ProZ.com Translation Forums

Profanity, perception and meaning | Solicitor

Jack Doughty — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 16:41:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Jack Doughty
Post title: Solicitor

In the UK, a solicitor is a lawyer who represent's a client's interests other than in court (the one who appears in court is a barrister). In the USA, both functions are performed by an attorney.
In the USA, a solicitor is a beggar.

I was once surprised, when stuck a long while between flights at Los Angeles Airport, to hear an announcement over the loudspeaker system every few minutes, saying "Solicitors are not allowed in this airport".

Profanity, perception and meaning | bomb and bomb

sylvie malich (X) — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 15:04:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: sylvie malich (X)
Post title: bomb and bomb

When a film bombs in the US it's really bad,
when it's a bomb in Britain it's a hit.

(Oh, just realized this topic is about profanity. Well, just ignore this one then.)

[Edited at 2005-11-07 15:08]

Profanity, perception and meaning | Canadian rubbers

sylvie malich (X) — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 15:03:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: sylvie malich (X)
Post title: Canadian rubbers

[quote]NancyLynn wrote:

Rubber = eraser BE
Rubber = condom AE

When the office manager sent a girl from South Carolina to get rubbers, she returned with a pack of prophylactics, much to his and her embarrassment (and everyone else's amusement)

N.[/quote]

Nancy, when I was back visiting my family in Canada I found myself outside a dentist's office laughing at the sign on the door.

"Please leave your rubbers outside"

This of course meant rubber boots!
I thought it was so funny I took a picture of it.

syl

Profanity, perception and meaning | Thick

Derek Gill Franßen — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 21:50:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Derek Gill Franßen
Post title: Thick

My little brother was visiting me here in Germany and while we were shopping he about died laughing when he saw a package of sponges labeled "EXTRA Dick!" (which means extra thick in German) - he could barely control himself enough to ask whether this brand was particularly popular. ;-)

Profanity, perception and meaning | Bonka

Andy Watkinson — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 19:54:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Andy Watkinson
Post title: Bonka

[quote]Clare Barnes wrote:

Bonk - to have sex (UK), to hit the "wall" while training (US)
Fanny - female sexual parts (UK), bum (US) ...bum itself has different meanings in UK/US English too.
Buns - things you eat (UK), buttocks (US).

They're just the ones that spring immediately to mind...!!!
[/quote]

And there is, of course, that wonderful brand of coffee in Spain called "Bonka".

My brother never fails to take a few packets back to the UK just so he can "innocently" ask his guests after a meal if they'd like a "Bonka".

Reactions vary until finding out it's coffee. :-)

Profanity, perception and meaning | YES!

yolanda Speece — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 17:01:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece
Post title: YES!

[quote]Lucinda Hollenberg wrote:

Bicho - many Spanish countries normal meaning - insect, bug
Puerto Rico - male organ
(At least that is what it was when I was there in the eighties).

Some countries also use 'fruta bomba' to refer to 'papaya' because this word was sometimes used to refer to the female organ.

Is this what you are looking for?[/quote]

Any others

Profanity, perception and meaning | What is the word?

yolanda Speece — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 17:00:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece
Post title: What is the word?

[quote]Jack Doughty wrote:

No, pissed off means annoyed in AE and BE. The BE word meaning drunk is just "pissed".

If we're going multilingual, how about the Spanish "Estoy constipado", meaning "I have a cold". English and French speakers might well think this means "I am constipated/Je suis constipé".

The American UH-1 Huey helicopter also sounds very like that rude Russian word.

[Edited at 2005-11-06 11:16][/quote]

Profanity, perception and meaning | very funny with N American temps in London offices

NancyLynn — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 15:00:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: NancyLynn
Post title: very funny with N American temps in London offices

Rubber = eraser BE
Rubber = condom AE

When the office manager sent a girl from South Carolina to get rubbers, she returned with a pack of prophylactics, much to his and her embarrassment (and everyone else's amusement)

N.

Profanity, perception and meaning | How about ...

Lucinda Hollenberg — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 14:01:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Lucinda Hollenberg
Post title: How about ...

Bicho - many Spanish countries normal meaning - insect, bug
Puerto Rico - male organ
(At least that is what it was when I was there in the eighties).

