[starman]

My mom's Italian. When I was a kid and she'd do something accidental like spill spaghetti sauce or something she'd say "ah..you're sister's ass". So every now and then I say it and for years my wife thought we were the only family on the planet that did. Now she has a new boss who's Italian and says the same thing. Is this some kind of Italian thing? What other cultural outbursts have people come across?

Mike

[turtle777]

Originally posted by starman:
"ah..you're sister's ass".

-t

[Mafia]

Originally posted by starman:
My mom's Italian. When I was a kid and she'd do something accidental like spill spaghetti sauce or something she'd say "ah..you're sister's ass". So every now and then I say it and for years my wife thought we were the only family on the planet that did. Now she has a new boss who's Italian and says the same thing. Is this some kind of Italian thing? What other cultural outbursts have people come across?

Mike

lol, i don't know any special ones for my background (german) but whats the relevance behind "you're sister's ass". just wondering i guess.

[starman]

No idea. I wish I knew why two different Italian families know it.

Mike

[Sealobo]

The most powerful phrase in the entire universe: "Deal Lay Low Mole"

Look into the eyes of any given random chinese on this planet, say that in your most confident tone, and i can assure you will start a fight instantly.

[typoon]

Originally posted by Sealobo:
The most powerful phrase in the entire universe: "Deal Lay Low Mole"

Look into the eyes of any given random chinese on this planet, say that in your most confident tone, and i can assure you will start a fight instantly.

You've got that right. It's the chinese phrase for "F%$Ck your parents" Or something like that. loosely translated.

[macroy]

Originally posted by typoon:
You've got that right. It's the chinese phrase for "F%$Ck your parents" Or something like that. loosely translated.

That's cantonese...right? 'Cause it made no sense to me when I first read it...

I take it the mandarin would be... "gan ni ma" ?

But I think in terms of cultural swears - In chinese, most slangs have to do with one's relative or animals... isn't "won ba dan" literaly "turtle's egg"?? Which one would ususally use in context similar to "a-hole".

I remember one time when I was younger, my dad said "ta nai nai de" which is a swear that literaly translates into "his grandmother's". As a kid I replied "my "nai nai" is in Shanghai".

[typoon]

Originally posted by macroy:
That's cantonese...right? 'Cause it made no sense to me when I first read it...

I take it the mandarin would be... "gan ni ma" ?

But I think in terms of cultural swears - In chinese, most slangs have to do with one's relative or animals... isn't "won ba dan" literaly "turtle's egg"?? Which one would ususally use in context similar to "a-hole".

I remember one time when I was younger, my dad said "ta nai nai de" which is a swear that literaly translates into "his grandmother's". As a kid I replied "my "nai nai" is in Shanghai".

Yes it cantonese.

[Shaddim]

Originally posted by typoon:
You've got that right. It's the chinese phrase for "F%$Ck your parents" Or something like that. loosely translated.

My grandfather's favorite was "Co�o su madre", which is "f**k your mother" or "your mother's a c**t". Say that in little Havana, you'll get knifed before you can finish it.

[Millennium]

It's interesting: no matter what culture you go to, most obscenities reference at least one of three categories: religion, bodily functions, or people's relatives.

[turtle777]

Originally posted by Millennium:
It's interesting: no matter what culture you go to, most obscenities reference at least one of three categories: religion, bodily functions, or people's relatives.

Does computer and OS preference fall under religion ?

-t

[Mafia]

Originally posted by turtle777:
Does computer and OS preference fall under religion ?

-t

i would think that it does. or relative

[macintologist]

Originally posted by Mafia:
i would think that it does. or relative

Or even bodily function :

Ok, stop with this.

[brapper]

When I was in Italy, I found out that old Italian women like to say "I pee in your milk."
Apparently it's quite common for them to use that saying when bothered by someone...

