[General] She was once fat duckling but now a slim swan

[Silverobama]

Hi.

A woman I know was overweight a few years ago. I hadn't seen her for a while because she needed to go to school. Today, she posted one of her recent photos online and that really took me aback; she became so slim that I could hardly know that's she! I then said to myself "She was once fat duckling but now a slim swan". Is my sentence natural?

 

[jutfrank]

No.

Not least of all because the phrase is an ugly duckling.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hi.

A woman I know was overweight a few years ago. I hadn't seen her for a while because she [STRIKE]needed to go[/STRIKE] went away to school. Today, she posted [STRIKE]one of her recent photos[/STRIKE] a recent photo of herself online and [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] it really took me aback; she [STRIKE]became[/STRIKE] had become so slim that I [STRIKE]could[/STRIKE] hardly [STRIKE]know that's she[/STRIKE] recognised her! I [STRIKE]then[/STRIKE] said to myself "She was once a fat duckling but now she's a slim swan". Is my sentence natural?

Please note my corrections above. I have the same reservations as Piscean about your comment in general, even if you did say it to yourself. Please be aware that saying it to yourself is one thing but had you said it to her directly, I think you'd have got a very dismayed reaction. Even if she was overweight in the past, actually calling her "fat" is impolite at best and offensive at worst.

I've made your sentence grammatically correct but it's still not natural for the reason you've already been given.

 

[abaka]

The usual metaphor is "the ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan".

But as others have pointed out above, it's best never to say such things to people directly. In general, English-speaking culture is quite reserved, and this reserve can, I regret to say, turn to extremes when dealing with people outside one's immediate group.

 

[Rover_KE]

Silver, you later posted the same thread here (which is fair enough ).

Our members will be interested to read those replies, too.

 

[jutfrank]

Our members will be interested to read those replies, too.

There seems to be some misunderstanding in that thread. The point is that ducklings are cute. It's cygnets that are not (in comparison to ducklings, that is). The ugly duckling was never a duckling at all.

 

[Silverobama]

Silver, you later posted the same thread here (which is fair enough ).

Our members will be interested to read those replies, too.

I was about to paste it here and you were one step ahead of me. Thank you very much, Rover.

 

[emsr2d2]

There seems to be some misunderstanding in that thread. The point is that ducklings are cute. It's cygnets that are not (in comparison to ducklings, that is). The ugly duckling was never a duckling at all.

Since when were cygnets not cute?! :shock:

 

[jutfrank]

Since when were cygnets not cute?! :shock:

Talk to Hans Christian Andersen, not me!

 

[jutfrank]

For those members with a penchant for the grotesque, here's a picture of the vile creatures in question:



Makes you sick, doesn't it?

 

[Tdol]

Are swans slim? They're beautiful, but are they really slim?

 

[Tarheel]

I like "dumpy duckling ... svelte swan" (on the other forum).