use something as a crutch (2024)

T

Tonza

Senior Member

Chicago, US

English - U.S.

  • Jun 28, 2010
  • #1

Hi WR, in English we have an expression "to use something as a crutch" (gruccia/stampella) which means to use that thing as a way to avoid dealing with problems directly or in the correct way. For example:

A person might use drugs or alcohol as a crutch to try to forget about his problems, appear to have a more interesting personality, or avoid the effort of finding more healthy activities.

An unemployed person receiving financial help from friends or family might use that support as a crutch, avoiding looking for a job as long as they are getting money from others.

Is there a similar metaphor in Italian?

Thanks.

  • Blackman

    Member Emeritus

    Island of Sardinia, Italy

    Italiano/Sardo

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #2

    Usare come scusa is an option, but there's something else it escapes me now....

    V

    V132

    Senior Member

    Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #3

    Hi Tonza, I'd say "un'ancora di salvataggio", but I'm sure there are also other ways (as usual it depends on our origin...the region where we liveuse something as a crutch (2))...we wait for somebody else to help use something as a crutch (3)
    Ciao

    A

    Azazel81

    Senior Member

    Milan

    Italy - Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #4

    I'd say we're all missing something here..

    As Tonza said in her post, the expression "to use something as a crutch" conveys the idea that you "use that thing as a way to avoid dealing with problems directly or in the correct way".

    If we say "ancora di salvataggio" for instance, it doesn't mean we're using something to avoid dealing with that problem o in the correct way.
    It just means we use it to solve the problem. Period!

    "Usare come scusa" is slightly different, plus I think Tonza here is looking for something idiomatic. Honestly I can't come up with anything, really.

    I'll think about it.

    Blackman

    Member Emeritus

    Island of Sardinia, Italy

    Italiano/Sardo

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #5

    Azazel81 said:

    "Usare come scusa" is slightly different, plus I think Tonza here is looking for something idiomatic.

    I think usare come scusa per non fare/per evitare is exactly what Tonza is looking for. The only problem is that it's not idiomatic at all.

    A

    Azazel81

    Senior Member

    Milan

    Italy - Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #6

    Blackman said:

    I think usare come scusa per non fare is exactly what Tonza is looking for. The only problem is that it's not idiomatic at all.

    That was exactly my point...

    Teerex51

    Senior Member

    New Orleans, LA

    Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #7

    I was thinking in terms of "usare come alibi", but it's no better than "usare come scusa"...use something as a crutch (6)

    T

    Tonza

    Senior Member

    Chicago, US

    English - U.S.

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #8

    Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. Let me know if something else pops into your heads...otherwise, I guess I'm metaphor-less. use something as a crutch (7)

    Passante

    Senior Member

    Bologna

    italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #9

    Actually i haven't good ideas for idiomatic similar tence in Italian perhaps 'apparente Panacea'
    in the first sentence: una persona usa le droghe come apparente panacea dei suoi disagi interiori o per sembrare più grande, più 'figo'
    in the second sentence: la famiglia e gli amici sono un'apparente Panacea per i disoccupati fornendo una fonte di sostentamento che non risolve i loro problemi, ma li posticipa solamente

    ad ogni modo mi piace la vostra frase idiomatica che è molto comprensibile. Io la tradurrei semplicemente 'come fosse una stampella'. E' un immagine molto interessante.

    Blackman

    Member Emeritus

    Island of Sardinia, Italy

    Italiano/Sardo

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #10

    Teerex51 said:

    I was thinking in terms of "usare come alibi", but it's no better than "usare come scusa"...use something as a crutch (10)

    Invece si avvicina molto, in my view. Almeno è un po' più idiomatico use something as a crutch (11).

    E' solo un'alibi per non affrontare il problema.

    Passante

    Senior Member

    Bologna

    italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #11

    Quando ho scritto non avevo letto la versione di Teerex e sembra molto azzeccata anche a me. use something as a crutch (13)

    A

    Azazel81

    Senior Member

    Milan

    Italy - Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #12

    E' da un paio d'ore che ci penso, ma sinceramente non mi viene in mente nulla...

    Di espressioni che abbiano quel significato ce ne sono, e alcune le avete già citate. Ma sinceramente non mi sembrano idiomatiche/metaforiche come lo è "to use as a crutch" in inglese.

    L'unica espressione simile che mi viene in mente è "usare come bastone/essere il bastone della vecchiaia", ma è molto diversa... è positiva come frase, non ha le stesse implicazioni dell'originale o di "alibi".

    "Usare come alibi" in effetti è quella che più si avvicina ma, secondo il mio modestissimo parere, non è idiomatica/metaforica...

