DCML Digest, Vol 8, Issue 41

[Soeren Schridde]

Don wrote:

> > Yes, of course! That's the topic of most of the back covers of American
> > comics in the 30's-60's. It said "Make big money" in the script that the
> > Dutch translator was given, and you can easily tell the person is
> > drawing a large banknote. Perhaps Harry can tell us if there is a reason
> > that this joke is untranslatable into Dutch... but it seems like "make
> > big money" would work in any language.

Harry replied:

> I don't see why you think such a word joke would work in any language. Why
> would "manufacture a large banknote" mean the same as "earn a lot of
> money" in any language other than English (and Italian)?
> 
I must second that statement. In German, "big"(gross) won't be 
connected with money, only "much"(viel)... 
A "big banknote" is known in German for those with a higher value, 
but that wouldn't work in this context either...

Interesting though, the opposite has its niche. There is the saying 
"to sell something for small money" (etwas für kleines Geld 
verkaufen) when a seller wants to praise that it's cheap or he won't 
gain much from the deal. I've never heard of "selling something for 
big money", though - (no big advertisement in that...)

Yours Soeren
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