Seeing a white man in a BMW headbanging while listening to gansta' rap at a stupidly loud volume :) I crossed one at a red light on my way to work this morning.
Reminds me of Michael Bolton in Office Space.
Nothing makes me giggle like…
Tag: random shit
You say tomato, I say tomate.
Tingo, nakkele and other wonders
English is a rich and innovative language. But you can't help feeling we're missing out. While English speakers have to describe the action of laughing so much that one side of your abdomen hurts (hardly an economical phrase), the Japanese have the much more efficient expression: katahara itai.
Of course, the English language has borrowed words for centuries. Khaki and croissant are cases in point.
So perhaps it's time to be thinking about adding others to the lexicon. Malay, for instance, has gigi rongak – the space between the teeth. The Japanese have bakku-shan – a girl who appears pretty from behind but not from the front. Then there's a nakkele – a man who licks whatever the food has been served on (from Tulu, India).
These fabulous examples have been collected by author Adam Jacot de Boinod into The Meaning Of Tingo – a collection of words and phrases from around the world. “What I'm really trying to do is celebrate the joy of foreign words (in a totally unjudgmental way) and say that while English is a great language, one shouldn't be surprised there are many others having, as they do, words with no English equivalent,” he says.
Having pored over 280 dictionaries and trawled 140 websites, he is also convinced that a country's dictionary says more about a culture than a guide book. Hawaiians, for instance, have 108 words for sweet potato, 65 for fishing nets – and 47 for banana.
The German propensity for compound words pays dividends. Kummerspeck is a German word which literally means grief bacon: it is the word that describes the excess weight gained from emotion-related overeating.
A Putzfimmel is a mania for cleaning and Drachenfutter – literally translated as dragon fodder – are the peace offerings made by guilty husbands to their wives.
Or there's die beleidigte Leberwurst spielen – to stick one's lower lip out in a sulk (literally, to play the insulted liver sausage). Perhaps it's a Backpfeifengesicht – a face that cries out for a fist in it.
Words and phrases can suggest the character of a nation. The Dutch vocabulary, for instance, seems to confirm the nation's light-hearted reputation. The word uitwaaien is Dutch for walking in windy weather for fun.
The Maori-speakers of the Cook Islands sound like an enthusiastic bunch: the word toto is the shout given in a game of hide-and-seek to show readiness.
Perhaps the Inuit notion of a good time must be, of necessity, a little more constrained. The long winter nights must fly by as they play a game called igunaujannguaq, literally meaning frozen walrus carcass. (The game involves the person in the centre of a ring trying to remain stiff as he is passed around the ring, hand over hand.)
But it's those fun-loving people in the Netherlands who should have the last word – the phrase for skimming stones is as light-hearted as the action: plimpplampplettere.
The Albanians exhibit a strange fascination for facial hair. There are no fewer than 27 separate expressions for the moustache.
Madh means a bushy moustache, posht is a moustache hanging down at the ends and fshes is a long broom-like moustache with bristly hairs.
This hirsute obsession is not confined to moustaches. Vetullkalem describes pencil-thin eyebrows, vetullperpjekur are joined together eyebrows and those arched like the crescent moon are vetullhen.
Perhaps nothing so intriguingly displays differences between nations as the unusual occupations of some of its citizens. Geshtenjapjeks is an Albanian who sells roast chestnuts on the street. A koshatnik in Russian is a dealer of stolen cats.
A kualanapuhi is a Hawaiian officer who keeps the flies away from the sleeping king by waving a brush made of feathers. In Turkey a cigerci is a seller of liver and lungs and the Danish have a fyrassistent – an assistant lighthouse keeper.
And Spanish speakers in central America have a description of a government employee who only shows up on payday – an aviador.
Which brings us back to de Boinod's title: tingo is an invaluable word from the Pascuense language of Easter Island meaning “to borrow objects from a friend's house, one by one, until there's nothing left”.
Yoinked from <lj user="suzn">
I am bisexual or homosexual.
I've consumed alcohol.
I've run away from home.
I have lied to my parents about where I am.
I don't like Bush because he is dumb.
I don't like Bush with my own reasons to back it up.
I am for Bush.
I listen to political music.
I collect comic books.
I am shorter than 5'5.
I think I'm ugly.
I shut others out when I'm depressed.
I open up to others easily.
I am keeping a secret from the world.
I watch the news.
I own over 5 rap CDs.
