on or over; a French proverb

[jiang]

Dear teachers,
I have two questions to ask:

1. His mind is still _______ the film.
a. on b. over
Could you explain which one is correct?

2. The following is a French proverb:
A good meal ought to begin with hunger.
Does it mean only when a person feel hungry can he think the meal is delicious?

Looking forward from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Casiopea]

1. His mind is still _______ the film.
a. on b. over
Could you explain which one is correct?

His mind is on the film. (Possibly from, thinking on/about)

2. The following is a French proverb:
A good meal ought to begin with hunger.
Does it mean only when a person feel hungry can he think the meal is delicious?

I'm not sure, sorry. FRC will know, though. Maybe it's similar to the English saying, Waste not, want not.

[Mister Micawber]

'A good meal ought to begin with hunger.'-- hunger is a promising start, in ensuring that a meal is satisfying.

[jiang]

Dear Casiopea,
Thank you very much for your explanation. I'll ask Francois about the French proverb.

Take care,

Jiang

His mind is on the film. (Possibly from, thinking on/about)




I'm not sure, sorry. FRC will know, though. Maybe it's similar to the English saying, Waste not, want not.

[jiang]

Dear Micawber,
Thank you very much for your explanation. I planned to ask Francois before I read your explanation. This is the surface meaning. And I think "hunger" is a metaphor. Could you please tell me what the underlined meaning of the proverb?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

'A good meal ought to begin with hunger.'-- hunger is a promising start, in ensuring that a meal is satisfying.

[hela]

Hellow everyone,

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Micawber
'A good meal ought to begin with hunger.'-- hunger is a promising start, in ensuring that a meal is satisfying.

Is this an English proverb too or is it a translation of the French proverb?
What is the French proverb?

Thanks,
Hela

[Casiopea]

Hellow everyone,

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Micawber
'A good meal ought to begin with hunger.'-- hunger is a promising start, in ensuring that a meal is satisfying.

Is this an English proverb too or is it a translation of the French proverb?
What is the French proverb?

Thanks,
Hela

It's a translation, and it was borrowed into English from French. I don't have the original for you, but FRC will most likely know it.

The proverb has both a literal meaning (i.e., food) and a figurative meaning (i.e., a) to crave knowledge or b) to be ambitious). In the former case,

It is hard to enjoy a good meal when you are not hungry, but when you are starving anything tastes good!

And in the latter cases,

a)
The pursuit of knowledge becomes more fulfilling and satisfying the hungrier we are.

b)
Pat: She is so ambitious! She'll do anything to succeed.
Max: As the French saying goes, "A good meal ought to begin with hunger."

[Francois]

We may used to say that when we "visited" England during the second millennium, but apparently it went out of fashion as we don't have such proverb now. The most common one in the same semantic field is "L'appétit vient en mangeant" (vient=come, mangeant=eating), but this is not the same meaning.

FRC

[hela]

Thank you all for your explanations.

If "l'appétit vient en mangeant" is not the equivalent of "A good meal ought to begin with hunger" what are their respective equivalents then ? Does somebody know?

François, what is the meaning of the French proverb? Could it be sompething like 'the more we have, the more we want' ?

Kind regards,
Hela

[Francois]

No really. For me, it means that when you start doing something, you often grow to like it. I've already come across the translation/interpretation you mention, and I don't agree with it.

FRC