Multi-national cultural expressions and idioms | Golden Skate

Multi-national cultural expressions and idioms

gsk8

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Note: These posts were moved to this thread to avoid further derailment on another thread ;) The below idiom was brought up, but was misunderstood by some other folks who felt it was an insult and/or negative. This is a good learning point that maybe everyone can learn from.

“See you later, alligator” is a catchphrase, a very common American idiom, an expression meaning “goodbye.” The expression became very popular after the song was released in the 1950s (See you Later, Alligator). It was often shortened to “later gator” and the response was “in a while crocodile.”

Google is your friend :)
 

hanyuufan5

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May 19, 2018
Oh wow, talk about a language barrier and/or generation gap! My mother says "see you later, alligator" to me. Definitely not insulting. The "alligator" part is just a cutesy rhyme.
 

TallyT

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Apr 23, 2018
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“See you later, alligator” is a catchphrase, a very common American idiom, an expression meaning “goodbye.” The expression became very popular after the song was released in the 1950s (See you Later, Alligator). It was often shortened to “later gator” and the response was “in a while crocodile.”

Errr.... what? Sorry folks, but as an enthusiastic if amateur linguist, this made me laugh a lot and in public... though I know I'd be just as kerflummoxed by foreign idioms.
 
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NoviceFan

Triple Something-Triple Looping
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“See you later, alligator” is a catchphrase, a very common American idiom, an expression meaning “goodbye.” The expression became very popular after the song was released in the 1950s (See you Later, Alligator). It was often shortened to “later gator” and the response was “in a while crocodile.”

With that, Alligatorgate is settled! :laugh:

(Apologies, that is such a low-hanging fruit, I could not help it.)
 

pearly

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:laugh: :laugh: There was more than one odd report? The Force is strong.

Disclaimer: This is a Star Wars reference, not a reference to possible use of force in training methods. :laugh:
 

NoviceFan

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:laugh: :laugh: There was more than one odd report? The Force is strong.

Disclaimer: This is a Star Wars reference, not a reference to possible use of force in training methods. :laugh:

My goodness. This is the gift that keeps on giving. :laugh:

Disclaimer: Nothing in this post should be construed to refer to any actual gift, including gifts that were not given, such as... a bouquet of flowers :eeking:
 

nussnacker

one and only
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Mar 16, 2019
It reminds me of that time when ISU posted their instagram post when Rika won GPF and they added a caption that she "upset Olympic champion Alina" and foreigners misunderstood it as Alina being upset/sad by Rika's doings =)
And ISU actually had to clarify that post by saying that upset means "unexpectedly win", but I had a good chuckle :laugh2:
 

nussnacker

one and only
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With that, Alligatorgate is settled! :laugh:


(Apologies, that is such a low-hanging fruit, I could not help it.)

You forgot a disclaimer, here you go: :);)

Disclaimer: Low is part of a catchphrase, and not referring to someone's 2A being only 26cm in height :laugh:
 

yume

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Mar 11, 2016
I find the misunderstanding and the expression itself funny. Once i said "muscular tights" while i wanted to say "muscular thighs". English seems maybe easy to native speakers or peolpe who have a very good level, but it isn't so easy for those who don't have english as a native language. And i don't think making jokes about foreigners not properly understanding sentences is that nice....
Or maybe i'm making a mistake about what people are joking about. Maybe it's not about the misunderstanding but about some fans of some people....
 

NoviceFan

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I find the misunderstanding and the expression itself funny. Once i said "muscular tights" while i wanted to say "muscular thighs". English seems maybe easy to native speakers or peolpe who have a very good level, but it isn't so easy for those who don't have english as a native language. And i don't think making jokes about foreigners not properly understanding sentences is that nice....
Or maybe i'm making a mistake about what people are joking about. Maybe it's not about the misunderstanding but about some fans of some people....

That’s it. What I find hilarious is that people (as I understand, there are more than one) would think that one would call Eteri an alligator. Why would anyone do that (call someone an alligator or accuse someone of calling someone an alligator)?

Also, who is a foreigner in the context of this forum?

I don’t understand your last statement.
 
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yume

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Why would anyone do that (call someone an alligator or accuse someone of calling someone an alligator)?

Also, who is a foreigner in the context of this forum?

I don’t understand what your last statement.
By "foreigners" i wanted to say people who aren't native in english or not very good at it. True that saying "foreigners" in an international forum seems odd.
 
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Leonardo

Final Flight
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Feb 17, 2010
“see you later, alligator” is a catchphrase, a very common american idiom, an expression meaning “goodbye.” the expression became very popular after the song was released in the 1950s (see you later, alligator). It was often shortened to “later gator” and the response was “in a while crocodile.”

lmao
 

moriel

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Mar 18, 2015
Completely off: I wonder how ok is to use very culture specific expressions on a multinational forum, regardless of what they mean.

