తవుడు తాతా అంటే నూకలా ముసలమ్మా అన్నట్లు

tavudu tata ante nukala musalamma annatlu

Translation

When called 'Bran Grandfather', responding with 'Broken-grain Grandmother'

Meaning

This expression describes a situation where one person retorts with a similarly petty or derogatory remark in response to an insult. It signifies tit-for-tat behavior or a mutual exchange of worthless or sarcastic comments between two people who are equally matched in their cynicism or circumstances.

Related Phrases

Like asking a bald woman to part her hair.

This expression refers to asking for something that is impossible or demanding something that doesn't exist. It is used to describe a situation where a request is made to someone who lacks the basic resources or capacity to fulfill it, highlighting the absurdity or futility of the demand.

When they call out "Deaf man! Deaf man!" he answers "[ I've got ] Bran, Bran!"

This proverb is used to describe a complete lack of communication or a situation where two people are talking about entirely different things. It refers to a person who misunderstands what is being said due to a lack of attention or hearing, responding with something totally irrelevant. It is used in situations where there is no sync between a question and an answer.

The jingle of the Telugu words is similar to that of the English equivalents.

When one person says 'deafness, deafness', the other person says 'bran, bran'

This expression describes a situation where two people are talking at cross-purposes or failing to communicate effectively due to a misunderstanding or a lack of attention. It is used when one person's words are completely misinterpreted by another, leading to a nonsensical or irrelevant response, much like a deaf person mishearing a word and replying with something that sounds similar but has a different meaning.

When said 'Stay, Narayanamma', she replied 'Go, Govinda'.

This proverb describes a situation where there is a complete lack of coordination or communication between two people. It is used when one person's words or actions are entirely irrelevant or contrary to what another person has said, often implying a stubborn or dismissive attitude.

When the daughter-in-law said 'Mother-in-law, I will give birth to sons', the mother-in-law replied 'Would I ever say no to that, dear?'

This expression is used to describe a situation where someone offers to do something that is universally beneficial or obviously desirable. It highlights that no one would object to a proposal that brings only positive results or fulfills a common goal. It is often used sarcastically when someone states an obvious intention to do something good as if they are asking for permission.

When asked, 'Where are you going, O widow?', she replied, 'I am coming along with you, let us go.'

This proverb is used to describe a situation where an unwanted or persistent problem (or person) follows you no matter where you go or how you try to avoid it. It signifies an inescapable nuisance or a misfortune that sticks to a person regardless of their efforts to escape it.

Like saying a clay pan from the grandfather's time should last for generations.

This proverb describes a situation where someone expects something old, fragile, or cheap to last forever or serve multiple generations. It is used to mock people who are overly stingy or unrealistic about the lifespan of materials and tools, expecting them to endure far beyond their natural capacity.

An old woman's tales.

Refers to outdated, repetitive, or trivial advice and stories that lack practical relevance in modern times. It is often used to describe someone rambling about the past or giving unsolicited, old-fashioned counsel.

When I said 'I trust you, Ramanna', it's like you tried to make me just like yourself.

This expression is used when someone exploits or betrays the trust of a person who relied on them for help, often by dragging the victim down to their own miserable level or situation instead of uplifting them. It describes a situation where seeking assistance results in being burdened with the helper's own problems.

If you give a little to the whole community, each individual gets only a tiny bit like a fingernail.

This proverb is used to describe situations where a resource, when distributed among a very large group of people, results in each person receiving a negligible or insignificant amount. It highlights the dilution of benefits in over-crowded or large-scale distributions.