This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Norwegian to English
  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

skremme fanden på flat mark

English translation: it could scare the hell/crap/bejesus/living daylights out of someone

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Norwegian term or phrase:skremme fanden på flat mark
English translation:it could scare the hell/crap/bejesus/living daylights out of someone
Entered by: Tara Chace

21:57 Nov 14, 2008
Norwegian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Norwegian term or phrase: skremme fanden på flat mark
Lyden var så stygg at den kunne skremme fanden på flat mark.

My target audience is teenage Americans...
Tara Chace
United States
Local time: 16:50
it could scare the hell out of someone
Explanation:
A common idiom used by North Americans (myself and teenage daughter, included!) on an everyday basis; whereas I've yet to hear anyone around here say "scare the devil out of hell", which may be correct but is dated and not often heard.
Selected response from:

lingo_montreal
Local time: 19:50
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +4it could scare the hell out of someone
lingo_montreal
3 +2scare the crap out of
brigidm
5scare the living daylights out of someone
Anna Herbst
4scare the devil out of hell
Egil Presttun
4scare somebody shitless
Hanne Rask Sonderborg
3scare the bejesus out of someone
Mari Noller


  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
it could scare the hell out of someone


Explanation:
A common idiom used by North Americans (myself and teenage daughter, included!) on an everyday basis; whereas I've yet to hear anyone around here say "scare the devil out of hell", which may be correct but is dated and not often heard.

lingo_montreal
Local time: 19:50
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mari Noller: I don't live in the US so don't know what's common, but I've certainly heard this one before ;) Another version is "scare the bejesus out of someone", but it's all down to preference.
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Mari.
agree  Αlban SHPΑTΑ
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Alban.
agree  Hilde Granlund
2 days 7 hrs
  -> Thanks, Hilde.
agree  Anna Herbst: or "scare the living daylights out of someone"
3 days 1 hr
  -> Yes, that's also a great suggestion, Anna. Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
scare the devil out of hell


Explanation:
.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 mins (2008-11-14 22:29:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The sound alone was ghastly enough to scare the devil out of hell.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 hrs (2008-11-15 12:51:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Å ”skremme fanden på flat mark” er et nærmest ukjent uttrykk i Norge, men det er likevel et uttrykk alle forstår slik det blir brukt her. Ser man nøye på hva som ligger i dette uttrykket, er det to ting som er verdt å merke seg:

1. Det er fanden som blir skremt. Fanden er den mest skremmende av alle, så når til og med fanden blir skremt, så ligger det i kortene at lyden er enda mer skremmende enn fanden selv. Det betyr noe slik som ”verre enn verst”. Vi snakker altså ikke om å skremme en lettskremt person. Det er en lyd som kan skremme hvem som helst. Det finnes en del vitser omkring samme tema, som f.eks. da Stalin kom til helvete. Djevelen rømte stedet fordi han ikke orket mer.

2. Fanden er på flat mark. Det betyr at han ikke står i relasjon til noen andre eller noe annet farlig. Han står altså ikke overfor en fiende. Han blir simpelthen skremt av lyden alene.

Det er disse to poengene jeg har forsøkt å få med i et engelsk uttrykk som er like ukjent, men som er like lett å forstå. På engelsk blir han skremt ut fra sitt eget rike, der han er konge og ikke har noe å frykte. Det er igjen lyden alene som skremmer fanden.


Egil Presttun
Norway
Local time: 01:50
Works in field
Native speaker of: Norwegian
PRO pts in category: 30

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mari Noller: "scare the hell out of someone" ville man sagt i England, men dette passer kanskje bedre i USA...
55 mins
disagree  lingo_montreal: Use Mari Noller's suggestion - "scare the hell out of someone", which is MORE common for this audience here in North America than what you have suggested.
5 hrs
  -> I'd rather prefer to use an expression with the same meaning. The Norwegian expression is not very common either. "scare the hell out of someone" = "skremme vettet av en"
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
scare the bejesus out of someone


Explanation:
Just to include this suggestion :)

Mari Noller
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:50
Native speaker of: Norwegian
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
scare the crap out of


Explanation:
Tara, if your target audience is teeangers, this might fit. But I'm a bit puzzled when you say that because, as you mention yourself, this expression is not that common nowadays (though it may have been once), and I find it hard to imagine a Norwegian teenager actually using it. But this might have something to do with when the text was actually written, of course. Anyway, my suggestion is proposed as a contemporary equivalent, with the given target group in mind.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day12 hrs (2008-11-16 10:07:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Ah, that explains it. Then I'm not so sure my proposal fits your context. What about something like "scared the devil out of man and beast"...?

brigidm
Norway
Local time: 01:50
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: The source text is a novel, written for young adults, and actually says, "Lyden av dommedag, flykræsj og takras på én gang, en lyd som sendte ilninger gjennom nervesystemet, som skremte fanden på både flat og uflat mark." So, it's the narrator's voice saying it, not an actual teenager. It's just written for a teenage audience.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Per Bergvall: As an alternative to the literal 'scare the devil on level ground', this is the one that rings truest in my ears.
6 hrs
  -> Thanks, Per
agree  Αlban SHPΑTΑ
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Alban
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 days 6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
scare the living daylights out of someone


Explanation:
This would be my first choice - but I live in Australia.

Anna Herbst
Australia
Local time: 09:50
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
scare somebody shitless


Explanation:
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/shitless

Hanne Rask Sonderborg
Denmark
Local time: 01:50
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search