‘Why keep a dog and bark yourself?’

[Theseus]

This English proverbial saying means, as defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary, is said when you wish to know why someone would do something himself or herself when that person already pays someone else to do it.
An example is, for instance, is when a wife asks her husband to do the washing up since she has to go out to do all sorts of jobs and won’t be back until late. Her husband might reply jocularly:- “Of course. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?”
I want to translate this into Greek. Which is the better translation, if either, of this saying:-
«Γιατί να έχεις σκύλο και να γαβγίζεις μόνος σου;»
Or
Γιατί να έχεις σκύλο και να γαβγίζεις κι εσύ;”

 

[cougr]

A direct translation would be: Γιατί να έχεις σκύλο και να γαβγίζεις εσύ.

As far as I know though, expressed as such would require some explanation, as the meaning of the proverb would be lost on most Greeks and I'm unaware of a culturally equivalent expression in Greek.

"και να γαβγίζεις μόνος σου" would be interpreted as "and bark by yourself/alone".

"και να γαβγίζεις κι εσύ" - the addition of "κι" adds an "also" to it eg. "and also bark yourself".

 

[Theseus]

Thanks, cougr. Might you say "Γιατί να δουλεύεις, όταν έχεις δούλους;" A bit lame but it conveys the idea behind the English proverbial expression.

 

[cougr]

Perhaps it might work in some contexts but it carries a different tone and sentiment. Some would argue that it comes across as a bit harsh and perhaps arrogant and exploitative - something an elitist or tyrant would say.

I'm pressed for time at the moment but something along more neutral lines would be:
"Γιατί να παιδεύεσαι εσύ, αφού έχεις άλλους;/ Γιατί να παιδευόμαστε αφού έχουμε άλλους; "
(Why struggle/tire yourself, since you have others [to do it]?)

 

[cougr]

Perhaps it might work in some contexts

So, it might be ok between husband and wife as per your example in #1 but not so much as a general translation.

 

[SBE]

Theseus, I'll direct you to to this italian expression which has a Wikipedia entry which shows the futility of the exercise. In Greek you would just say καλή επιτυχία or καλή τύχη in that situation.

 

[Theseus]

For ‘break a leg/ good luck’ I have several equivalents like:
καλή τύχη, καλή επιτυχία, καλή επιτυχία σου εύχομαι, σου εύχομαι καλή επιτυχία, φτου μη σε ματιάσω, με το καλό, με τη νίκη, κάνω επιτυχία σε παράσταση, όλα να πάνε καλά, να σπάσει ο διάολος το ποδάρι του, φτου μ´. I think you can guess which website they come from. Apparently, in Greek for those about to perform a dance the equivalent expression is a simple σκατά! (this from reddit).
I wasn’t actually looking for a word for word translation of this UK proverb (which may indeed be a futile exercise) but for whether there was a Greek expression to express the same sentiment. There is an Arabic equivalent, which translated into English is:- ‘If you have a servant, why get your hands dirty?´And I see in AI that cougr’s provisional attempt in Lexilogia at something which Greeks might understand has now been elevated to the status of a Greek proverb!

​

 

[SBE]

Most of these are not idiomatic or proverbial expressions but straightforward meaning. As for the dance thing, never heard fo it and I have been around greek dancers for years.

 

[Theseus]

Thanks, SBE! Nobody knows where the English phrase comes from. Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Catchphrases suggests it may be a translation of the German phrase Hals- und Beinbruch (neck and leg break), a term of encouragement for aviators in WWI, which later spread to the stage. Partridge also in his dictionary of slang says that an earlier phrase was ‘break a wrist’ and also to ‘ break a leg’ meant to ‘give birth to an illegitimate child. In fine, no one is any the wiser!