On a bike tour through the Charente, we discover the perfect photo motif – just made for our Magazine Tellerrandstories. In a front garden, porcelain plates on poles rise up as far as the eye can see. Whether they serve as scarecrows or are simply there for decoration, we were unable to clarify. But the picture is a wonderful opportunity to take a closer look at the phrase “thinking outside the box”. Where does it come from? What does it mean? And are there similar expressions in other languages?
Change your perspective more often
The phrase “thinking outside the box” is comparatively young. It first appeared in the 1950s and became popular in the 1970s thanks to the politician Karl Schiller. It describes an open, curious attitude: the willingness to overcome one’s own boundaries and discover new things. It often stands for cosmopolitanism, a change of perspective or innovation – and therefore fits perfectly with our travel magazine Tellerrandstories.
And what do the others say?
In English, it means “think outside the box” or “thinking outside the square” – an invitation to think creatively and leave familiar patterns behind. “Broaden your horizon” comes closest to the German “über den Tellerrand schauen” . The French put it more playfully: “voir plus loin que le bout de son nez” – see further than the end of your nose. They advise you not to limit yourself to the obvious. The Spanish remain sober and talk about opening the mind “abrir la mente” or looking further “mirar más allá”. The Chinese provide the most original comparison: “Jing Di Zhi Wa” – the frog in the well. He only sees the narrow section of his sky, similar to the edge of a plate in German.
