Life
8 Funny Translations From Curse Words Overseas
Some curse words are pretty profane, which makes them self explanatory. But sometimes when you're translating swear words from other countries and different languages, something gets lost in translation. So that when you translate curse words from overseas, you're actually left with something more funny than offensive. Although all the words, when spoken in their native countries and tongues, are anything but mild. So if you're looking for some new insults to add to your vocabulary, here are some that will leave people who don't speak the language dumbfounded, and probably not all that offended when they hear the translation. But I assume you'd super offend anyone who did speak the language and understand the full import of the word.
Personally, I think the English language could use some more creative swears. The standard "fuck", "shit", "some kind of human genital" are kind of boring and predictable, right? What about something like "You are a grey hair on a cat's underbelly"? We really can do much better, people. Because it seems like everyone else out there (and I'm really only scraping the very surface here) has taken more creative license with their insults than we are apt to do. Behold: some swears from around the world that have some quite funny translations to English, which makes them seem a little less sweary but no less amazing as insults.
1. "Mince", French, translates to "Skinny!"
Although it may be weird that they're shouting "skinny!", the equivalent is "darn!" in English. Who even says "darn" any more as a swear? I vote we bring it back. It's kind of adorable (not to diminish the French people, who are self-possessed and wonderful and much more than just cute, although "mince" is very cute indeed, in an English speaking context).
2. "Tua mamma bocchinara", Italian, translates to "Your mum's a fluffer"
I mean, I didn't know what a fluffer was, so to me, this was sort of a weird compliment, like your mother is fluffy, which sounds like it would be wonderful and cuddly.
3. "Porca Madonna", Italian, translates to "Pig Madonna"
I like this, because I'm half imagining a pig deity, and half imagining a Miss Piggy/Madonna hybrid.
4. "Silbabot", Amharic, translates to “You are the fatty layer on my warm milk”
Thinking about the worst thing about a good thing, and calling someone that, is a very elaborate way of getting to the point. This particular one is painfully poetic too.
5. "Sjutton också", Swedish, translates to “Seventeen also”
I've been Googling this, but it's fairly unclear as to why this is an insult. Apparently in Swedish it's a fairly bad one.
6. "Tabarnak", Quebec-French, translates to "Tabernacle"
Quebec-French is it's own special thing apparently, with a large variety of worshiping accoutrement related slurs. Literally translated, this makes no sense, but it actually is used to mean "Fuck".
7. "Cabron", Spanish, translates to "Male goat"
Not a female goat. Not a baby goat. Not just any old goat. Very specifically, male goat.
8. "Gey strashe di gens", Yiddish, translates to "Go threaten geese"
I feel like this isn't an insult so much as a weird idea of a thing to do.
