Provençal expression

Li a de grame à tria

Work

Literal translation

There is couch grass to sort out

Meaning

there's a lot of work still to sort out

Explanation

This saying points to a task loaded with tedious work, often because earlier work must be redone or sorted through to weed out what is bad. The image comes from field and garden: couch grass (grame) is an invasive weed with tough roots that must be pulled and sorted blade by blade to keep it from spreading back. Sorting couch grass is long, dirty and thankless labour, which gives the phrase its negative edge: it does not merely announce that work awaits, but that the work ahead is unpleasant, frequently because sloppy results need reworking or criticising. The register is familiar and rural, fitting equally a household chore or a tangled professional file. The construction meaning literally there is some, followed by a noun, is a common Provençal way of signalling an abundant, unwelcome quantity.

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Other expressions on the same theme

Pèr tasta lei figo fau manda la manto get what you want, you must dare and take risks Si creba lou bedeletto work oneself to exhaustion Si leva la pèuto wear oneself out working hard Un vènt à derraba la coua eis aian extremely violent wind avé de pan à la panieroto have a lot on one's plate Fai pas bon travaia quand la cigalo cantoit's no good working while the cicada sings