The language trap

This topic was created by Euro
[Wed 19 May, 22:09 Tasmanian Standard Time]

While living in Bahrain, I was warned not to go to a shop to
buy a zipper and ask for a zip, as this was too much like
the arabic word for the male organ (zib).

Do you guys have any more tips on words to avoid when out
travelling? or funny stories about words NOT avoided in
time?

[There are 41 posts - the latest was added on Tue 25 May, 14:20]

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  1. when? Added by: Nash
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:16 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    on what occaision would anyone need to buy a zip? are you a
    dressmaker?



  2. Totally off topic, but Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:27 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Bahrain it was cheaper to have clothes made than buy them
    ready-made. You had to buy all the bits and give them to the
    tailor.



  3. I dunno Added by: Truffledog
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:35 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    but I had a friend in Italy (english-speaking) who would
    every day go to the local bar and ask for a 'succo di
    pompinello' much to the amusement of the bar staff. He
    wanted a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, or a 'succo di
    pompelmo', but what came out means literally pump juice and
    you can just imagine what that means....
    No-one corrected him, why ever waste a good laugh at
    someone else's expense (-:



  4. Spanish Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:38 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Way back in my youth, my cousin and I stayed at a hotel
    called Hotel 33 (rules there were that if you were over 33
    and a guest, you weren't allowed to complain about noise,
    etc). Some spanish guys managed to convince my cousin that
    33 in Spanis was "tracca-tracca". She thought this sounded
    great and proceeded to say it rather loudly one evening at a
    rather fancy restaurant. No wonder the other patrons were
    staring at her! Turned out "tracca-tracca" was slang for
    "the act"!



  5. Yeah! Added by: Truffledog
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:42 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You've always got to be somewhat skeptical of words that
    repeat themselves such as tracca-tracca or niki-niki etc.
    many times they tend to refer to 'the act'.....



  6. Totally off topic again Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:47 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Just wanted to say that its really nice to see you again,
    Truff. Was wondering where you had gotten to!



  7. While working as a doorman in a Corfu nightclub Added by: Cloutty
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:47 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    I sent girls down to the bar to see Yanis (the owner) for
    'free puzza' telling them it was greek for pizza, it is
    infact a greek slang name for the male genetalia. It put a
    smile on his face, and it was quite amusing to watch !!



  8. I have one: Added by: jogunn
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 22:57 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    "sex", which as all of you know means "sex" in English. In
    Icelandic (Danish, Sweedish, Norwegian and Faeroese) it
    means "six". It is also used as slang word in the English
    meaning. No problem, except I heard a story about some
    Icelandic tourists in Spain who were warned agains using
    the word in its Icelandic meaning, because it migh attract
    the wrong kind of people.



  9. Two words Added by: Sally
    [Timestamp: Wed 19 May, 23:04 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Turkey we were told to avoid 'peach' and 'sick'. At worl we had to say we were 'ill', not sick....which took some getting used to for the aussies there. The Brits didn't have as much trouble. 'Sikmek' is the Turkish infinitive for having sexual intercourse, so it was best not to tell the boss you were absent having sex! (especially if you were!) Peach sounds like the word fot bastard (or prick).

    The Turkish word for bread is ekmek, for man erkek. A beautiful female colleague went into a bakery one day and asked for a 'hot man'.



  10. #3 Added by: tRE
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 0:28 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    "Traca-traca" as "the act" is only used by tacky spanish
    people over 60. Who you hanged with?



  11. Round Town Added by: Karlo
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 0:46 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Indonesia, if you go to a small village as a traveller,
    it's a common courtesy to check in with the village head, or
    "kepala desa". I was amused to hear an Aussie traveller ask
    to see the "kelapa desa", which would be "village coconut".



  12. ummmm.. Added by: becca
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 0:48 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Turkey, we were told not to say um, as apparently it
    means vagina (aah, run, the abc censors are coming!). Don't
    see how anyone could completely avoid saying um though. A
    lot of the turkish guys (in the tourist area of Istanbul)
    clearly expected us to be very slutty anyway, so I doubt it
    affected their impression of us.