I own an iPod or MP3.
I own multiple designer purses, costing over $100 a piece.
I own something from Hot Topic
I own something from Pac Sun
I own something from The Gap.
I own something I got on e-bay.
I love Disney Movies.
I am a sucker for hair
I don't kill bugs.
I curse regularly.
I paid for that cell phone ring.
I am a sports fanatic.
I have “x”s in my screen name.
I've slipped out an “lol” in a real conversation.
I love Spam.
I bake well.
I would wear pajamas to school/work.
I own something from Abercrombie.
I have a job.
I love Martha Stewart.
I am in love with love.
I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS.
I am self conscious.
I love to laugh.
I smoke a pack a day.
I liked Perks of Being a Wallflower.
I liked Go Ask Alice.
I have cough drops when I'm not sick.
I can't swallow pills.
I can swallow about 5 pills at a time no problem.
I eat fast food weekly.
I have many scars.
I believe in ghosts.
I can't sleep if there is a spider in the room.
I am really ticklish.
I see a therapist.
I take anti-depressants.
I love white chocolate.
I bite my nails.
I am comfortable with being me.
I play video games.
I'm single.
I'm in a relationship.
I'm married.
Gotten lost in your city.
Saw a shooting star.
Wished on a shooting star.
Saw a meteor shower.
I had a serious surgery.
Gone out in public in your pajamas.
I have kissed a stranger.
Hugged a stranger.
Been in a fist fight.
Been arrested.
Laughed and had milk or another drink come out of your nose.
Pushed all the buttons on an elevator.
Made out in an elevator.
Swore at your parents.
Kicked a guy where it hurts.
Been close to love.
Been to a casino.
Been skydiving.
Broken a bone.
Skipped school.
Saw a therapist.
Played spin the bottle.
Gotten stitches.
Drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour.
Bitten someone.
Been to Niagara Falls.
Gotten the chicken pox.
Kissed a member of the same sex.
Crashed into a friend's car.
Been to Japan.
Ridden in a taxi.
Shoplifted.
Been fired.
Ever had a crush on someone of the same sex.
Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.
Stole something from your job.
Gone on a blind date.
Had a crush on a teacher.
Celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Been to Europe.
Slept with a co-worker.
Been married.
Gotten divorced.
Had children.
Been to Africa.
Driven over 400 miles in one day.
Been to Canada.
Been to Mexico.
Been on a plane.
Seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Thrown up in a bar.
Eaten sushi.
Been snowboarding.
Been skiing.
Met someone in person from the internet.
Been to a moto cross show.
Gone to college.
Graduated college.
Done hard drugs.
Had someone cheat on you.
Miss someone right now.
Taken painkillers when you didn't need them.
Smoked weed.
Snorted cocaine.
Ate shrooms.
Inhaled Nitrous.
Been in love.
Cheated in a relationship.
Woke up crying.
Cried yourself to sleep.
Peed from laughing.
Had sex in a car.
Had sex in public.
Had sex in the shower.
Had sex in a sibling's bed.
Had sex in a parent's bed.
Yoinked from <lj user="cadhla">
This made me giggle.
The Commandments of Coyote.
I. Thou Shalt Have As Many Gods and Spirits and Personal Trainers and Gurus As You Like Before Me, But You Shalt Not Let Them Block the Exits, and More, You Shall Not Permit Them To Take the Last Beer, For That Beer Is Mine. Seriously. Don't.
II. Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife, But Thou Art Totally Welcome To Admire Her Ass When She Walks By, and If It Happens To Come Out That They Are In An Open Relationship, Dude, Tap That Ass As Much As They Are Willing To Allow. Same Goes For the Ladies. Coveting Is Sort Of Stupid, But Sex Is Just Plain Fun, Unless Thou Art Doing It Entirely Wrong.
III. If Thy Neighbor Says 'Hands Off My Wife, Dude', Thou Shalt Listen and Back Off, Because Otherwise, Thy Neighbor Will Be Totally Justified In Hitting You About the Head and Shoulders With Gardening Tools, and Don't Think That I'm Going To Step In There and Stop Him.
IV. Adultery Is Actually Pretty Fun. Commit It All You Like. Just Make Sure Everyone Is Cool With It, Or I Will Not Help You Out Once the Hitting Gets Started.
V. Thou Shalt Not Eat Poisoned Bait. If You Do, Don't Come Whining To Me About It, Because I Am Very Unlikely To Care. Once It Is In Your Mouth, It Is Your Problem, Not Mine.
