простые, как песня

English translation: down to earth

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:простые, как песня
English translation:down to earth
Entered by: Turdimurod Rakhmanov

19:14 Mar 30, 2019
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Tourism & Travel / travel article
Russian term or phrase: простые, как песня
Is the phrase "простые, как песня" some kind of idiom in Russian? Is there anything similar in English? It's part of a heading describing the people's character.

The context is as follows - a travel article about New Zealand, this part of the article is referring to the people's character.

The next paragraphs (see below) are about the character traits of the New Zealanders.
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Люди — простые, как песня

Не знаю, встречала ли где-то ещё таких же вежливых и улыбчивых людей, как новозеландцы. Они здороваются на маршрутах, спрашивают, как дела, когда покупаешь еду в супермаркете, и предлагают помощь, даже если её не просишь. Они простые в общении.
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I know it's about the fact that the author found the people to be simple, easy-going, good-natured. So is there any kind of catchy phrase in English to say this, "As simple as a _________" or "As easy-going as ______"? I would really like to find some suitable expression but I'm not coming up with any good ideas at the moment.

I will appreciate any help/suggestions. Thanks in advance!
Sarah McDowell
Canada
Local time: 20:29
down to earth people
Explanation:
down to earth people
Selected response from:

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Local time: 07:29
Grading comment
Thanks! I ended up using this option for the translation.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3unassuming like a simple tune
IrinaN
4down to earth people
Turdimurod Rakhmanov
3as simple as a song
Oleg Lozinskiy
3never feel like a stranger
Carole Wolfe
3so very sociable
rns
Summary of reference entries provided
down to earth people / a people persons / both feet on the ground (Am).
Turdimurod Rakhmanov
as simple as pie
Vladyslav Golovaty

Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
as simple as a song


Explanation:
Coleske – Simple As A Song Lyrics
https://www..com/c/coleske/simple as a song_21008147.html

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Note added at 8 мин (2019-03-30 19:22:40 GMT)
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There's something about love
That not to many have discovered
It's a pure and faithfull act
Of wich you are the keeper
When you know yourself
And you live for what the truth says
You will find that love
Is as simple as this song is

There's something about pain
That we all seem to go through
Every now and then
It just finds it's way to haunt you
So stay up on your feet
For it can only make you stronger
And in time you'll see
It's as certain as this song is

And I will break down these walls
Build my tomorrow
Find all the answers
That I never have before
Cause I will stay on this raod
Run through the ashes and the fog
For it might be the way to it all

There's some things in life

That we cannot seem to hold on to
Keeps us on the ground
Even when we are much older
So learn to give yourself
It may be all you have tomorrow
And then the truth to life
Is as simple as this song is

Oh yes it is...

And I will break down these walls
Build my tomorrow
Find all the answers
That I never have before
Cause I will stay on this raod
Run through the ashes and the fog
For it might be the way to it all

There's something about love
That not to many have discovered
It's a pure and faithfull act
Of wich you are the keeper
When you know yourself
And you live for what the truth says
You will find that love
Is as simple as this song is

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Note added at 12 мин (2019-03-30 19:26:13 GMT)
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Welcome to Stubbornly Buoyant

A happiness blog :)

The only real goal here is to have you smiling by the time you leave.
https://www.stubbornlybuoyant.com/home/simple-as-a-song

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Note added at 14 мин (2019-03-30 19:28:26 GMT)
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Фраза достаточно устойчивая на аглицком: https://www.google.ru/search?newwindow=1&biw=1067&bih=750&tb...

Oleg Lozinskiy
Russian Federation
Local time: 04:29
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 24
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
never feel like a stranger


Explanation:
This is a simile but not an idiomatic expression.

Carole Wolfe
United States
Local time: 20:29
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
unassuming like a simple tune


Explanation:
*

IrinaN
United States
Local time: 20:29
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 3

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  The Misha: Unassuming is good, but I would lose that simple tune business altogether. It simply rings no bells in English. See my discussion entry above.
28 mins
  -> Thank you. "un.. tune" is not so uncommon in describing music and the whole thing is an "independent" sentence, not a try for a matching idiom.

agree  cyhul
1 day 4 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  danya: this is a happy choice of wording indeed
2 days 12 hrs
  -> :-)
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2 days 14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
down to earth people


Explanation:
down to earth people

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Local time: 07:29
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thanks! I ended up using this option for the translation.
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9 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
so very sociable


Explanation:
 

rns
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 8
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Reference comments


7 hrs peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: down to earth people / a people persons / both feet on the ground (Am).

Reference information:
Как вариант,
down to earth people / a people persons
or a good laugh people
https://www.newzealand.com/sg/feature/new-zealand-people/

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Note added at 7 hrs (2019-03-31 02:33:37 GMT)
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it must be something specific to New-Zealanders

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Note added at 7 hrs (2019-03-31 02:36:59 GMT)
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Down-to-earth version is not so close, but I think a people persons would describe the people from New Zealand.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2019-03-31 02:54:49 GMT)
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Down to earth also means simple and good people,
we also could use both idioms in one "down-to-earth and good laugh people"

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Note added at 8 hrs (2019-03-31 03:14:31 GMT)
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In Asker's version: easy-going is what is described in the context,
to make it more similar to the spirit or stylistic approach of the context:
We can say: A people pleaser

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Note added at 8 hrs (2019-03-31 04:13:22 GMT)
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Sorry:
stylistic approach in the context

Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in UzbekUzbek, Native in KirghizKirghiz
PRO pts in category: 16
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks! I really like "down-to-earth". I was thinking of something like this, but your suggestion helped confirm my choice.


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Boris Shapiro: I really like the 'down to earth' variant. It conveys the meaning perfectly without the entirely accidental musical imagery.
12 hrs
  -> Thank you.
agree  Dmitry Zaikin: "down to earth" works perfectly here
9 days
  -> Thank you, Dmitry.
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13 hrs peer agreement (net): -2
Reference: as simple as pie

Reference information:
as simple as apple pie
to be exact


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Note added at 18 hrs (2019-03-31 13:52:51 GMT)
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During World War II, British soldiers used the expression to describe a mission that was extremely easy to accomplish."

Vladyslav Golovaty
Ukraine
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
disagree  The Misha: It's as EASY as pie, not simple, and it's a totally different idiom anyway.
4 hrs
  -> "simple as pie" or "easy as pie" https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/3/messages/91.html
disagree  Boris Shapiro: This is ridiculous. Easy or simple, it has nothing to do with attitudes. // Killing me softly, you are ;-)
6 hrs
  -> softly as a song goes?
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