  13. Sometimes in the same language Added by: Franτois (flasalle@cldvs.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 1:20 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    We French Canadians have endless fun with the differences in
    slang terms between Canada french and France french - in
    France they use "gosses" as slang for "kids" - but here the
    same word means testicles. It really made my day when some
    guy from France would come up to one of my friends and ask
    if he had "gosses"... Them fightin' words ! ;- )



  14. I'm mad I am. Added by: Colin from the Fast Show (I'manalienI'manalienI'manalien.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 2:23 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Several years ago I had some mates over from Marseilles,
    who, obviously were French. Despite that I enjoyed their
    company and we all got along famously. While driving one day
    I was attempting to describe to them why my old man suffers
    from migraine headaches. His migraines are triggered by
    monosodium glutamate (MSG) in foods. As you may know MSG is
    a preservative and as we were chatting in the car I didn't
    have time to go for a french/english dictionnary so I said
    (in french), "MSG is a preservative that is put in many
    things and when my Dad eats said things, he suffers from
    migraines." (I'm almost done, honest.) As some of you may
    know the word "preservative" in french means condom, or
    birth control, so I was explaining to these poor people that
    my father got migraine headaches from eating food with birth
    control in it. Guess you had to be there, I'll get my coat.



  15. French faux pas Added by: Yank
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 4:31 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Couple of episodes whilst living in gay Paree...
    When learning a language it's natural to do a word-for-word
    translation of your native language to the one you want to
    speak. Going from English to French it's fine to translate
    "I am cold" to "Je suis froid", but if you try that with "I
    am hot" it means hot in a sexual way...
    On the bizarre side, I met a Lebanese who had never been to
    America but opened a Tex-Mex bar in Paris. He couldn't
    figure out what he was doing wrong...so I offered him some
    advice, like don't sell hamburgers as a piece of meat
    open-face on a slice of white bread. It took me a year to
    convince him to sell American-style potato skins, but they
    turned out to be his biggest seller. I finally figured out
    the problem was in the translation...potato skins translates
    as "potato peelings", not exactly appetizing, c'est pas?



  16. French Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 4:56 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    This wasn't while travelling, but the last post reminded me
    of a funny translation in French class. Do NOT translate the
    English "hair-do" into French as "cheveux faire"!



  17. Another one... Added by: Franτois (flasalle@cldvs.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 6:12 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    This anglophone engineer was working mith my girlfriend on a
    consulting project in an iron mine in northern QuΘbec. He
    was trying to explain that he wanted to examine the crusher
    and the drillhead. He only knew drillhead was "foreuse", so
    he used that and translated crusher directly in french.
    Unfortunately it came out that he wanted to see "le crosseur
    et la fourreuse", i.e. "the masturbator and the screwing
    woman". Great way to start a professional relationship !



  18. J'aime Added by: Heebeejee
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 8:23 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    The Jewish boys took endless amusement in high school saying "J'aime le cous-cous," which does not mean "I like Arabic durum wheat dishes." Apparently cous-cous in Hebrew means a delicious, wet vagina.
    Same with kiki in Arabic. Is that true? To all the girls named Ki-ki, bonne chance.



  19. In Thailand Added by: Dawit
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 9:51 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    it's easy to confuse k'luay and kluay. One means banana and one means penis. I can't remember which is which, so I'd better do some studying before I return.
    BTW kluay is pronounced more like "gluay", but as it's often transliterated with a "k" so English speakers tend to pronounce it as such.

    I traveled for several weeks through northern Mexico with an Argentinian. He was constantly having to restrain himself from bursting into laughter because many of the words or expressions he heard meant something particularly obscene in Argentina (sexual or (or more likely AND) religious connotations). I believe the Argentinians must have one of the most colourful and obscenity-rich dialects in the world, and intend on researching this further when time permits.



  20. Spunk Rat Added by: xs
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 14:04 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Australia, Spunk is a slang word for "luscious" or
    "beautiful". ie she's a spunk
    In England, spunk means the stuff that comes out of a
    blokes thing at the climax of sex.
    So, don't call an English girl a spunk rat...



