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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

مصمصة الشفايف

English translation: grumble, wring their/one's hands, disapprove

09:10 Dec 28, 2004
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Arabic term or phrase: مصمصة الشفايف
As we used to say, or rather an action of nothing bu مصمصة الشفايف
Amr elNagdi
Local time: 23:06
English translation:grumble, wring their/one's hands, disapprove
Explanation:
The gesture of مصمصة الشفايف (to force the air though the lips so as to produce a "chirping" sound) is a much more loaded gesture than just doing nothing. It is an expression of disapproval deep-rooted in Egyptian society and used almost exclusively by females. No doubt it is used here idiomatically to refer to people who do nothing except complain. If you want to remain idiomatic, you can use grumble, mumble, murmur, whine, or any suitable synonym from your preferred thesaurus; if you want to be literal, if this is possible at all here, then "dissaprove'" is the closest sentiment to this gesture that I can think of.

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Note added at 5 hrs 4 mins (2004-12-28 14:14:07 GMT)
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A closely related gesture in the English speaking world is: sigh!
Selected response from:

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 23:06
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2grumble, wring their/one's hands, disapprove
Alaa Zeineldine
3 +2sitting on one's hands
Waleed Mohamed


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
مصمصة الشفايف
sitting on one's hands


Explanation:
I think here that the meaning is "not to take necessary action", so we can say also:
1. Remain passive towards ...
2. remain a mere bystander

Good Luck
الترجمة أعلاه هي بناء على اعتقادي بأن مصمصة الشفايف تعني اتخاذ موقف سلبي أو كما يقولون الوقوف مكتوف الأيدي


Waleed Mohamed
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 00:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Awad Balaish: and simply we can say, got nothing.
30 mins
  -> Thank you
agree  A Nabil Bouitieh: Absolutely right.
8 hrs
  -> Thanks a lot
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
مصمصة الشفايف
grumble, wring their/one's hands, disapprove


Explanation:
The gesture of مصمصة الشفايف (to force the air though the lips so as to produce a "chirping" sound) is a much more loaded gesture than just doing nothing. It is an expression of disapproval deep-rooted in Egyptian society and used almost exclusively by females. No doubt it is used here idiomatically to refer to people who do nothing except complain. If you want to remain idiomatic, you can use grumble, mumble, murmur, whine, or any suitable synonym from your preferred thesaurus; if you want to be literal, if this is possible at all here, then "dissaprove'" is the closest sentiment to this gesture that I can think of.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 4 mins (2004-12-28 14:14:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A closely related gesture in the English speaking world is: sigh!

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 23:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  A Nabil Bouitieh: Accept your explaination too.
4 hrs
agree  ena
5 days
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