This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

there would be a goldfish‑bowl effect

English translation: that membership would grow to the size of the space

13:51 Nov 27, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: there would be a goldfish‑bowl effect
Hello everyone,

"‘It’s a great place, John,’ he said. ‘But you can’t afford it and you’ll never fill it. It’s massive. Just forget about it and keep an eye out for somewhere else. You’d be crazy to take the risk.’
But I refused to be diverted. I had become a little bit obsessed with moving the gym to this unit. It sounds cheesy but I had a vision for how the gym would look in there and I couldn’t shake it off. It was exactly how I had always pictured my ideal gym. Even though the interest in SBG was growing, I still only had just over a hundred members. But that fact wasn’t enough to deter me. All logic seemed to suggest other‑ wise, but I really believed the move could be successful. I was convinced ***there would be a goldfish‑bowl effect*** – that we’d fill whatever space we were in. As soon as I returned from Boston after Conor’s win against Max Holloway, I began the paperwork for SBG Ireland’s next move."

Does it reger to the following definition from the dictionary?

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/goldfish bowl

2. a place or situation open to observation by onlookers

Thank you.
Mikhail Korolev
Local time: 16:25
Selected answer:that membership would grow to the size of the space
Explanation:
Apparently it is a commonly held but incorrect belief that goldfish will grow to the size of their bowl/tank.

http://www.fishtanksandponds.co.uk/aquarium-science/fishgrow...
Selected response from:

Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 15:25
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Mark.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5that membership would grow to the size of the space
Mark Nathan
3 +1He believed his gym membership would grow
Darius Saczuk
3the gym would be highly visible and new members would flock to it
AllegroTrans


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
He believed his gym membership would grow


Explanation:
See also the discussion box above.

Darius Saczuk
United States
Local time: 09:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 124

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  acetran
19 hrs
  -> Thank you, Acetran.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
that membership would grow to the size of the space


Explanation:
Apparently it is a commonly held but incorrect belief that goldfish will grow to the size of their bowl/tank.

http://www.fishtanksandponds.co.uk/aquarium-science/fishgrow...

Mark Nathan
France
Local time: 15:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 78
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Mark.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher
56 mins
agree  Tony M: I've heard this in connection with fish-ponds, where the converse is true: the maximum size of the fish will be determined by how small the pond is. Not a terribly apposite metaphor to use here!
1 hr
  -> It's nice to see goldfish being referred to in a positive light instead of being made fun of for their famously short memories.
agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
15 hrs
agree  B D Finch: Though I don't think that is the meaning of "goldfish‑bowl effect", it is probably what he means.
20 hrs
  -> Yes, it doesn't hit quite the right note to my ear either - maybe it's an Irish thing!
agree  Didier Fourcot: Common saying for fish in aquarium: the maximum size the fish will attain is related to the size of the aquarium; goldfish in a bowl could not live long enough to verify that though
1 day 16 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the gym would be highly visible and new members would flock to it


Explanation:
Another possibility

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day22 hrs (2016-11-29 12:26:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This kind of works (maybe) if the writer is saying that the gym has moved into a highly visible place, compared to where it was before. Everyone will see it then, like goldfish in a bowl. The metaphor (?) of wanting to join the goldfish in the bowl doesn't work for me though, I'd rather stay above water!!

AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:25
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 52
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search