the smell was so terrible as to turn our noses upwards

[JACEK1]

Hello everybody!

Many years ago, my family and I went to the zoo garden (in Wrocław - Polish town in the South-West of Poland). Although the tour of the zoo was very pleasant, we had to endure smells from various animals (mostly mammals). On our last leg of the tour, however, we were "welcomed" by an awful odour from giraffes, hence my question?

Do the following sentences seem understandable to you?

The smell from the giraffes was so terrible as to turn our noses upwards.

The smell from the giraffes was so terrible that we turned our noses upwards.

Thank you.

 

[Rover_KE]

No. I'd say

'The smell from the giraffes was so terrible that we held our noses'.

 

[GoesStation]

On the [STRIKE]our[/STRIKE] last leg of our [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] tour, however, we were "welcomed" by an awful odour from giraffes, hence my question. [STRIKE]?[/STRIKE]

Note my corrections above. The sentence is a statement, not a question, so it has to end with a period (full stop).

 

[andrewberlin]

I think I prefer the first one.

 

[andrewberlin]

It's metaphorical. What don't you like about it?

 

[andrewberlin]

It sounds like the kind of thing P.G. Wodehouse might write.

 

[emsr2d2]

We sometimes say that we "turn our nose up" at something but it's usually used to express our dislike at the idea of something or at something that has been presented to us. It's more like distaste.

I offered my dad a cup of Early Grey tea but he turned his nose up at it. I hadn't realised he didn't like it.
I suggested to my friend that we go and see Lord of the Rings at the cinema but she turned her nose up at the idea. She hates those epic fantasy films.

 

[teechar]

Try,
"The smell was so terrible that we pinched our noses."
or even,
"The smell was so terrible that we had to pinch our noses."

 

[emsr2d2]

Hmm, I find that unnatural. I pinch my nose when it itches sometimes or I pinch the bridge of my nose when I have a headache. When I want to avoid a nasty smell, I hold my nose.

 

[andrewberlin]

Fair enough. It seemed like a piece of autobiographical writing to me, as opposed to a formal report or part of a dialogue, therefore playing with the language seems quite alright. The writer had already talked about being "welcomed" by foul odours which also isn't terribly "natural".

 

[GoesStation]

When I read turn our noses upwards, I assumed it was a literal translation of a Polish idiom.

 

[Barb_D]

Physically, turning your nose upward would seem to let in MORE of the smell.

If you are walking along the street and smell something wonderful coming from a bakery, you might lift your head (turn your nose upward) to get a better smell so you can follow it.

You can't avoid a bad smell by turning your nose upward. You hold your nose.