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Жадина-говядина!

English translation: selfish pig(gie)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:жадина-говядина
English translation:selfish pig(gie)
Entered by: Teresa Pearce

15:38 Dec 27, 2002
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary
Russian term or phrase: Жадина-говядина!
Есть какое-нибудь подобное "обзывательное" выражение с тем же смыслом в английском? Или стишок-дразнилка, вроде:
"Жадина-говядина,
Соленый огурец!
На полу валяется,
Никто его не ест!"?
Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 05:30
selfish pig(gie)
Explanation:
Now, before people start telling me this is the wrong meat... coincidentally I heard жадина-говядина this morning when a three-year-old wouldn't let my little girl play with his truck and this was the only childish-English version I could think of (except for "meanie", which would have a stronger meaning for Americans). It's not as colourful, but it gets the idea across. Oleg's Scrooge might indeed be used by older children, and Dan's would be good for food.

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Note added at 2002-12-30 15:52:37 (GMT)
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Yes, \"piggy-wiggy\" is the established rhymed version.

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Note added at 2002-12-30 15:53:00 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

(rhyming, I mean)
Selected response from:

Teresa Pearce
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5selfish pig(gie)
Teresa Pearce
5 +1Greedy Guts
Libero_Lang_Lab
4Indian Giver
Montefiore


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Greedy Guts


Explanation:
According to Yuri's explanation... this would be the equivalent kid's phrase in UK English. Not sure about the rest of your rhyme though!

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Note added at 2002-12-27 16:08:32 (GMT)
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Greedy Guts
Salty Nuts
On the floor
He\'ll eat no more.

It\'s complete gibberish, but at least it rhymes! ;-)

Libero_Lang_Lab
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 1214

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Irene Chernenko: Used it many a time
39 mins
agree  Yuri Geifman: it's more like nobody will eat them (the nuts on the floor, that is)
45 mins
disagree  Nikita Kobrin: "Greedy Guts" is someone who eats too much (обжора in Russian). Жадина-говядина is a word which children use to call a person who is greedy, a skinflint, niggard. It doesn't mean that he's fat or eats too much. Try to find another word.
3 hrs
  -> Understood. BTW Be VERY careful about using the word "niggard" it's old-fashioned and could be mis-heard (in which case it won't go down well).
agree  Elaine Freeland (X): I would think, жадина-говядина does imply someone who wouldn't share anything, food included. I've always had an image of that fat slob -- "жадина-говядина"
6 hrs
disagree  Vera Fluhr (X): with Nikita
11 hrs
neutral  Teresa Pearce: Agree with Nikita, but I love the rhyme (is the ambiguity of "nuts" deliberate?).
19 hrs
  -> can't think what you could be alluding to...
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
selfish pig(gie)


Explanation:
Now, before people start telling me this is the wrong meat... coincidentally I heard жадина-говядина this morning when a three-year-old wouldn't let my little girl play with his truck and this was the only childish-English version I could think of (except for "meanie", which would have a stronger meaning for Americans). It's not as colourful, but it gets the idea across. Oleg's Scrooge might indeed be used by older children, and Dan's would be good for food.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-30 15:52:37 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yes, \"piggy-wiggy\" is the established rhymed version.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-30 15:53:00 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

(rhyming, I mean)

Teresa Pearce
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 32
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nikita Kobrin: It seems like that.
29 mins
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab: based on what nikita et al say - this is perfect.
2 hrs
agree  protolmach
3 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
8 hrs
agree  Olga Demiryurek
1 day 21 hrs
  -> Thanks everyone!
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3 days 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Indian Giver


Explanation:
A slightly milder, but somewhat politically "incorrect" version of жадина-говядина -

someone who gives and then takes it back:)

Montefiore
United States
Local time: 15:30
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in pair: 312
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