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"L'opéra en anglais, c'est à peu près aussi sensé que le baseball en italien."

H. L. Mencken

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Simplified Meaning:

The quote compares two things that just don't fit well together. Imagine watching a sport like baseball in a country where most people don't play or follow it, like Italy. It wouldn’t make much sense because the people there are not familiar with the game. Similarly, opera is a type of theater performance that traditionally uses languages like Italian or German. If it’s done in English, it might lose some of its special qualities and sound strange or awkward. For example, think about trying to learn a dance that comes from another culture. If you don't know the traditional music that goes with it, learning the dance might be harder and feel less authentic. Just like how certain foods taste better when made with the right ingredients, opera sounds better in its classic languages because the words and music flow together perfectly. You can apply this idea to other areas of life by appreciating the original context or traditions of things. If you're traveling or trying out new hobbies, understanding their origins can make your experience richer and more enjoyable. Sometimes sticking to how things are originally done can make a big difference in how well they work or feel.

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🇺🇸 English 🇨🇳 中文 🇪🇸 Español 🇪🇬 العربية 🇫🇷 Français 🇮🇷 فارسی 🇯🇵 日本語
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