Jada

While visiting someone a few years ago, I came across an old, small volume that provided insults for all occasions in at least 5 languages. I remember, for example, one that permitted you to say, "be careful of my luggage, you great ape!" in all languages, and "great ape" came out "espece de macaque" in French (sorry repelling). <BR> <BR>Is anyone familiar with this little gem of a book, or does anyone know of a similar book published more recently?

Florence

Never came across such a book, but there are enough dinstinguished linguists on this board to recreate one (I volunteer for French and a bit of Japanese).

elaine

Can't help with the book, but I am always amused by local euphemisms to use when a person is deemed to not be very bright. <BR>In the US, we have the old standbys <BR>like "the elevators don't go all the way to the top" or "the lights are on but nobody's home" and so many others. <BR>The one I heard most recently is <BR>"She/He's not the sharpest tool in the shed." <BR>But it was in England several years ago that I first heard <BR>"He's a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic."

AC

<BR>How about: <BR>Not the sharpest knife in the drawer <BR>not the brightest bulb in the chandelier <BR>both oars are not in the water <BR>I'm sure there's more!

Ess

My dad, who was a Mississippian, used to say someone dumb was "not wrapped up too tight."

elvira

Compliments of my Yankee father: <BR> <BR>"one pallet short of a skid" <BR> <BR>"one brick short of a load" <BR> <BR>"all his pistons ain't firing" <BR> <BR>"one cupcake short of a dozen" <BR>

Angela

Another British one is <BR>"A chip short of a butty" <BR> <BR>(Chips = french fries/fries <BR>Butty = buns/baps/rolls)

FredBloggs

Once heard a joke about two Frenchmen who were caught making love to two dead women. Their excuse was 'Sorry, we didn't know they were dead, we thought they were English'.

nancy

Jada, <BR>there is a series called Wicked.... <BR>I have the " wicked italian" for myself and the "wicked irish" for my husband (as his family is irish) <BR>These books are in the form of phrase books, but the phrases are definitely not ones you would really use while going through customs!!! <BR>They linger on the right side of "being too much" but really are not rude or insulting, some are funnier than others.. <BR>They do tend to play on stereotypes, though. <BR>I wish there was one for us americans! <BR>nancy <BR>

Georgia

Down East in Maine, I've heard "stupid as an old cheese" which someone told me they swore was handed down (in translation) from some French-Canadian ancestors.

Fwhiteside

Apparently the Japanese referred to the Dutch Traders who first visited their country by a phrase which translates into English as "Stinking of butter".

Florence

The Japanese still refer to westerners as "stinking of milk".

kavey

I think this is one of the oddest idioms I have come across. It's wen you want to (grudgingly) admit someone has come up with an intelligent comment and suggest lightly that you wouldnt have expected it of them... <BR> <BR>"You're not as Green as you're Cabbage Looking" <BR> <BR>The idea being you arent as thick as you look... <BR> <BR>Weird or what?! <BR> <BR>And I remember the first thing we always did when participating in language exchange trips at school was to swap swearing and insults in each other's language... <BR> <BR>Guess we never grow out of that!!!

Angela

Not sure but isn't "Your not as green as you are cabbage looking" meaning more that you are not as "naive" as you look, ie it's kinder than saying you aren't as "thick" as you look. It's not so much an insult but a sort of compliment! When I have heard it said it has been said with humour in a kind way. Whatever it's a great saying. <BR>I think it is of Irish origin.