    Mi pare che anche in Inglese ci siano espressioni non idiomatiche del tipo "to use something as an alibi/excuse".

    Simoril

    Senior Member

    Palermo, Italy

    Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #13

    Ciao,
    vorrei fare un timido tentativo.

    A person might use drugs or alcohol as a crutch to try to forget about his problems

    Una persona può ricorrere alle droghe come ad un appiglio (mantenendo il significato di "stampella") per dimenticare i suoi problemi

    oppure

    Una persona può ricorrere alle droghe come scappatoia (veicolando tutto il significato spiegato di "falsa cura") per dimenticare i suoi problemi.

    Spero possa servire...

    Last edited:

    A

    Azazel81

    Senior Member

    Milan

    Italy - Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #14

    Però "usare come appiglio" significa semplicemente "usare come sostegno".

    Non c'è nulla di sbagliato/scorretto/inadeguato nell'usare un appiglio per risolvere un problema.

    Se non erro invece nell'espressione "to use as a crutch", almeno dalla spiegazione di Tonza, è implicito che ciò che si usa non sia la soluzione corretta (come può esserlo l'usare alcolici per dimenticare i problemi, ecc...).

    Secondo me nella frase dovrebbe essere implicito questo senso di "inadeguatezza" della soluzione.

    E il problema è proprio trovare (se c'è) l'espressione italiana che rispecchi tutto ciò.

    T

    Tonza

    Senior Member

    Chicago, US

    English - U.S.

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #15

    Azazel81 said:

    Se non erro invece nell'espressione "to use as a crutch", almeno dalla spiegazione di Tonza, è implicito che ciò che si usa non sia la soluzione corretta (come può esserlo l'usare alcolici per dimenticare i problemi, ecc...).

    Secondo me nella frase dovrebbe essere implicito questo senso di "inadeguatezza" della soluzione.

    Just to give a little more explanation, I think the metaphor of the crutch can be seen in a couple of ways. First, it can be a false support, one that will eventually collapse (therefore the sense of inadequacy that Azazel described). Second (and this is actually the way I tend to see it), while a real crutch is a necessary aid for an injured or disabled person, this metaphoric crutch carries the implication that the person using it is not truly injured or disabled, but just lazy and unwilling to learn to "walk" on their own. An excuse/alibi is a justification for some kind of behavior but a crutch is the thing that actually enables that behavior, and I think that's the fundamental difference between these expressions.

    She uses her problems with her husband as an excuse to go out and get drunk every night so she doesn't have to see him.

    She uses alcohol as a crutch to make herself feel better temporarily despite the problems in her marriage.

    They're certainly very similar, but I agree with Azazel that there's a difference.

    What about scappatoia proposed by Simoril?

    Teerex51

    Senior Member

    New Orleans, LA

    Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #16

    Tonza said:

    What about scappatoia proposed by Simoril?

    I don't know. Scappatoia is an easy out, a loophole or a dodge.

    C

    Curandera

    Senior Member

    Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #17

    What about:

    'Palliativo'?

    A

    Azazel81

    Senior Member

    Milan

    Italy - Italian

    • Jun 28, 2010
    • #18

    Curandera said:

    What about:

    'Palliativo'?

    This one could work. I like it.

    tsoapm

    Senior Member

    Le Marche (AN) 🇮🇹

    🇬🇧 English (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿)

    • Dec 6, 2017
    • #19

    Curandera said:

    What about:

    'Palliativo'?

    Interesting. This reminds me of Marx’s famous line about religion being the oppio del popolo, a kind of ‘crutch’.

    johngiovanni

    Senior Member

    Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK

    English

    • Dec 6, 2017
    • #20

    "Appoggio emozionale"? As in "Hai bisogno di un appoggio emozionale dai tuoi cari e dalle persone che ti amano." A crutch is something to lean on, but it might be needed only temporarily.

    It does not necessarily have negative connotations:
    "Inizialmente lo vede quasi come un esempio da seguire soprattutto in campo lavorativo, poi come un appoggio morale sul quale può fare sempre affidamento."

    Last edited:

    You must log in or register to reply here.

    use something as a crutch (2024)

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Kieth Sipes

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6507

    Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

    Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Kieth Sipes

    Birthday: 2001-04-14

    Address: Suite 492 62479 Champlin Loop, South Catrice, MS 57271

    Phone: +9663362133320

    Job: District Sales Analyst

    Hobby: Digital arts, Dance, Ghost hunting, Worldbuilding, Kayaking, Table tennis, 3D printing

    Introduction: My name is Kieth Sipes, I am a zany, rich, courageous, powerful, faithful, jolly, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.