For example this: https://previews.123rf.com/images/o...gn-man-hand-isolated-on-white-background-.jpg
is a wish of good look, and a sign to protect oneself from evil eye in Brazil.
Does it mean I can post pictures of it in competition threads and so on, despite the official description of "mildly obscene"? I mean, my culture sees it as positive, and they even sell fig sign charms <3

Id say this should be open to debate - some things are culture specific and may be seen as rude by other people.
 

LiamForeman

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Completely off: I wonder how ok is to use very culture specific expressions on a multinational forum, regardless of what they mean.

Hmm, I am one who enjoys to learn new things/terms on a multinational forum. Then again, I'm not the quick to be offended type, and try to figure out what it means in a culture, because I assume someone isn't deliberately trying to be offensive. Others are not like that, obviously.
 

TallyT

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Completely off: I wonder how ok is to use very culture specific expressions on a multinational forum, regardless of what they mean.

For example this: https://previews.123rf.com/images/o...gn-man-hand-isolated-on-white-background-.jpg
is a wish of good look, and a sign to protect oneself from evil eye in Brazil.
Does it mean I can post pictures of it in competition threads and so on, despite the official description of "mildly obscene"? I mean, my culture sees it as positive, and they even sell fig sign charms <3

Id say this should be open to debate - some things are culture specific and may be seen as rude by other people.

Problem is - to paraphrase dear Sir Humphrey Appleby - people don't know what they don't know - in that it's often almost impossible to say what, in another culture, might be read askew (with every reason!) and seen as impolite. Trust me, even being a lifelong speaker of both the British and Australian brand of English, I still get pulled up short sometimes by something I didn't even think about but an American or Canadian, let alone an English-as-a-second-language speaker found weird, funny or startlingly rude (rubbers and thongs, they used to get quite a reaction from Americans, and I didn't understand for ages why)

And all languages are drenched in imagery and idioms which we've been using for so long (like, ummm, since we were 4?) that we don't even think if they are culture specific, they are just, well, obvious - like "see ya later alligator" (which of course isn't. You see my point?) Even in translation it's hard... I adore the Polish (I think) expression "not my circus, not my monkeys" but in a different fandom forum saw someone else getting very irate about it because they thought their favourites were being called some sort of ape.

Probably best, if we see something that appears out of order but a little weird (like Eteri and alligators), do a quick google of the phrase you are looking squint-eyed. It's saved me quite a bit of putting my metaphorical foot in it...

(and maybe a separate thread parked somewhere where people who see an expression they don't understand and are curious could ask would be fun?)
 

zounger

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Jan 18, 2017
No. We do not share info on who reports posts nor do we share info on who gets warned and/or infracted ;)

Exactly! That's why I think it could have been better if this reply was directed to them privately. Independently of what their motives were hate, love, English ignorance...

People made fan of them anyway, what's the difference if they just don't know their names...
 

gsk8

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United-States
The point was not to ridicule anyone (which is why names were not used) but to use this as a learning point. As you can see, this has now become a thread of it's own for further discussion so everyone can participate and better understand and embrace different idioms in various countries as this is a multi-cultural forum :)
 

Ulrica

On the Ice
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Mar 22, 2018
I find the misunderstanding and the expression itself funny. Once i said "muscular tights" while i wanted to say "muscular thighs". English seems maybe easy to native speakers or peolpe who have a very good level, but it isn't so easy for those who don't have english as a native language. And i don't think making jokes about foreigners not properly understanding sentences is that nice....
Or maybe i'm making a mistake about what people are joking about. Maybe it's not about the misunderstanding but about some fans of some people....

And that is why, as non native english speakers, one should not jump to the conclusion that a particular phrase could be meant in a offensive way right away. As the poster said, google is your friend.
 

DenissVFan

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Oct 20, 2017
As a non-native English speaker myself, what really irritated me in this whole outrage over the "Kihira upsets Zagitova" caption, was not that some non-native speakers didn't understand it, because obviously not everybody knows every meaning of every word, but that some people openly made fun of using dictionaries before accusing someone of malicious intent. I thought it was common sense. I'm sure I didn't know all the meanings of "upset" some years ago but now it's natural for me to see it in headlines and articles.
 

elbkup

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Great thread!
Could someone identify the meaning of a gesture French pairs skater Morgan Cipres uses often where he crooks his arm at a right angle to his body, closes four fingers against his thumb to form a bird's beak and rubs his fingers together. .. it is usually done after a victory or a good performance.. an expression of deep satisfaction, I think, but I am guessing.. he does it here at 3:35..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6A2_sCgWJac
 
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