# Keep it simple



## 涼宮

Good afternoon 


Is there any idiomatic way to say ''keep it simple'' in Polish that works in general contexts? I didn't find anything in the dictionaries.

As for the context, let's imagine it.

If someone is giving an explanation about quantum mechanics and explain the angular momentum of an electron in such a complicated way that the listener  says sort of angry because of not understanding: *Just keep it simple!*


Thanks in advance


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## majlo

In the following context I might say:

_Nie można prościej?

A po polsku?_


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## LilianaB

It depends who is speaking. If it is a university lecturer, you should definitely say: Czy mógłby Pan Profesor/Pani Profesor wyjaśnić to w trochę bardziej zrozumiały sposob. Maljo's version is good for a friend.


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## dreamlike

If someone's deliberately obfuscating some issue (by using difficult terms, for instance), you can also say "Nie komplikuj tego", but majlo's suggestions are very good and would work in most contexts.


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## LilianaB

Especially if you say: _nie komplikuj tego_ to your university lecturer, you may need to look for another place to continue your education.


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## dreamlike

Liliana, the English phrase we were asked to translate also can hardly be used in conversation with an university lecturer, so I thought it wasn't even worthy of mention.


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## LilianaB

Yes, you are right. The English phrase should not be used in this context either, unless the person is a very close friend and you add please.


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## kknd

涼宮 said:


> Good afternoon
> 
> 
> Is there any idiomatic way to say ''keep it simple'' in Polish that works in general contexts? I didn't find anything in the dictionaries.
> 
> As for the context, let's imagine it.
> 
> If someone is giving an explanation about quantum mechanics and explain the angular momentum of an electron in such a complicated way that the listener  says sort of angry because of not understanding: *Just keep it simple!*
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance



in such contexts (which are quite common recently… ) i often say one of those: _można (trochę) prościej?! a prościej!? a tak dla debila/idioty/dla mnie?! można wolniej?! (niestety) zgubiłem się…_ and many others… i can produce more of these if you want—got some experience here, as i said! ^_^ (probably my favourites: _eeeee? eeEEee!? eeeeeEEe?!_ hahah! )


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## 涼宮

majlo said:


> In the following context I might say:
> 
> _Nie można prościej?
> 
> A po polsku?_



Thank you! Since it is a question, is it usually used in a sarcastic/angry-like tone among friends? That's what I would expect in most situations, a sarcasm. In Spanish one could hear '' ¿y no podrías complicarlo más?'' ''Couldn't you make it more complicated?''



LilianaB said:


> It depends who is speaking. If it is a university lecturer, you should definitely say: Czy mógłby Pan Profesor/Pani Profesor wyjaśnić to w trochę bardziej zrozumiały sposob. Maljo's version is good for a friend.



Thank you for the formal version! but, 'keep it simple' is informal and that is the register I wanted to know, the explanation can be done from a friend to a friend . I don't think anyone at the university would say to their teacher '' I don't get a thing man, keep it simple''



dreamlike said:


> If someone's deliberately obfuscating some issue (by using difficult terms, for instance), you can also say "Nie komplikuj tego", but majlo's suggestions are very good and would work in most contexts.



Is that version used more out of angry? Because the imperative makes it sound harsher. I don't know if that one has the same level as the English' one 



kknd said:


> in such contexts (which are quite common recently… ) i often say one of those: _można (trochę) prościej?! a prościej!? a tak dla debila/idioty/dla mnie?! można wolniej?! (niestety) zgubiłem się…_ and many others… i can produce more of these if you want—got some experience here, as i said! ^_^ (probably my favourites: *eeeee? eeEEee!? eeeeeEEe?!* hahah! )



That would work perfectly in oral, and you don't actually need to speak, just make a big question mark face so the other can read your ''What the F... are you saying?'' 

Thank you everybody!


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## dreamlike

涼宮 said:
			
		

> Is that version used more out of angry? Because the imperative makes it sound harsher. I don't know if that one has the same level as the English' one



Note that the English phrase is in the imperative, too. It's the way we utter words that indicate our feelings, so if you say "Proszę, nie komplikuj już tego bardziej" it will express your annoyance at the complexity of some issue, propably boosted by the fact that the person who explains it to you is using difficult terms, as if the issue were not difficult per se... If you shout "Nie komplikuj już tego bardziej!!!" looking daggers at the person who tries to teach you something, you will certainly express anger. The bottom line is that it's the tone of voice that indicates your feelings, just as in any other case.


