[General] truth is stranger than fiction

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

“When a person makes up a story, the first thing he tries to bear in mind is to make up a story that’s plausible. When he relates events just as they happened , the story doesn’t sound so plausible”. “I can’t exactly see that”, Della Street objected. “You are heard the old adage”, he asked, “that truth is stranger than fiction?”

truth is stranger than fiction = real life can be more remarkable than invented tales

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V

 

[emsr2d2]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

“When a person makes up a story, the first thing he tries to bear in mind is to make up a story that’s plausible. When he relates events just as they happened , the story doesn’t sound so plausible”. “I can’t exactly see that”, Della Street objected. “You are heard the old adage”, he asked, “that truth is stranger than fiction?”

truth is stranger than fiction = real life can be more remarkable than invented tales

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

V

Yes. In BrE we also have a related phrase which is often uttered when someone is telling you a bizarre or unusual true story: "You couldn't make it up!"

 

[konungursvia]

Agreed. We also say both those phrases. In AmE, usually it's "You can't make this stuff up!!"