rita.
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| agree |
Alexander Demyanov
: Current idiom refers to “the elephant in the parlor”: a huge unmentionable known to all. - http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/07-02-21.html
49 mins
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Thank you.
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| agree |
silvia b (X)
: http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/6/messages/836.html
1 hr
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Thank you, Silvia.
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| agree |
Jack Doughty
: Rather like no-one noticing that the Emperor has no clothes.
1 hr
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Exactly like that. Thank you.
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| agree |
Alfa Trans (X)
2 hrs
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Thank you, Marju.
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| agree |
Cristina Santos
7 hrs
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Thank you.
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| agree |
Mark Nathan
8 hrs
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Thank you, Mark.
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| agree |
Bernhard Sulzer
: the 800 pound gorilla in the room is a similar idiom - see Rita's link below.
12 hrs
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A good alternative, too. Thank you.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I have learnt something new. Thank you very much."
-1
4 mins
claudia bagnardi
30 years translating law and finance
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
the explanation below
It is a metaphor.
Meaning that a person/animal, just being himself/itself, is dangerous.
In Spanish we use the same metaphor, and another one "a monkey with a knife.
Hope this helps
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Note added at 10 mins (2007-08-18 15:25:51 GMT)
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Example:
You invite someone for dinner. You know he is a troublesome person, but he is nice. At the dinner he makes some untimely remarks and makes you feel awkward. He just can't help it, just like the elephant - being so big - breaks everything around.
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Note added at 23 mins (2007-08-18 15:38:54 GMT)
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Yes, context would held, definitely.
Meaning that a person/animal, just being himself/itself, is dangerous.
In Spanish we use the same metaphor, and another one "a monkey with a knife.
Hope this helps
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Note added at 10 mins (2007-08-18 15:25:51 GMT)
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Example:
You invite someone for dinner. You know he is a troublesome person, but he is nice. At the dinner he makes some untimely remarks and makes you feel awkward. He just can't help it, just like the elephant - being so big - breaks everything around.
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Note added at 23 mins (2007-08-18 15:38:54 GMT)
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Yes, context would held, definitely.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
RHELLER
: sorry but this is not the meaning
55 mins
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Granted, my mistake. Sorry about that!. Claudia
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| neutral |
Deborah Workman
: I think you meant "bull in a china shop". :-)
1 day 3 hrs
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-1
51 mins
Valery Kaminski
Belarus
Belarus
Belarus
Commitment and experience, here and now
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Belarusian to English, Russian to English, and 2 more.
somebody out of place and...
somebody out of place and behaving in a clumsy/impolite/you-name-it way because of this
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
RHELLER
: sorry not the meaning here
9 mins
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Right, that's not china shop :(
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+1
1 hr
not for grading
The elephant in the room (also elephant in the living room, elephant in the corner, elephant on the dinner table, elephant in the kitchen, horse in the corner, etc.) is an English idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored. It is based on the fact that an elephant in a small room would be impossible to overlook.
Note from asker:
| Thank you for pointing in the right direction and for modestly declining points. |
Discussion