  21. Euro Added by: Gunilla
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 16:34 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You may be able to correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand
    that the verb "pula" in Norwegian is slang for sexual
    intercourse, whereas it means a completely different thing
    in Swedish (more like a non-descript way of saying that
    you're fixing something).
    ---
    Anyway, in Stockholm I have seen the van of a plumbing
    business called "R÷rpularen". It always makes me smile to
    think of the reactions it might get in Norway.



  22. Refreshing drink Added by: Canuck
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 17:18 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Here in Korea, my roommate nad I burst out laughing in the
    juice section of the supermarket. There was a new brand of
    juice called, (I kid you not) COOLPIS. There was apple
    flavoured and peach flavoured Coolpis. Feeling thirsty? How
    about a refreshing glass of Coolpis?



  23. funny names Added by: shirlita
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 17:59 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Argentina Concha means vagina, but elsewhere it's just
    the spanish word for shell. I got my Argentina friend
    furious by calling her Conchita!
    Also once I was watching a Spanish movie w/ my boyfriend,
    who's mexican. The character's name was Pepa (almodovar
    film) and in Mexico Pepa means--you guessed it!--vagina! We
    were in stiches!



  24. Chinese is a tonal language Added by: Dingo
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 18:56 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    and it can get you in trouble. Mandarin has 4 tones, so one
    word said using a different tone will have a different
    meaning. For example Bi and Bi. When said using one tone
    (forget which one) it means a pen, when said using a
    differnt tone means a women's vagina. So be careful when
    you next use Mandarin to ask to borrow a pen, or asking
    asking someone to stop sucking your pen. I used to ask the
    nice immagration officer's for their pen when filling in
    forms and gathered by their smiles I had said it wrong.



  25. Gunilla Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 19:38 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You are VERY RIGHT! Except we spell it "pule" ... I got a
    very good laugh indeed at "r°rpuleren"!!! (for the
    non-scandinavians, that would make this plumber a
    pipe-fu**er!) LOLOL!!!



  26. Vietnamese goes a long way... Added by: Cush (jmlevet@hotmail.com)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 20:38 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Same area, different language : vietnamese seems all the
    more difficult to understand for western people because of
    its 7 (!) differents tones.My story is not about sex (could
    be) but anyway it's quite a good example of the
    understanding-problems you can get there : Moea can be
    written with 5 differents accents, and spoken with 7
    differents tones you could never distinguish.It can also
    mean "buy", "mosquito", "10", "rain", "nose"...All in all,
    and no matter what you try to express, you sure will be
    answered "Yes" by vietnamese people !



  27. British/American Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 20:44 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    English isn't "just" English either!

    FAG in US is a gay man - FAG in UK is a cigarette.

    To BUGGER in US is to wreck or hurt (I buggered my thumb)
    while in UK it is to commit a homosexual act. (my 7th grade
    teacher in Canada, a Brit, made sure we looked the word up!)

    Also a SUBWAY is different - in US it is an underground
    train - in UK it is simply an underground passage to get
    from one side of a busy street to the other.



  28. GOOD FART ? Added by: JAN (JANNEMANI@HOTMAIL:COM)
    [Timestamp: Thu 20 May, 21:07 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    GERMANS WILL SAY "GUTE FAHRT" WHEN WISHING YOU A SAFE AND
    PLEASANT JOURNEY - TO ENGLISH SPEAKERS THIS IS HILARIOUS
    AS IT SOUNDS LIKE THEM WISHING YOU GOOD FARTS AND SPLENDID
    DIGESTION !



  29. test for uni Added by: bob
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 0:03 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    This is a text for a uni project



  30. Berber Faux Pas Added by: Didi
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 1:06 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Morocco, be careful about using the word "zucchini".
    In Berber, it sounds similar to slang for XXX me up the
    butt.



  31. Berber Faux Pas Added by: Didi
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 1:07 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Morocco, be careful about using the word "zucchini".
    In Berber, it sounds similar to slang for XXX me up the
    butt.



  32. Berber Faux Pas Added by: Didi
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 1:07 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Morocco, be careful about using the word "zucchini".
    In Berber, it sounds similar to slang for XXX me up the
    butt.



  33. Malaka! Added by: vic
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 5:29 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    When on holiday in Greece I managed to pick up a couple of
    expressions including 'Malaka' which is Greek for w****er.
    Since returning I have used this word many a time when
    expressing my annoyance with many different people and in
    many different situations.



