Do you have any equivalent idioms or phrases for "sobaya no demae" in Japanese?

Discussion:

wishupon2stars

2007-01-03 10:59:08 UTC

Hello members,

I'm wondering if there are English peers for the Japanese
idiom, "sobaya no demae."

"Sobaya" is a soba (buckwheat-noodle) restaurant.
"Demae" is a dilivery service.
"Sobaya no demae" literally means "Soba restaurant's dilivery
service" but it means more than that. It is an idiom used to describe
a situation where somebody is making excuses for a delay in delivery
or work, saying "I'm working on it right now." or "I'll do it soon"
every time you ask him/her when the delivery/work will be done. It
comes from the sobaya's usual excuse, "the delivery person has just
left (so your food should arrive soon)." So you may complain by
saying, "He says 'soon' but I think it's another case of 'sobaya no
demae.' We don't know when it'll be done."

Do you have any phrase or idiom that can replace "sobaya no demae" ?
What would you say in this situation in English?
"He's making excuses" may be used in the situation, but I'm looking
for ones used for excuses for delay in delivery or work in particular.

Thanks always for your help.

Wish

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Bill Kelly

2007-01-03 12:29:07 UTC

Permalink

Thanks, Wish, for this wonderful phrase!

In America there is a standard joke that whenever you are expecting a
delivery, it is always going to be "the middle of next week." So, for
example, if you have left shirts at the laundry or suits at the dry
cleaner, and you call them to find out when they will be ready, the
answer is always "the middle of next week," no matter how long you have
already left them.

I believe this joke originated in the Jewish community in New York City
(Yiddish speakers), and originally pertained to tailors.

You can also say that you are not expecting something until "mañana":

Q: When are you expecting them to finish paving your driveway?
A: Mañana.

That is the Spanish word for "tomorrow." Its use indicates that you
really don't expect the task to be finished anytime soon. The idea is
that Latin Americans have a more relaxed sense of time and perhaps even
less of a sense of commitment.

That notion is, of course, a cultural sterotype, so you may not want to
use the phrase. I still do hear it, however.

Bill Kelly
Connecticut USA

Post by wishupon2stars
Hello members,
I'm wondering if there are English peers for the Japanese
idiom, "sobaya no demae."
"Sobaya" is a soba (buckwheat-noodle) restaurant.
"Demae" is a dilivery service.
"Sobaya no demae" literally means "Soba restaurant's dilivery
service" but it means more than that. It is an idiom used to describe
a situation where somebody is making excuses for a delay in delivery
or work, saying "I'm working on it right now." or "I'll do it soon"
every time you ask him/her when the delivery/work will be done. It
comes from the sobaya's usual excuse, "the delivery person has just
left (so your food should arrive soon)." So you may complain by
saying, "He says 'soon' but I think it's another case of 'sobaya no
demae.' We don't know when it'll be done."
Do you have any phrase or idiom that can replace "sobaya no demae" ?
What would you say in this situation in English?
"He's making excuses" may be used in the situation, but I'm looking
for ones used for excuses for delay in delivery or work in particular.
Thanks always for your help.
Wish

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Martin Zarate

2007-01-03 20:55:27 UTC

Permalink

Bill,
We have an idiom in Argentina. It is "año verde", "green year".
When do you win the lottery?
In the green year.
Regards
Martin

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wishupon2stars

2007-01-05 01:44:03 UTC

Permalink

Hello Martin,

Thanks for your interesting input.
Could you explain the phrase "the green year" a little bit, if you
don't mind?
I don't think the green year means a year full of harvest or anything
like that.
What does the color green mean in the phrase and also in your culture?
I'm asking out of curiosity.
From the context, "año verde" sounds similar to "something almost
never happens" like the expression "when the hell freezes over." Am
I close?
In the same situation, Japanese may say "when the sun rises from the
west."

Wish

--- In ***@yahoogroups.cBill,
We have an idiom in Argentina. It is "año verde", "green year".
When do you win the lottery?
In the green year.
Regards
Martin

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wishupon2stars

2007-01-05 01:28:56 UTC

Permalink

Thanks for the joke, Bill.

"The middle of next week," I think, is a perfect equivalent to the
Japanese expression "the delivery person has just left (the
restaurant)."

So do you have a phrase like "tailor's (usual) excuse" or something
like that, just like the Japanese phrase "sobaya no demae"?