Some countries also use 'fruta bomba' to refer to 'papaya' because this word was sometimes used to refer to the female organ.

Is this what you are looking for?

Profanity, perception and meaning | Pissed off/pissed

Jack Doughty — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 11:11:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Jack Doughty
Post title: Pissed off/pissed

No, pissed off means annoyed in AE and BE. The BE word meaning drunk is just "pissed".

If we're going multilingual, how about the Spanish "Estoy constipado", meaning "I have a cold". English and French speakers might well think this means "I am constipated/Je suis constipé".

The American UH-1 Huey helicopter also sounds very like that rude Russian word.

[Edited at 2005-11-06 11:16]

Profanity, perception and meaning | Pissed off

Natalia Elo — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 10:30:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Natalia Elo
Post title: Pissed off

Doesn't it mean angry in American and drunk in British English?

You've asked for English and Spanish, but I can't help thinking about one word, which is pronounced in exactly the same way in Finnish and in Russian. The word is used as a exclamation 'gosh' in Finnish and is absolutely acceptable though rare but is indeed a very rude word for male genitals in Russian. I'm sorry, can't write it here, you'll get from the first letters of Henry, Ulrich and yes.

Natalia

[Edited at 2005-11-06 11:08]

Profanity, perception and meaning | embarazada / bimbo

Sherey Gould — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 10:05:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Sherey Gould
Post title: embarazada / bimbo

I'm not highly versed in Spanish so someone will probably have to tweak my contribution, but I once saw a major blooper somewhere which detailed in very funny manner how someone mistook the Spanish word for being pregnant (embarazada) for the English word of embarrassed.
I can, however, speak from personal experience of *my* embarrassment when I learned the fairly innocuous word in English of bimbo (an airhead, a stupid person, but not too terribly demeaning) is the absolute MOST demeaning way of referring to a person of color in German. [And yet a leading brand of baked goods in Spain...!]

Profanity, perception and meaning | homely

Catherine Brix — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 09:44:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Catherine Brix
Post title: homely

UK - warm, characteristic of a home - pleasant
US - ugly, plain

Profanity, perception and meaning | What about innocent words in one country but

yolanda Speece — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 02:08:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece
Post title: What about innocent words in one country but

something very obscene in another?

Profanity, perception and meaning | Multiple meanings

Oso (X) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 01:22:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Oso (X)
Post title: Multiple meanings

[quote] are there any in Spanish other than "Pinche" such as "cajeta"?[/quote]

Some other words in Spanish with double or multiple meanings in different countries:

cabrn(a) = billy goat (general Spanish)/ motherf***er (Mx.)
coger = to grab (general Spanish)/have sex (Arg., Mx.)
concha = shell (general Spanish)/vagina (Arg., Chile)
conejo = rabbit (general Spanish)/vagina (Esp.)
chiche = little toy (Ur., Arg.)/breast (Mx.)
chocho = old person or little candy (Mx.)/vulva (Esp.)
mariquita = ladybug (Mx.)/homosexual man (Mx.)
moto = motorbike (general Spanish)/marijuana addict (Mx.)
ojete = asshole/stupid person/eyelet (Mx.)
pendejo(a) = dumbass (Mx.)/teenager (Arg.)/pubic hair (general Spanish)
pinche = kitchen helper and hairpin (general Spanish)/motherf***er (Mx.)
pito = whistle (general Spanish)/penis (Mx.)
polla = hen (general Spanish)/penis (Esp.)
pollera = skirt (Arg.)/chicken seller (general Spanish)/person who transports illegal workers to EE.UU.(Mx.)
un palo = a wooden stick (general Spanish)/a quickie (Mex.)
rata = rat (general Spanish)/thief (Mx.)
zorra = vixen (general Spanish)/slut (Esp., Mx)

I'm sure there are many more out there.

Note: By "general Spanish" I mean words that usually have the same meaning in several different Spanish speaking countries.
If I made any mistakes with the country classifications don't hesitate to point them out.
Saludos,
Oso :^)

[Edited at 2005-11-06 06:35]

Profanity, perception and meaning | These are greeeeaaattttt!

yolanda Speece — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 23:55:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece
Post title: These are greeeeaaattttt!

