the odd one out

[ThomasK]

I can imagine lots of languages use expressions (metaphorical -) in order to refer to those persons and things not fitting into a group. What would be the expression in your language?

In Dutch : een vreemde eend in de bijt (a strange duck in the bite, which might be the fishing hook)

 

[apmoy70]

In Greek:

«Όλοι μαζί κι ο ψωριάρης χώρια» ['oli ma'zi ci o psor'ʝaris 'xorʝa]
lit. "all the guys together, and the mangy apart"

«κι» [ci] is the spelling of the phonetically reduced conj. «και» [ce] --> and, when the next word begins with a vowel

«Ψωριάρης» [psor'ʝaris] (masc.) --> mangy, is the colloquial name for the person infected by scabies, a contagious infestation of the skin caused by a mite. The disease is called «ψώρα» ['psora] (fem.) < Classical fem. noun «ψώρᾱ» psṓrā --> scabies, acariasis < with ω-vocalism from «ψῆν» psên --> to rub, scratch (with obscure etymology). In formal language, the person infected by «ψώρα» is a «ψωράριος» [pso'rarios] (masc.), «ψωράρια» [pso'raria] (fem.).

 

[mataripis]

Tagalog: Nabubukod sa lahat. ( exceptional from the rest)

 

[biala]

Hebrew: גלגל חמישי galgal khamishi, which means being the fifth wheel (of a car).
If it's a third person that joins a [romantic] couple - he "will hold for them the candle".

However these are more for situations in which a person is not needed, not exactly because he doesn't fit.

 

[arielipi]

Hebrew: גלגל חמישי galgal khamishi, which means being the fifth wheel (of a car).

If it's a third person that joins a [romantic] couple - he "will hold for them the candle".

You know, it doesnt really fit into what hes asking.
הוא מתכוון לילדים דחויים וכיוצא בזה.
אין לזה משפט ממש בעברית.
what you said fits for couples stuck with someone.

 

[biala]

אתה צודק. אבהיר את הדברים למעלה.

 

[arielipi]

Moment of enlightment: in hebrew:
עוף מוזר of muzar lit strange bird.
יצור yetzur creature.

 

[Encolpius]

I can imagine lots of languages use expressions (metaphorical -) in order to refer to those persons and things not fitting into a group. What would be the expression in your language?

In Dutch : een vreemde eend in de bijt (a strange duck in the bite, which might be the fishing hook)

Interesting thread, but I doubt it we will have a lot of examples

Hungarian --- kakukktojás [kakukk cuckoo tojás egg] --- but it can be only a thing, not a person
Czech --- I don't think there is any special phrase

 

[ThomasK]

You know, it doesnt really fit into what he's asking.
הוא מתכוון לילדים דחויים וכיוצא בזה.
אין לזה משפט ממש בעברית.
what you said fits for couples stuck with someone.

Indeed, I am not referring to someone extra, but to someone special, a queer person in a group, someone who does not fit in...

 

[810senior]

In Japanese, we have several words for it:

仲間外れnakama hazure: (仲間nakama=friend, company; 外れhazure=out of something) lit. out of companies, it can describe not only the very outcast person but the situation the person is left out in
村八分murahachibu: (村mura:town, village; 八分hachibu=eight-tenths) hachibu means "not to go with eight(hachi) customs except for two ones" and is diverted to the meaning to leave someone out. (we usually say murahachibu-nisuru, to stand for the meaning "let someone be an outcast")
異分子ibunshi (異i=different; 分子bunshi=particle, entire meaning is an outsider) this is rarely used in conversation
除け者nokemono (退けnoke=exclude, get rid of; 者:-suffix, the person [doing]) meaning the excluded person[people]

 

[ThomasK]

I am going to develop the idea of "odd" in a separate thread...

 

[Yendred]

Hebrew: גלגל חמישי galgal khamishi, which means being the fifth wheel (of a car).

Yes in French, we have the same expression: la cinquième roue du carrosse (the fifth wheel of the coach) = the one who does not fit in a group/who is sidelined from the group.

But we also have a close positive expression: le mouton à cinq pattes (the sheep with five legs) = the one who has rare abilities/the exceptional one.

 

[ThomasK]

I think we are on the wrong track if we link the five wheels or feet or ... with '"the odd one out". The former refers to something (someone) we do not need, whereas the latter is some kidn of hindrance, a person who does not fit in and can therefore be excluded. It is not the same thing, I believe!

 

[Vukabular]

In Serbian we have: crna ovca "the black sheep"

 

[ThomasK]

I am afraid that is not really 'the odd one out". I think the black sheep is Always aimed at, or the victim, but it is not the one that simply does not fit in a series, or a group. There is a link for sure, but it is not precise. Our "zwart schaap" is something different...

 

[Vukabular]

The term black sheep usually has negative connotations and refers to persons who in any way deviate from established social or family norms or do not fit into their community. Because they differ in their behavior or attitudes from their environment or environment, they are often identified as an exception in a bad way.

 

[Vukabular]

In psychology, the black sheep effect refers to the tendency of group members to judge more positively about group members who are similar to them than those who differ from them.

 

[ThomasK]

So in that sense "the odd man out" is different. Black sheep are criticized, the odd one out is someone who is considered as different , not fitting in, but that is more like an observation, often very factual. Criticism is only implicit. "The black sheep" implies some kind of sympathy, "the odd one out" remains an observation and a judgment to some extent, but not calling for compassion or something. We need to keep them apart, I think.