"Mañana" is interesting too, because I'm afraid I have the same kind
of mentality...
I'm a big procrastinator.
When I go to bed, I tend to think, "Phew! Another long day. I haven't
finished this and that. OK. I think I'll do them tomorrow."
And for some things the "tomorrow" almost never comes. : )

Thanks for another great help of yours!
Wish

Post by Bill Kelly
Thanks, Wish, for this wonderful phrase!
In America there is a standard joke that whenever you are expecting a
delivery, it is always going to be "the middle of next week." So, for
example, if you have left shirts at the laundry or suits at the dry
cleaner, and you call them to find out when they will be ready, the
answer is always "the middle of next week," no matter how long you have
already left them.
I believe this joke originated in the Jewish community in New York City
(Yiddish speakers), and originally pertained to tailors.
You can also say that you are not expecting something until "maña
Q: When are you expecting them to finish paving your driveway?
A: Mañana.
That is the Spanish word for "tomorrow." Its use indicates that you
really don't expect the task to be finished anytime soon. The idea is
that Latin Americans have a more relaxed sense of time and perhaps even
less of a sense of commitment.
That notion is, of course, a cultural sterotype, so you may not want to
use the phrase. I still do hear it, however.
Bill Kelly
Connecticut USA

wishupon2stars

2007-01-05 02:11:14 UTC

Permalink

Hi members,

I'm terribly sorry for the strange word in my previous posts.

I forgot to change the encoding when I sent them.
I tried to type the letter "n" with a tilda.

"Mañana" ... I meant to type "Mañana.
Sorry also for the "año verde" in another post.

Wish wishing this email shows the lettes correctly.(If not, I'm very
sorry. )

Post by wishupon2stars
Thanks for the joke, Bill.
"The middle of next week," I think, is a perfect equivalent to the
Japanese expression "the delivery person has just left (the
restaurant)."
So do you have a phrase like "tailor's (usual) excuse" or something
like that, just like the Japanese phrase "sobaya no demae"?
"Mañana" is interesting too, because I'm afraid I have the same kind
of mentality...
I'm a big procrastinator.
When I go to bed, I tend to think, "Phew! Another long day. I

haven't

Post by wishupon2stars
finished this and that. OK. I think I'll do them tomorrow."
And for some things the "tomorrow" almost never comes. : )
Thanks for another great help of yours!
Wish

sarah sheard

2007-01-03 14:32:07 UTC

Permalink

Hi, Wish,

"The check's in the mail"... means "I promise you, but I don't mean it. This is a delaying tactic so you think that what I owe you is already on the way, but I did not put the check in the mail, I'm just hoping you'll believe me and leave me alone."

Is that what you're talking about perhaps?

(By the way, you misspelled delivery twice, but spelled it correctly in the last line.)

Sarah
Virginia, USA

wishupon2stars <***@kojima.net> wrote: Hello members,

I'm wondering if there are English peers for the Japanese
idiom, "sobaya no demae."

"Sobaya" is a soba (buckwheat-noodle) restaurant.
"Demae" is a dilivery service.
"Sobaya no demae" literally means "Soba restaurant's dilivery
service" but it means more than that. It is an idiom used to describe
a situation where somebody is making excuses for a delay in delivery
or work, saying "I'm working on it right now." or "I'll do it soon"
every time you ask him/her when the delivery/work will be done. It
comes from the sobaya's usual excuse, "the delivery person has just
left (so your food should arrive soon)." So you may complain by
saying, "He says 'soon' but I think it's another case of 'sobaya no
demae.' We don't know when it'll be done."

Do you have any phrase or idiom that can replace "sobaya no demae" ?
What would you say in this situation in English?
"He's making excuses" may be used in the situation, but I'm looking
for ones used for excuses for delay in delivery or work in particular.

Thanks always for your help.

Wish

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wishupon2stars

2007-01-05 01:35:47 UTC

Permalink

Hi Sarah,

Thanks a lot for another perfect equivalent for the Japanese "the
delivery person has just left."
Actually, I had the phrase in mind when I posted the question and I
was wondering if the phrase "the check's in the mail" could be used
in a wider sense, not only used as an excuse for arrears but also
applies to the delay in work or delivery in general.

In order to explain the Japanese phrase, can we say, "'Sobaya no
demae' is just like the old excuse, 'the check is in the mail.' They
say it should be done soon and their 'soon' seems to take forever" ?

Thanks, Sarah, for letting me know the spelling mistakes. I often
misspell the words like "deliver""divide" and write "diliver"
and "devide." : )

Wish

Post by sarah sheard
Hi, Wish,
"The check's in the mail"... means "I promise you, but I don't mean

it. This is a delaying tactic so you think that what I owe you is
already on the way, but I did not put the check in the mail, I'm just
hoping you'll believe me and leave me alone."

Post by sarah sheard
Is that what you're talking about perhaps?
(By the way, you misspelled delivery twice, but spelled it

correctly in the last line.)

Post by sarah sheard
Sarah
Virginia, USA