Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
I detect a Ubangi in the fuel supply.
Russian translation:
что-то не то
Added to glossary by
Robert Donahue (X)
Jun 29, 2005 20:18
18 yrs ago
English term
Andriy Kostenko
I detect a Ubangi in the fuel supply.
May offend
English to Russian
Art/Literary
Cinema, Film, TV, Drama
An often quoted phrase from W.C. Fields, an american comic artist. A Ubangi, as I understand, is a politically incorrect name for the African, but the overall meaning of the phrase eludes me.
Proposed translations
(Russian)
| 2 +3 | something's not right (что-то не то?) |
Robert Donahue (X)
|
Change log
Jun 30, 2005 11:31: Robert Donahue (X) changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Proposed translations
+3
12 mins
Selected
something's not right (что-то не то?)
il ragno01-31-03, 04:11
John Ford? I'd no idea he apologized to anyone.
WC Fields' will made provisions for large donation to found a white children's orphanage in his name (a fact now routinely deleted from 99% of all published bios, or caponized simply to 'orphanage', but routinely noted in every pre-PC bio of the Great Man). Often refers to blacks as 'Ubangis' in his films, esp YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN - he even calls Rochester the 'head Ubangi' in one scene; later mutters a reference to "a Ubangi in the fuel supply", a great line. Fond of gag - oft repeated - of turning around, unexpectedly seeing black guy standing behind him and shouting in startled fright as his hat flies off his head spontaneously. In THE BANK DICK, brags of his career in movies working for "Abie and Milton". Most contemporary Fields-film reviews warn viewers of 'racist humor'. Fields' deep-South comedy MISSISSIPPI so rife with race humor it is rarely if ever shown. Even many diehard Fields fans have never seen it.
http://www.louisville.edu/~kprayb01/WCWords.html
Ubangi--African river. Fields referred to an African tribe by this name in You Can't Cheat an Honest Man and My Little Chickadee.
Here's a possible explanation...
As W.C.Fields would say "A Ubangi in the Fuel Supply!"
...when it dawns on you that the wetness you feel
on your back ISN'T RAIN after all!
So maybe it's something along the lines of "something's rotten in Denmark". Hard to say.
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Note added at 6 hrs 12 mins (2005-06-30 02:30:38 GMT)
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There are other (even more offensive ways) to translate this expression. The essential meaning is that there is something not right at work, a hidden, evil influence so to speak.
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Note added at 15 hrs 12 mins (2005-06-30 11:31:07 GMT)
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W.C. Fields was, as was common then, unafraid of using racist humor. \"Ubangi\" here is Mr. Field\'s term for a black guy. An \"Ubangi\" in the fuel supply means that something has gone wrong and that there was some evil intent involved. As you know, it\'s difficult to explain a joke and keep it funny. It\'s also hard to explain a joke that most people nowadays would find extremely offensive. Suffice to say that back in the 20\'s and 30\'s this type of stuff was considered funny and combined with Field\'s delivery even moreso.
John Ford? I'd no idea he apologized to anyone.
WC Fields' will made provisions for large donation to found a white children's orphanage in his name (a fact now routinely deleted from 99% of all published bios, or caponized simply to 'orphanage', but routinely noted in every pre-PC bio of the Great Man). Often refers to blacks as 'Ubangis' in his films, esp YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN - he even calls Rochester the 'head Ubangi' in one scene; later mutters a reference to "a Ubangi in the fuel supply", a great line. Fond of gag - oft repeated - of turning around, unexpectedly seeing black guy standing behind him and shouting in startled fright as his hat flies off his head spontaneously. In THE BANK DICK, brags of his career in movies working for "Abie and Milton". Most contemporary Fields-film reviews warn viewers of 'racist humor'. Fields' deep-South comedy MISSISSIPPI so rife with race humor it is rarely if ever shown. Even many diehard Fields fans have never seen it.
http://www.louisville.edu/~kprayb01/WCWords.html
Ubangi--African river. Fields referred to an African tribe by this name in You Can't Cheat an Honest Man and My Little Chickadee.
Here's a possible explanation...
As W.C.Fields would say "A Ubangi in the Fuel Supply!"
...when it dawns on you that the wetness you feel
on your back ISN'T RAIN after all!
So maybe it's something along the lines of "something's rotten in Denmark". Hard to say.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs 12 mins (2005-06-30 02:30:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
There are other (even more offensive ways) to translate this expression. The essential meaning is that there is something not right at work, a hidden, evil influence so to speak.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs 12 mins (2005-06-30 11:31:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
W.C. Fields was, as was common then, unafraid of using racist humor. \"Ubangi\" here is Mr. Field\'s term for a black guy. An \"Ubangi\" in the fuel supply means that something has gone wrong and that there was some evil intent involved. As you know, it\'s difficult to explain a joke and keep it funny. It\'s also hard to explain a joke that most people nowadays would find extremely offensive. Suffice to say that back in the 20\'s and 30\'s this type of stuff was considered funny and combined with Field\'s delivery even moreso.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you Robert. Your private letter was most helpful. I apologize if the subject of my question was offensive to anyone."
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