Keep them coming? are there any in Spanish other than "Pinche" such as "cajeta"?

Profanity, perception and meaning | One that rhymes with "Fag"-SHAG

yolanda Speece — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 23:53:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece
Post title: One that rhymes with "Fag"-SHAG

[quote]John Walsh wrote:

UK - cig
US - homosexual (offensive)[/quote]

SHAG. DOesn't that one mean "to have sex" in the UK and it is a hairstyle and dance in the US?

I know of this band named "Alabama". They came out with a song shortly after "Austin Powers" came out called "Shagging on the Boulevard". I was working in radio broadcasting as an announcer at the time and I had to muster every amount of discipline(which isn't much) to say it with a straight face because I kept getting the mental image of people "SHAGGING ON THE BOULEVARD". I just kept thinking to myself: "I hope they are at least good looking!" It may not be a bad show! HA, ha, ha!

Profanity, perception and meaning | Pinche has several meanings in Mexico but they aren't all very nice.

yolanda Speece — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 23:47:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece
Post title: Pinche has several meanings in Mexico but they aren't all very nice.

[quote]JaneTranslates wrote:

Pinche in Mexico--I can't get anybody to tell me but it is very vulgar!

Pinche could mean:
-to pinch someone
-when someone is stingy or a penny pincher. ex. son tan pinches con .....

-low life or bastard/ as$*#@le /motherf@$#ker. ex. ese pinche desgraciado.

is this what you were looking for?

Profanity, perception and meaning | Spotted Dick

Jack Doughty — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 23:20:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Jack Doughty
Post title: Spotted Dick

In the UK, a steamed pudding with currants in it.
In the US, not a specific term as such, but it suggests a diseased male sexual organ, so if Americans see it on a dessert menu in a UK restaurant, they find it a bit off-putting.

Profanity, perception and meaning | estpido

Security — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 23:03:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Security
Post title: estpido

"estpido" is most offensive and really gets peoples' backs up.
Taboo in polite conversation.

"stupid" isn't that offensive and is found regularly.
We can insult ourselves without any problem:
"That was a stupid thing of me to do!"
"How can I be so stupid!"
and when "stupid" is used casually to people we know there is no offense:
"Don't be so stupid!" (laughingly)
However, with strangers, I suspect we would get a different response if we were to address them as "stupid". Just try "Hey, stupid, is this your car?" (parked in the wrong place).

Profanity, perception and meaning | pinche

JaneTranslates — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 22:23:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: JaneTranslates
Post title: pinche

Pinche in Puerto Rico--hairpin, clothespin, etc.
Pinche in Mexico--I can't get anybody to tell me but it is very vulgar! I hear it all the time in relatively recent Mexican movies.

When our daughter was little and we took her to Mexico to visit her grandparents, we had to warn her *NOT* to refer to her cute little plastic hair barrettes as "pinches" around her cousins!

Profanity, perception and meaning | Knock me up

Benno Groeneveld — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:50:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Benno Groeneveld
Post title: Knock me up

US: make me pregnant

UK: come see me.

Profanity, perception and meaning | Bonking...

Clare Barnes — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:41:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: Clare Barnes
Post title: Bonking...

Bonk - to have sex (UK), to hit the "wall" while training (US)
Fanny - female sexual parts (UK), bum (US) ...bum itself has different meanings in UK/US English too.
Buns - things you eat (UK), buttocks (US).

They're just the ones that spring immediately to mind...!!!

Profanity, perception and meaning | Fag

John Walsh — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:18:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: John Walsh
Post title: Fag

UK - cig
US - homosexual (offensive)

Profanity, perception and meaning

yolanda Speece — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 19:09:00 +0000

Forum: Off topic
Topic: Profanity, perception and meaning
Poster: yolanda Speece

As a translator, one notices subtle differences with words and their significance in other countries.
What got me thinking about this was that article about the Hershey's "Dulcera de Thala" campaign. It had to be re-marketed to certain Latin American
countries because of the use of the word "cajeta" and its meaning in those countries.

Hello Prozians! I challenge you to submit words that you know of, in Spanish and English, that may mean one thing in one country but something totally off the wall in another country.

Let the submissions begin!