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## ewie

majlo said:


> _
> A po polsku?_


This one's common in English too:
_And in English that would be ... ? _[heavy question intonation]
_Could I have that again in English?
Any chance of having that again in English?_
etc. etc. etc.


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## Ben Jamin

The use of the imperative mode in the English version has lead my Polish colleagues to assume that the Polish translation must be either in imperative too, or a sarcastic question. I interprete the English expression as a neutral or even friendly request or instruction. This would best rendered in Polish in an impersonal way: “To należy robić prosto”, or “Róbmy to prosto” (Use of 1st plural is often impersonal in Polish).


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## dreamlike

As it emerged from my research, one can use "Keep it simple" in all different contexts. Thus, when translating to Polish, best choice might be either imperative mode or an infinitive, depending on the context:

*Please, keep it simple, it's already hard to grasp (without your futher obfuscation of the issue)* - Proszę, nie komplikuj tego, i tak jest to trudne do zrozumienia (bez twojego zaciemniania)
*As for design of the website, keep it nice and simple* - Co do wyglądu strony, powinien być ładny i prosty


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## majlo

The tenor of speech depends many things. Whether or not it should be imperative or sarcastisc question is unsolveable. Not to mention that what one considers sarcastic in another context can be completely neutral or even friendly. For that matter, we don't even know if the English version is aggressive, neutral or friendly.

By the way:


Ben Jamin said:


> The use of the imperative mode in the English version has lead my Polish colleagues to assume that the Polish translation [...]





*colleague*/ˈkɒliːɡ/﻿ 
▶_noun _a person with whom one works in a profession or business.


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## LilianaB

Wygląd prosty? What do you mean. To wear country-like clothes?


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## ewie

majlo said:


> For that matter, we don't even know if the English version is aggressive, neutral or friendly.


Suzu's original was:
_*Just keep it simple!*_ ~ it would be fairly difficult to say that without sounding pretty irritated, though I wouldn't go so far as to call it 'aggressive'.
If you wanted to sound less irritated, you'd need to add a bit of padding:
*Please ~ just keep it simple for me!
Could you make it a bit simpler than that for me?*
etc.


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## dreamlike

LilianaB said:


> Wygląd prosty? What do you mean. To wear country-like clothes?



I'm not going to answer obvious and, to make things worse, patronizing questions. There's nothing amiss with "prosty wygląd".


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## LilianaB

It is not understandable, to me, Dreamlike, I was just wondering what that would be. Do you mean  non-usurping, without glitter?


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## dreamlike

I might have got carried away, but I was talking about webdesign not country-like clothes, and your question struck me as a bit condescending. 

Anyway, your understanding is correct. *prosty wygląd *- simple design, without glitter, but nice at the same time. As if the authour of such design was bearing in mind Da Vinci's quote while he was creating it - "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication".


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## LilianaB

I think he was right, if you do not take it to the extreme. What meant I was unobtrusive, but I forgot this word for a minute.


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## Ben Jamin

majlo said:


> By the way:
> 
> 
> *colleague*/ˈkɒliːɡ/﻿
> ▶_noun _a person with whom one works in a profession or business.



I took a liberty and used the word in the sense “fellow Polish speaking foreros”.


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## majlo

ewie said:


> Suzu's original was:
> _*Just keep it simple!*_ ~ it would be fairly difficult to say that without sounding pretty irritated, though I wouldn't go so far as to call it 'aggressive'.
> If you wanted to sound less irritated, you'd need to add a bit of padding:
> *Please ~ just keep it simple for me!
> Could you make it a bit simpler than that for me?*
> etc.


I understand what you mean, Ewie. However, can't you really think of a context in which "Just keep it simple" is used without any irritation? 



Ben Jamin said:


> I took a liberty and used the word in the sense “fellow Polish speaking foreros”.



That I guessed. The only problem is this word doesn't have this meaning.


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## ewie

majlo said:


> I understand what you mean, Ewie. However, can't you really think of a context in which "Just keep it simple" is used without any irritation?


If it came at the beginning of the conversation, it wouldn't sound so irritated:
*Professor X: *_I shall now explain to you the quantum theory of temporal transference._
*Ewie: *_Ah. Okay. Don't forget I'm just a humble janitor, though, so, you know, just keep it simple._


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## majlo

Exactly. And I believe it's not an exception.


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