說到Half a loaf is better than none.
rl 留言：「徵求鳥專家：鶫乎？鶇乎？
下午譯法布爾得一諺：Faute de grives se contentant de merles.
辭典所列正式諺語為：Faute de grives on mange des merles.
直譯：無斑鶫，吃烏鶫。（根據台灣版法漢詞典）；無斑鶇，吃烏鶇。（根據大陸版法漢詞典）。
意譯：有總比沒有好。
本土化：無魚，蝦也好。本土化後的優點：不必解釋什麼是斑鶫？什麼是烏鶫？也不必煩惱是「柬」邊還是「東」邊？照理說，市面常見法漢詞典是化簡為繁（對推動正體中文人士說聲抱歉）的版本，不知道為什麼要改鶇為鶫？ （為預防出現亂碼，特補充：鶫＝「柬鳥」）
對了，再請問：此義之英諺為何？」（2005-07-11 17:41:47 --）
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我們將次要提問（「此義之英諺為何？」）變成本文主旨。
經過「老朋友」動用他的老外圈、hc查字典、上網、小讀者插花，我們覺得「此義之英諺」
以下述最佳（rl：個人認為這句是我目前所知比喻最接近Faute de grives se contentant de merles.的意思之英諺。hc案：因為它使用日常麵包為例，簡單、有力、生動—相對於我們要介紹的其他同義語。）
老朋友：「畫眉和黑乙為同屬一科的鳥類（畫眉科）。但中文裡不稱黑乙為畫眉。所以半條麵包比沒有麵包的好。既然找不到畫眉，黑乙也不錯！」
----(from Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms)
Half a loaf is better than none.
something that you say which means it is better to take what you are offered, even if it is less than you wanted, because it is better than nothing
應用例：
※ I only got half the salary rise I asked for, but I took it anyway on the grounds that half a loaf is better than none.
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※... One is to modify slightly the end point of the experiment, on the ground that
half a loaf is better than none. A second is to simulate the objectionable ...【Prove It with Figures: Empirical Methods in Law and Litigation by Hans Zeisel, D H Kaye, Hans Ziesel - Law - 1997 - 353 pages Page 11 -】
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http://fr.wikiquote.org/wiki/Proverbes_anglais
Half a loaf is better than no bread.
Traduction: Mieux vaut un demi pain que pas de pain du tout.
Equivalent francais : Faute de grives on mange des merles.
---注意：hc引一本法英翻譯之說法為：Half a loaf is better than no bread. 這英文比不上half a loaf is better than none.
（Thinking French Translation: A Course in Translation Method: French to English by Hervey Sandor, Ian Higgins, Sandor G J Hervey -）
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還有其他用法也可參考：
◎ Beggars can't be choosers. //rl：「依我的體會，Beggars cannot be (or must not be) choosers.有點像「死叫化子，挑什麼挑。」帶有責難的意味。而，「無魚，蝦也好。」卻好像有自我安慰，或勉勵他人的意思。」
Traduction: Mendiant ne saurait choisir.
Equivalent francais : Necessite fait loi.
--- The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms
beggars can't be choosers
Those in dire need must be content with what they get. For example, The cheapest model will have to do—beggars can't be choosers. This expression was familiar enough to be included in John Heywood's 1546 collection of proverbs.
應用例：（以google. Print 為主）
※It was a disagreeable situation for the proud Jennie: ‘I know beggars can't be choosers but I feel very old for this sort of thing” she wrote to her…
※... It's time he married somebody, and why not Elsa?” “Elsa marry that dreadful boy!” gasped the Baroness. “Beggars can't be choosers,” observed the ...
※WHOEVER SAID BEGGARS CANNOT be choosers probably never had North Korea in mind. The impoverished hermit nation may be reduced to relying on other countries' ...
※ But when it comes to Idaho polls, beggars cannot be choosers; they are few and far between. Ada went for Bush +28% in 2000, and Canyon went for him +46.45%. ...
※ Instead of just beating the pavement, Joe actually researched the companieshe wanted to work for—a pretty bold move, since beggars can't be choosers. ...（The Power of Design for Six Sigma by Subir Chowdhury - Business & Economics - 2002 - 144 pages Page 8 - ...）
※莎士比亞有多次使用…he cannot choose.等。如 The Taming of the Shrew 開始，僕乙回答： Believe me, Lord, I think he cannot choose 牛津大學出版社版本注：Perhaps a witty adaptation of the proverb ‘Beggars cannot be choosers'
※Selected Poems by Robert Browning - Poetry - 2001 - 352 pages Page 60 - ...
And so, the villa for me, not the city!
Beggars can scarcely be choosers: but still — ah, the pity, the pity!
Look, two and two go the priests, then the monks with cowls and sandals, ...
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cut your coat according to your cloth, cut your cloth according to your means
to only buy what you have enough money to pay for ；身分相応の生活をする
Of course we'd love a huge expensive house, but you have to cut your coat according to your cloth.
*****小讀者 留言：
better some than none
(從 better late than never 蛻變而來)
或是better something than nothing --韻腳更對應
應用例：（以google. Print 為主）
Some is Better than None
Some is Better than None. The 1996 Surgeon General Report on Physical Activity and Health concludes there is a clear link between physical activity and good ...
