What the saying "son of fish knows how to swim" actually means? does it contain positive or negative connotation? Thank you!
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2I have never heard this idiomatic phrase before. After conducting a quick Google search, I now know that this is translated from Portuguese. I recommend that you check the Portuguese Stack Exchange site. Also, you can find the answer via Google. I believe it means something along the lines of "like father, like son."– user392938Aug 1, 2020 at 7:05
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2The acorn seldom falls far from the tree. It all depends on what you think of the tree.– XanneAug 1, 2020 at 7:17
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related: english.stackexchange.com/questions/457206/…; english.stackexchange.com/questions/97741/…– ConradoAug 1, 2020 at 13:19
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Thank you so much for helping me out! It is exactly what I thought! However, the connotation is still unclear.. Is it OK to use it to compliment someone? Or rather opposite - to give an attitude? Thanks a lot!– user392595Aug 1, 2020 at 15:46
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@user392938 I have never heard this phrase before either. After conducting a quick Google search, I have to say that it is certainly not an English idiom, and doesn't fulfil the requirement to be assigned the default sense of 'idiomatic' (widely accepted, used and understood).– Edwin AshworthDec 29, 2020 at 16:35
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1 Answer
It comes from a Portuguese saying:
filho de um peixe pode nadar
It is not a familiar saying, but a near equivalent English saying might be something like
Like father like son
Literally, the Portuguese means
A fish’s son can swim
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Thank you so much! It is exactly what I thought! However, the connotation is still unclear.. Is it OK to use this saying to compliment someone? Or rather opposite - to give an attitude?? Thanks a lot!– user392595Aug 1, 2020 at 15:41
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@Nonna It depends entirely on the context. I think that there is more scope negative context in the English than in the Portuguese version. "Do you see David with that floozy at the table over there? He's a married man!" "Well, like father like son." I do not know Portuguese well enough to know whether "Well, a fish knows how to swim" would fit that context. It might only fit "Your son made me a fabulous bracelet" and positive things about what people are able to do.– TuffyDec 30, 2020 at 14:21