VI. Of Course Thou Shalt Kill. Carnivores Do That. Also, Swatting Mosquitoes, Sort Of Instinctive. But All Creatures Are Alive Before You Kill Them, and So Thou Shalt Respect Them In Their Lives and In Their Deaths. Thou Shalt Not Kill Without Reason. Thy Neighbor Tapping Thy Wife's Ass? Is Not A Reason. Don't Make Me Set A Plague Upon Thy Ass. Thou Wouldst Not Enjoy It, I Promise.
VII. Thou Shalt Not Hoard. Seriously, Here. If You Have Enough, Share. Only Asshats Bogart Life.
VIII. Thou Shalt Not Be A Martyr. If You Have One Beer, Drink It. Do Not Give It To Me and Then Expect Adoration. Dude, That Was Your Beer, I Did Not Break Your Arm To Get It. Give What You Can Give, and Expect Neither Praise Nor Worship. You Are Not Being Morally Superior, You Are Being A Decent Human Being. There Is A Difference.
VIV. Assume This Is It. Maybe There Is Reincarnation; Maybe Not. Not Only Am I Not Saying, Please Consider the Fact That I Probably Get A Say In Whether You Come Back, and If You Are the Sort Of Person Who Doesn't Do Anything With One Life, Why Should I Waste My Time Giving You Another One? Live Like You Get No Second Chances. You Will Have More Fun.
X. Are You Going To Eat That?
So, ya, my dreams are fucked up.
I slept badly last night because I'm worried about the Katygirl. I woke up every hour or so, and my sleep was filled with the most weird-assed dreams I've had in a long time. One that I remember vividly was one where my apartment was invaded by the people I went to the Geneva meeting with. There was a foot of water everywhere and my boss was practicing the zen art of fish tickling.
Woah.
That's hella strong coffee!
I had two cups of coffee at the hotel this morning. It's been one hour now and my heart rate is still at 110 bpm, sitting down.
Whoa!
Yoinked from <lj user="electricland">
| Your Birthdate: August 7 |
| Born on the 7th day of month gives you a tendency to be something of a perfectionist and makes you more individualistic in many ways.
Your mind is good at deep mental analysis and complicated reasoning. You are very psychic and sensitive, and you should usually follow your hunches. You may not take orders too well, so you may want to work alone or in a situation where you can be the boss. This birthday gives a tendency to be somewhat self-centered and a little stubborn. |
Moi? Never.
Hee hee hee
It's fun to realize that you really do work in a multicultural workplace. I sent out a quick email to have one sentence translated (I am very allergic to nuts, garlic and sesame seeds). This is what I got back:
French: Je suis très allergique aux noix, à l'ail et aux graines de sésame.
English: I am very allergic to nuts, garlic and sesame seeds.
Italian: Sono seriamente allergico alle noci, mandorle, e noccioline (e simili), aglio e semi di sesamo.
German: Ich reagiere allergisch auf Nüsse, Knoblauch und Sesam.
Spanish: Soy muy alérgico a las nueces (frutos secos), el ajo y las semillas de sésamo.
Finnish: Olen erittain allerginen pahkinoille, valkosipulille ja seesamin siemenille.
Dutch: Ik ben erg allergisch voor noten, knoflook en sesamzaad.
Polish: Mam alergie na orzechy, czosnek i nasienie sezamkowe.
Czech: Jsem velmi alergicky na orisky, cesnek a sezamova seminka.
Swedish: Jag är väldigt allergisk mot nötter,vitlök och sesamfrön
I should be set for most travelling destinations now :D
Edit: I now have a shiny plastified card that says all that in my wallet. Squeeee!
Now that's something you don't see every day
I just went to the bathroom for a wee break. When I walked in, a dude was washing his feet in the sink.
Mmmokay.
Musical Memage
I was tagged by ![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
petkatyyazzick
List five songs that you are currently digging – it doesn't matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying right now. Post these instructions and the five songs (with artist) in your blog. Then tag five people to see what they're listening to.
1. Buena Vista Social Club – Chan Chan
2. Jem – Just a Ride
3. Kasabian – Club Foot
4. Coldplay – Fix you
5. Madonna and Kruder & Dorfmeister – Nothing really matters
I tag:
blacksquiggles
suzn
sbourge
raspberrysalmon
kaliko_mel