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Glossary entry

Italian term or phrase:

tutto il mondo è paese

English translation:

it\'s just human nature

Added to glossary by Thomas Roberts
Oct 20, 2010 12:25
13 yrs ago
21 viewers *
Italian term

tutto il mondo è un paese

Italian to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings saying
This saying doesn't require any explanation, everyone knows what it means, but I can't think of any direct equivalent in English.

And I mean a real saying, not just something bland like "we're all the same the world over".

Any ideas?
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 it's just human nature/ human nature is universal
4 +4 People are the same the whole world over
4 +2 the whole world is a village
3 +2 people will be people the world over
4 -1 All roads lead to Rome
3 -1 one world, one people
References
Latin, Anyone?

Discussion

Thomas Roberts (asker) Oct 21, 2010:
inappropriate I was just thinking that something like "same xxxx, different country" might be pretty close to the actual meaning (including in terms of negative connotations), though I obviously can't write that for a client! Maybe there's a more refined version of this?
philgoddard Oct 20, 2010:
Some context would help!
James (Jim) Davis Oct 20, 2010:
@Thomas "try googling the phrase with or without... " If you look at the third page of with, you find the 108000 hits has reduced to 108, a bug in the Google database.

http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q="tutto...
Thomas Roberts (asker) Oct 20, 2010:
people/things Or you could say it means that 'the same things done by people happen everywhere in the world'.
potra Oct 20, 2010:
tutto il mondo e' paese it could also mean what Fiorsam says, but usually it refers to people.
James (Jim) Davis Oct 20, 2010:
@Fiorsam That is a subtle distinction. If I complain about things people do in Italy, the answer comes back pat, "e nell'inghilterra? Tutto il mondo è paese e non mi dici il contrario". However if I complain about the heat in Summer, nobody gives that answer.
Fiorsam Oct 20, 2010:
It doesn't mean that people are the same everywhere, it means that the same things happen everywhere in the world (with a slight negative implication). Conversationally we would say "it's the same no matter where" (so put up with it).
Thomas Roberts (asker) Oct 20, 2010:
"un" By the way, try googling the phrase with or without the "un"
Ilaria A. Feltre Oct 20, 2010:
Never heard "un" To be honest, I also have only ever heard "Tutto il mondo e` paese", too, withouth the "un"...
James (Jim) Davis Oct 20, 2010:
Mi sum minga milanes .. but I don't think you'll hear the "un" version in the Milan area.
Thomas Roberts (asker) Oct 20, 2010:
"un" is optional I fear you may be right Jim but there's always the chance that someone might pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. There could be some slang or regional variant out there. And even the most bizarre English expressions normally have some equivalent in Italian.
James (Jim) Davis Oct 20, 2010:
"tutto il mondo è paese" no "un" I don't think you'll find what you're looking for Thomas. If it does exist, I've never come across it. It has a sort of corollary in Italian "moglie e bue, paese tuo". People may be the same the world over, but don't take risks when it comes to important things.
Y. Peraza Oct 20, 2010:
BTW The saying goes: Tutto il mondo e paese (cioe niente "un" e quindi paese nel senso "village", not "country" ;-)

Proposed translations

+1
18 hrs
Selected

it's just human nature/ human nature is universal

this may work depending on the context
Peer comment(s):
agree Shera Lyn Parpia : nice and concise :)
1 hr
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks to all those who answered. Some of the other answers conveyed the meaning of the expression as well, but they were descriptive, whereas what I was after was the closest English expression resembling a saying."
-1
9 mins

one world, one people

an option
Peer comment(s):
neutral Y. Peraza : But this saying you propose has a positive connotation, while the Italian one is rather negative...
19 mins
disagree James (Jim) Davis : The meaning is that people are always the same wherever you go. This doesn't express that in English.
50 mins
Something went wrong...
+2
10 mins

the whole world is a village

"The whole earth as a village": A chronotopic analysis of Marshall McLuhan's " global village" and Patrick McGoohan's "The Prisoner" ...
gradworks.umi.com/MR/51/MR51912.html
Peer comment(s):
agree Colin Rowe : The (whole) world is a village
8 mins
Thank you Colin!
agree Mr Murray (X)
45 mins
Thank you mr Murray!
disagree James (Jim) Davis : The meaning is that people are always the same wherever you go. This doesn't express that in English. Even if it is about customs or events, this still doesn't express the concept of it always being the same wherever you go. It rather says "small world".
49 mins
That's precisely where we disagree. Secondo me si riferisce a costumi o avvenimenti, non a persone.
agree Barbara Carrara : I like your other suggestion of 'It's the same no matter where'. I agree that the saying refers to 'habits' or 'way of doing things' rather than people. Ciao bella! Barbara
18 hrs
Many thanks Barbara!
Something went wrong...
-1
13 mins

All roads lead to Rome

This is a difficult one... Yes, everybody knows what it means - to themselves! To me, it means "people are the same wherever you go".
So, considering that you want a "real saying", I would suggest the classic All roads lead to Rome. I will try to think of a better one, though, as I realise this is not a perfect equivalent.
Cheers!
Peer comment(s):
disagree James (Jim) Davis : The meaning is that people are always the same wherever you go. This doesn't express that in English. /// There are many different routes to a given goal, or There is more than one way to skin a cat.
46 mins
What does this express in your opinion? Just curiosity.
Something went wrong...
+4
35 mins

People are the same the whole world over

.
Peer comment(s):
agree KayW : I think this best conveys the meaning
2 mins
Thank you!
agree James (Jim) Davis : This is the correct meaning. The proverb has non equivalent proverb in English, so there are many ways to say this.
27 mins
Thank you!
agree Michael Brennen
3 hrs
Thank you!
agree philgoddard
5 hrs
Thank you!
neutral Barbara Carrara : 'It's the same', meglio del rifermento... personale. / Non tanto le persone quanto l'ambiente/le circostanze
18 hrs
???
Something went wrong...
+2
2 hrs

people will be people the world over

tutto il mondo e' paese (non un)

The only expression that comes to mind is 'boys will be boys', so I gave it a try.

Peer comment(s):
agree David Turnbull : "people will be people" gets my vote
19 hrs
agree James (Jim) Davis
1 day 10 hrs
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

18 hrs
Reference:

Latin, Anyone?

Ubique medius caelus est > dovunque c'è in mezzo il cielo / il sol splende per tutto [tutto il mondo è paese / non si vuol essere troppo difficili / vi sono guai in ogni luogo] (Petronius, Satyricon, 45)
(mixed sources; here's one, http://books.google.com/books?id=hjiMpXCMCvsC&pg=PA79&lpg=PA...

'(...) heaven is just as near to us wherever we are. In other words, 'it's the same for everybody'
(source, http://books.google.com/books?id=BxSAefM0M-oC&pg=PA114&lpg=P...
Something went wrong...
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