RE: Random Thoughts
December 6, 2021 at 5:27 pm
(This post was last modified: December 6, 2021 at 5:29 pm by Oldandeasilyconfused.)
(December 5, 2021 at 7:57 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:(December 5, 2021 at 4:17 pm)no one Wrote: BSBIV:
Don’t feel too badly - the first time I heard the Americanism, ‘There’s more than one way to skin a cat’, I thought, ‘Why would you need more than one way?’
It was years before I found out that no cats were harmed in the making of this proverb.
About a monthish ago, a coworker was explaining how in his gaming group, one of the team members was from England, and he did not understand "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" proverb. I thought how can anyone not get that. Then, not 10 minutes later, another coworker who is from Nigeria, asked if anyone was sitting in a chair, to which I replied, "On your feet, lose your seat."
I could visibly watch the utter confusion wash over her face. And then I thought, "Oh, now I get it".
Sometimes you think words make so much sense, but not so much in other societies.
That’s very true, but there are exceptions. I’ve been told ‘Go fuck yourself’ by people from at least a dozen different cultures. Their meaning was always unmistakable.
Boru
Yeah, me too.
I've been unable to think of a mortal insult in Australia. I can think of a couple which might start a fight at the pub. Perhaps the worst is to call someone a bludger. The original meaning was pimp, at least 100 years ago. Today it means parasite. IE he bludges on his mates. The other is more recent. In recent times it's been claimed that Aussies have one rule for general behaviour ;"Don't be a cunt". Consequently, it is extremely insulting to call anyone a cunt.
Southern Italians especially take exception if they are called 'cornuto' . Literally horns, meaning cuckold. "Fesso' (fool) goes with it. Hence one is fool for becoming a cuckold"
There is a mortal insult one can give to a Malay Muslim; Babi gila, literally mad pig.
(December 6, 2021 at 5:27 pm)Oldandeasilyconfused Wrote:(December 5, 2021 at 7:57 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: That’s very true, but there are exceptions. I’ve been told ‘Go fuck yourself’ by people from at least a dozen different cultures. Their meaning was always unmistakable.
Boru
Yeah, me too.
I've been unable to think of a mortal insult in Australia. I can think of a couple which might start a fight at the pub. Perhaps the worst is to call someone a bludger. The original meaning was pimp, at least 100 years ago. Today it means parasite. IE he bludges on his mates. The other is more recent. In recent times it's been claimed that Aussies have one rule for general behaviour ;"Don't be a cunt". Consequently, it is extremely insulting to call anyone a cunt.
Southern Italians especially take exception if they are called 'cornuto' . Literally horns, meaning cuckold. "Fesso' (fool) goes with it. Hence one is fool for becoming a cuckold"
There is a mortal insult one can give to a Malay Muslim; Babi gila, literally mad pig.
I learned many years ago that to be truly fluent in another language, one needs to understand its jokes and puns.