Very often, you can hear in various situations, “Ne delaj iz mukhi slona” (literally “Don't make an elephant out of a fly”)
How come the fly has turned into an elephant? This funny expression originated from a comparison of sizes: from a small insect to a strong animal. At hearing the idiom, learners of Russian as a foreign language can easily see a vivid image in their mind's eye and remember it. The main thing is to understand its meaning and use it properly in speech.
Meaning
Russians "make an elephant out of a fly” when they exaggerate something, attach great importance to something insignificant, blow a small problem out of proportion or make it more complicated, which leads to overanxiety or even panic.
Origin
The saying is of ancient Greek origin. The ancient author Lucian mentioned this expression in his satirical work Praising a Fly. The enthusiasm of reasoning about the fly’s merits in comparison with other insects is destroyed by the satirist in his last words when he has to finish his praise, “…so that nobody thinks that I, as the proverb says, “am making an elephant out of a fly.” That’s where the famous expression came from.
The Russian language adopted this phrase not directly from Greek, but by loan translation from French. You can also come across another variant – with a mosquito.
Usage
The idiom “delat' iz mukhi slona” is used in a variety of contexts, from everyday conversations to more serious discussions. You can use it both in communication with your friends and family and in the professional environment to emphasize over-reaction to trivial matters or overestimation of the situation. For example, you should not worry and “delat' iz mukhi slona” if you have not won some contest. It is more important that you enjoy participation and get stimulated to improve yourself.
The idiom clearly demonstrates the human propensity to exaggerate and emphasizes the importance of keeping calm and staying rational when solving problems. This phrase is a part of the Russian language and Russian culture. Understanding its meaning and usage can help foreigners feel more familiar with the subtleties of communication in Russian.
Synonyms:
exaggerate
stretch too far
blow out of proportion
make a mountain out of a molehill
make a big deal
blacken the picture
In our regular RFL column, we plan to tell you about other idioms and specific rules of the Russian language, complex issues, and exercises to consolidate pronunciation and language norms as well as about literature and music that can help learn the language.
If you study Russian as a foreign language and come across some strange and/or incomprehensible linguistic phenomena, please contact us at dir@hedclub.com, and we will explain the problem in the simplest terms.