  34. Malaka! Added by: vic
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 5:42 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    When on holiday in Greece I managed to pick up a couple of
    expressions including 'Malaka' which is Greek for w****er.
    Since returning I have used this word often when expressing
    my annoyance with people in many different situations.
    However during a dinner party at my boyfriends parents
    house he spilled wine all over my dinner and I
    automatically retreated to this phrase. His sister spat her
    dinner out showering all of us with a mouthful of chicken
    and said "Mum she just called him a W****er! I hadn't
    realised that she had holidayed in Greece for the past
    three years.



  35. Spanish Added by: a mexican
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 5:53 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Some parts of Central America a "cerote" is a great
    freind of yours, while in some parts of northern Mexico is a
    piece of shit.
    In Spain "correrse" is a slang used to reffer to the act of
    reaching climax during sexual intercourse, while in Mexico
    is just a word wich can be loosely translated as "running",
    so you might guess all the fun some spaniards had at our
    expense while we were trying to buy a jogging suit.
    In Mexico "cojer" is a slang for having sex, but it┤s also
    the verb "to take", so everyone in Mexico uses the word
    "tomar" wich is another verb that means the same, hence it`s
    really funny to see foreigners asking where can they have
    sex with the bus.



  36. Indian Percussion Added by: Lucas Poznanski (lucas_poznanski@hotmail.com)
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 10:29 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    I'm a professional percussionist based in Edmonton, Canada,
    and am at present planning a visit to the Indian
    subcontinent; particularily India and Nepal. I've been
    fascinated by the intricacies of north Indian classical
    music for some time, and now that the prospect of
    experiencing this culture first-hand is nearing, the
    opportunity to expand my musical expressions to the Tabla
    drums would, with respect to my pursuits, help to realize
    this trip's greatest potential. In my planning, I've come
    upon but one obstacle - the current India guidebook, as far
    as I could see, fails to elaborate in depth where one
    interested in purchasing a pair of Tablas might look. Could
    anybody with a related interest and some applicable
    experience help me?



  37. Lucas Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Fri 21 May, 11:18 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You have posted in a totally wrong place! Go back to the
    main thorn tree site and find a site there with topic area
    India or such. Otherwise, post on the main Your Choice
    board, not inside a thread like here. Good luck!



  38. Pajero Added by: vegeboy
    [Timestamp: Sun 23 May, 19:30 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    A "Pajero" in Australia is the name of a Mitsubishi 4D
    vehicle. However, to a Spanish speaker, a "pajero" is
    literally a "wanker".

    The original ads in Australia for this 4WD vehicle said
    something like "here's is Australia's one and only
    Pajero!". My mate at work (a guy from Argentina) told me
    "no, I think Australia has had plenty of pajero's before
    this one!"



  39. Arabic/English Added by: Euro
    [Timestamp: Mon 24 May, 7:00 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Then you have the story about the headache-tablet that was
    advertised in an Arabic country - with drawings. From left
    to right it was - person looking pained and holding head -
    person taking tablet - person smiling. Trouble is, Arabic is
    written right to left! No WONDER they didn't have much luck
    selling the tablet! (By the way, this is a good thing to
    remember if you are visiting Arabic museums - their
    exhibitions are set up from right to left or anticlockwise.)



  40. Merci beau-cul! Added by: sheldon
    [Timestamp: Mon 24 May, 23:51 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    English speakers have to be really careful when they need to
    differente between the French vowel sounds "ou" and "u" -
    there's an audible difference! You might think that you
    just said "merci beaucoup" (thanks a lot), but in fact it
    might have come out as "merci beau-cul" (thank nice arse!)



  41. Cack vs Kak Added by: sheldon (again)
    [Timestamp: Tue 25 May, 14:20 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In Australia, a slang way to say 'to laugh' is 'to cack'.
    Hence when some people say "I cacked myself!" they actually
    mean "I laughed a lot!". BUT if you say "I cacked myself" to
    a South African who speaks Afrikaans (the word "kak" in
    Afrikaans means "shit"), well they may start to suggest
    where you can get some fresh underwear...




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