[davidflas]

"I fart in your general direct"

or my very favorite

"your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries"

[tooki]

Swiss German has some really colorful ones (hoping that my translations are right):

1. Schafs�ckel
literally "sheep scrotum", used to insult guys, often in jest

2. huere Siech!
literally "whore convalescent", used as an expression of awe/amazement, like "Holy cow!"

3. l�ck
"lick", short of "l�ck mi am arsch" ("lick my ass"), not so unusual in and of itself, but astounding in how frequently it's used, and how: as another expression of awe.


If I think of any more I'll edit them in.

tooki

[historylme]

Hungarians have a great one: Let the Polar Bear F#cked for you.

Theren't any polar bears in Hungary at all (I don't think even in teh Zoo's) so how it came to be is beyond me, but when I study there, I used it for everything.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

I don't get it, is it a compliment to your sisters ass or is it as ugly as spilled spaghetti?

[turtle777]

Originally posted by tooki:
3. l�ck
"lick", short of "l�ck mi am arsch" ("lick my ass"), not so unusual in and of itself, but astounding in how frequently it's used, and how: as another expression of awe.

Yeah, I remember that one, too.
The meaning is actually far from the literal "lick my ass".

-t

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by starman:
"ah..you're sister's ass"

"Ah, you are sister's ass"

[turtle777]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
"Ah, you are sister's ass"

Hm, I misread that as well.

I was reading it as "Ah, your sister's ass"

Now that I think about it, it could also be "Ah, your sister is ass!"

Is there a difference anyway ?

-t

[RAILhead]

When we were kids, my Italian Grandfather (Papaw, as we call him) always said...

"Want in one hand, crap in the other -- see which fills up faster"

...when we'd say something about wanting something, as in something he didn't feel like getting for us.


My Grandmother (Mamaw, in Italian) would always tell us "If anyone farts we'll bottle it for you" when she wanted us to stay out of the room when all the adults were talking, etc.

Gotta love Grandparents.
(Makes me miss my Mamaw)

Maury

[historylme]

Salvadoreans use "Hijo de puta" for everything. It's son of a b!tch, but said really fast. My dad, like most of his countrymen, uses it for virtually everything.

examples:
Exclamation: That "hijo de puta," just exploded a bomb! "Hijo de puta!"
Sadness: "hijo de puta," I just lost my house in the explosion.
Happyness: "hijo de puta!" I will get a lot from the insurence agency.
Realization: "hijo de puta," I just remembered, I don't have insurance, I'm latino.

Like the word "F#ck", it can be used for anything, everything and everyone.

[ironknee]

i know this is kinda different

...i reserched rooster for the chinese year of the rooster and found out that in america, rooster was a euphemism from the victorian era, for the word c0ck...also, that's where drumstick comes from for leg...

[Sherwin]

Historical references seem to work too.

I can't remember the foreign versions (use to have them in native lingo), but here goes:

Finland: "You are puppet of Russia, sh*thead". (apparently a big insult on two counts).

Scotland: "I'm surprised your English masters still let you wear those funny little skirts".

[Kilbey]

I remember a Finnish exchange student saying "Heishta vito" or something like that.

Anyone Finnish here want to take a stab at it?

[SimpleLife]

Originally posted by Millennium:
It's interesting: no matter what culture you go to, most obscenities reference at least one of three categories: religion, bodily functions, or people's relatives.

From Qu�bec:

"Bout d'Christ": Piece of Christ
"Barreau d'chaise": Chair's leg
"Bric-�-brac � marde": Mess of s***
"Ti-J�sus d'pl�tre": Plaster Jesus

"Maudite patente � gosse": damn thing with balls. Like, some object with something that doesn' fit.

"Assis-toi dessus pi tourne": Sit on it and turn. Means "think about it".

Got a few more but I'll stop to this these...

[Jaey]

My French teacher always says "oh la vache" (oh the cow) whenever someone does something stupid.
Though I'm not sure if it's a French thing or if she just made it up.