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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:58 am Post subject: |
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| I had a teenage boy once write " I like to sip my cock". I got him to look the word up and he went bright red. Priceless. He said "No, COKE!!!!" |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:50 am Post subject: Re: good start |
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| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
| Sort of like the word naco although only a true naco would describe it as a virtue. For those who don't know, naco is what you are when you park your vocho in front of a hospital with your windows down and the stereo WAY up, simply because you want the attention. |
If you want to read an extended definition of naco, then check out this site: http://www.angelfire.com/nt/vinformemex/nacos07.html .
A bit of clarification on a post from above, in the expression trabajando como negro para vivir como blanco, I don't think the world negro is used pejoratively. In other words, the standard translation of the Spanish word negro to English is not n*gger. |
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vre
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Posts: 371
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:59 am Post subject: |
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| A student of mine was writing about a carnival and said that everyone eats 'c u n t y floss'! The mind boggled! For you people from the United States of America (wishing not to offend by saying you yanks, ooops er anyway.....) it is cotton candy to you! |
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Cardinal Synn
Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 586
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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| "C u n t y floss", isn't that when you get pubic hair stuck between your teeth? ...S o r r y |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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I mentioned this one in a post a long time ago, I think. The word focus seems to cause lots of problems for non-native speakers here, students and teachers alike. It tends to come out fuk us, which has provided several "interesting" statements made by students and local teachers about a section in each unit of our standard textbook called "Focus on Grammar."
Typical review session:
Me: Before we move on, let's do a quick review of the unit. Any sections that you want to review? What can I do for you?
Student: Fuk us on grammar.
Me: I think the textbook already did that. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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Work like a nigger is a standard English phrase.
I suppose you could translate the whole saying as
work like a nigger to live like a bwana. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Stephen Jones wrote: |
Work like a nigger is a standard English phrase.
I suppose you could translate the whole saying as
work like a nigger to live like a bwana. |
I suppose you could if you wanted to. However, I wouldn't, simply because the Spanish word negro is not used in the pejorative way that n*gger is used in English. Therefore, in my opinion, it wouldn't be an accurate translation.
Back to the original post where the translation was mentioned, I think it would be important in such a situation to point out to the student why it might be to his advantage not to use n*gger in the translation. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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Following you here Ben...
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| I think it would be important in such a situation to point out to the student why it might be to his advantage not to use n*gger in the translation. |
That's the problem the student who used the word had in the first place. I think in the Spanish expression we're both quoting, trabajando como... the use of the word negro is definitely derogatory. The student wanted to conjure up the image of working hard, or slaving (?) away, and chose an expression in Spanish and English to best capture that image, albeit extremely derogatory in American English. It might be socially acceptable here in Mexico to use the expression, but I think it still carries the same image and meaning.
Perhaps I'm straying off topic here and getting a little too fuk us'd on grammar  |
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thelmadatter
Joined: 31 Mar 2003
Posts: 1212
Location: in el Distrito Federal x fin!
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:36 pm Post subject: cracker |
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Missed one... cracker
Ive been told it is from Florida but Im not sure that makes sense.
Ive always been intellectually curious what people called us behind our backs. I asked some of our exchange students back when I was in my masters program at the U of Arizona what they called Americans, white people but many either wouldnt respond or gave something that seemed really mild like *foreign devil* which I had heard of before from Chinese
We discussed *gringo* before on this forum, I think. I think it used to always be bad but not I think it really matters who is saying it to whom and with what intonation and purpose. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
| I think in the Spanish expression we're both quoting, trabajando como... the use of the word negro is definitely derogatory. |
Why do you think that? I'll check into it locally and see what I can come up with. It's a rather commonly used expression here in Yucatan, and I've never had the impression it was used in a derogatory way. The words negro and blanco in themselves are not used as derogatory terms, at least not in Yucatan, when referring to people.
I'm missing your parallel between the two expressions. You said in Spanish the expression conjures up an image of working hard and slaving away. Do you think the word n*gger in American English conjures up an image of working hard and slaving away to most Americans?
Last edited by Ben Round de Bloc on Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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Oh I totally agree...on their own, negro, blanco, moreno...not derogatory at all. But trabajando was the operative word. I'm sure the phrase working like a black man can only be negative and derogatory. I fully understand the history of Mexico and where this would come from - the Moros that the Spanish brought as slaves to the Americas - even if it's not used in any contemporary instance to insult someone.
I liken it to saying something like 'he drinks like a bloody Irishman' or 'he throws the ball like a girl'. The comparison is made to paint an image of all black men as working hard (slaving away - again), or all Irish drinking far too much, or all women not being able to throw a ball.
I know it's not meant as a racial slur in Mexico...but I still think it derogatory. I could never bring myself to say it. |
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guty
Joined: 10 Apr 2003
Posts: 365
Location: on holiday
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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How can people possibly know what "trabajo como..." means to "the Mexicans"?
I have heard many Mexicans say this, I dont believe any of them used as a comment on the reletive work ethics of different peoples and races throughout history, or as a reference to the early slave traders. It was simply meant to imply hard work.
What some posters are guilty of here is imposing their own prejudices onto others, who they clearly think need educating into their own superior way of thought.......
and that not really pc is it? |
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guty
Joined: 10 Apr 2003
Posts: 365
Location: on holiday
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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Guy,
have you ever seen a woman try to throw a ball? |
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guty
Joined: 10 Apr 2003
Posts: 365
Location: on holiday
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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Back to the op
A student told me recently that his
"mother likes to have co ck in the kitchen" |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject: huh? |
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| Quote: |
| How can people possibly know what "trabajo como..." means to "the Mexicans"? |
Not sure what you mean here...? If I have it right, then the answer is to ask a Mexican who uses the phrase?
I've seen lots of women not only try to throw balls, but actually throw them as well. What are you saying here?
| Quote: |
What some posters are guilty of here is imposing their own prejudices onto others, who they clearly think need educating into their own superior way of thought.......
and that not really pc is it? |
I thought we were discussing some of the funny things our students say in the class. Why make it more than it is? |
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