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Speak of the devil

Posted: 2015-11-29, 12:08
by Levike
You're talking about someone and that person unexpectedly appears.
What idiom would you use in this case, if any?

Note: Translation needed.

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.

[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2015-11-29, 12:30
by Antea
Note: Translation needed.

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.

[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)[/quote]

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2015-11-29, 14:48
by Tenebrarum
[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.

[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

Image Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2015-11-30, 1:03
by Aleco
There's another thread on this already, but I guess your question makes this thread a bit different.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=39784

[flag=]no[/flag]

I've never heard anyone use the whole sentence, but it's not uncommon in writing. I would leave out the parts I've put in brackets.

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

Image Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)[/quote]

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-01-16, 14:00
by Multiturquoise
Turkish

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-01-18, 10:41
by Bernard
+ German & Latin

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-01-18, 11:02
by md0
+el-cy

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

[flag=]el-cy[/flag] Κατά φωνήν τζι ο γάδαρος /kata‿fo'nin‿dʒ̩‿ɔ‿'ɣaðaros/ (Speaking of which, here's the donkey).

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-01-18, 11:51
by Bernard
+ Classical Greek

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

[flag=]grc[/flag] Εἰ καὶ λύκου ἐμνήσθης ... [/ei kaì lýkou emnésthes / If you made mention of the wolf...]
[flag=]el-cy[/flag] Κατά φωνήν τζι ο γάδαρος /kata‿fo'nin‿dʒ̩‿ɔ‿'ɣaðaros/ (Speaking of which, here's the donkey).

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-01-18, 14:57
by france-eesti
+ French

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]fr[/flag] Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue (When we speak about the wolf, we see his tail)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

[flag=]grc[/flag] Εἰ καὶ λύκου ἐμνήσθης ... [/ei kaì lýkou emnésthes / If you made mention of the wolf...]
[flag=]el-cy[/flag] Κατά φωνήν τζι ο γάδαρος /kata‿fo'nin‿dʒ̩‿ɔ‿'ɣaðaros/ (Speaking of which, here's the donkey

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-01-18, 17:03
by linguoboy
Levike wrote:[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.

The fuller form of the English expression is "Speak of the Devil and he appears" (or "...is sure to appear"). You almost never hear this spoken, however. What you will hear, though, is the version, "Speak of the Devil...and an angel appears!" The pause is important, as it draws attention to the aspersion you've just made.

BTW, we've done this already: http://forum.unilang.org/viewtopic.php?p=867835.

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-03-07, 1:56
by Linguaphile
[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]fr[/flag] Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue (When we speak about the wolf, we see his tail)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)
[flag=]et[/flag] Kui hundist räägid, siis ta tulebki. (If you speak of the wolf, then he comes.) / Kui hundist räägid, hunt aia taga. (If you speak of the wolf, the wolf is behind the fence.)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

[flag=]grc[/flag] Εἰ καὶ λύκου ἐμνήσθης ... [/ei kaì lýkou emnésthes / If you made mention of the wolf...]
[flag=]el-cy[/flag] Κατά φωνήν τζι ο γάδαρος /kata‿fo'nin‿dʒ̩‿ɔ‿'ɣaðaros/ (Speaking of which, here's the donkey

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-03-07, 1:59
by Linguaphile
linguoboy wrote:
Levike wrote:[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.

The fuller form of the English expression is "Speak of the Devil and he appears" (or "...is sure to appear"). You almost never hear this spoken, however.

Or also: "Speak of the devil, and he shows his horns." That's the full version I heard once, but I agree - you almost never hear the full phrase spoken in English. I suppose that's why there are so many variations of the ending.

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-04-16, 16:54
by plengfruit
Added Polish and Russian. I'd appreciate if a Russian native speaker could verify whether that's the correct and/or common version.

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]fr[/flag] Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue (When we speak about the wolf, we see his tail)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)
[flag=]et[/flag] Kui hundist räägid, siis ta tulebki. (If you speak of the wolf, then he comes.) / Kui hundist räägid, hunt aia taga. (If you speak of the wolf, the wolf is behind the fence.)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]pl[/flag] O wilku mowa [a wilk tuż]. (Speak of the wolf [and here it comes])
[flag=]ru[/flag] Помяни дьявола [а он тут как тут]. (Speak of the devil [and he shall appear])

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

[flag=]grc[/flag] Εἰ καὶ λύκου ἐμνήσθης ... [/ei kaì lýkou emnésthes / If you made mention of the wolf...]
[flag=]el-cy[/flag] Κατά φωνήν τζι ο γάδαρος /kata‿fo'nin‿dʒ̩‿ɔ‿'ɣaðaros/ (Speaking of which, here's the donkey

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-04-16, 19:15
by księżycowy
While search up a Japanese equivalent, I found this Wikipedia article:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_of_the_devil

[flag=]en[/flag] Speak of the devil.
[flag=]de[/flag] Wenn man den Wolf nennt, so kommt er gerennt [Talk of the wolf, and he appears running.]
[flag=]no-nb[/flag] [Når man] snakker om sola [så skinner den]. (["When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")
[flag=]no-nn[/flag] [Når ein] snakkar om sola [så skin ho]. ("[When one] speaks of the Sun [then it shines].")

[flag=]es[/flag] Hablando del rey de Roma, por la puerta asoma ("talking of the king of Rome"...-usually not necessary to continue the sentence, as everybody already know what's next- "he appears at the door")
[flag=]la[/flag] Lupus in fabula [Talk of the wolf ...]
[flag=]ro[/flag] Vorbind de lup. (Talking of wolf)
[flag=]fr[/flag] Quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue (When we speak about the wolf, we see his tail)

[flag=]hu[/flag] Ott az ördög, ahol említik. (There the devil, where they mention him)
[flag=]et[/flag] Kui hundist räägid, siis ta tulebki. (If you speak of the wolf, then he comes.) / Kui hundist räägid, hunt aia taga. (If you speak of the wolf, the wolf is behind the fence.)

[flag=]zh[/flag] 说曹操,曹操到。[Shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives.)
[flag=]zh-hk[/flag] 日頭唔好講人,夜晚唔好講鬼。[Jat6-tau2 m4-hou2 gong2 jan4,je6-maan5 m4-hou2 gong2 gwai2] (In daytime don't talk about other people, at night don't talk about ghosts [or they will show up.]) / 講曹操,曹操就到。[Gong2 cou4-cou1,cou4-cou1 zau6 dou3] (Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives at once.)

[flag=]ja[/flag] うわさをすれば影

[flag=]pl[/flag] O wilku mowa [a wilk tuż]. (Speak of the wolf [and here it comes])
[flag=]ru[/flag] Помяни дьявола [а он тут как тут]. (Speak of the devil [and he shall appear])

[flag=]tr[/flag] İti an çomağı hazırla. (Mention the dog [and] prepare the club)

[flag=]vi[/flag] Linh ( - supernaturally manifestative) / Linh như Tào Tháo (As supernatural as Cao Cao)

[flag=]grc[/flag] Εἰ καὶ λύκου ἐμνήσθης ... [/ei kaì lýkou emnésthes / If you made mention of the wolf...]
[flag=]el-cy[/flag] Κατά φωνήν τζι ο γάδαρος /kata‿fo'nin‿dʒ̩‿ɔ‿'ɣaðaros/ (Speaking of which, here's the donkey

Re: Speak of the devil

Posted: 2017-04-17, 1:59
by Babbsagg
I'm a bit confused by the German one, I've never heard anyone say that. In my experience, everyone uses this sentence exclusively:

Wenn man vom Teufel spricht... [when one speaks of the devil...]