[Lexicog] stereotypical beliefs and lexicography

[Margarita Correia]

> Do all languages contain derogatory stereotypes about neighbouring
> peoples? ...

In Portugal, we have at least one derogatory expression about Spanish,
our "historical enemies".
We say that "De Espanha, nem bom vento nem bom casamento" (From Spain,
neither good wind nor good marriage").
I don't know if in Brazil they use the same expression or if they have
others (I guess they must have some about Argentina).

We also have several stereotypical expressions about people from other
countries. For instance, we say "Ver-se grego / negro para fazer
qualquer coisa" (Literally: to feel like a Greek / black person to do
something), wich is used to qualify things very difficult to do or very
hard (demanding lots of strenght). Note that the words "grego" and
"negro" in Portuguese have a very similar form.
In the case of grego, the basis of the expression is the written form of
this language (with a different alphabet) and for black people, the
basis is slavery, I guess.

When something is very difficult, very tricky, we usually say "Isso é
chinês para mim" (literally: this is Chinese for me).

These are only some examples. We have much more.

Have a nice time.

Margarita Correia

margarita-c at netcabo.pt


-----Mensagem original-----
De: Peter Kirk [mailto:peterkirk at qaya.org] 
Enviada: segunda-feira, 21 de Fevereiro de 2005 12:18
Para: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
Assunto: Re: [Lexicog] stereotypical beliefs and lexicography



On 20/02/2005 17:27, Patrick Hanks wrote:

> Oho! Lexicographylist has woken up again!
>  



Maybe not. I can't think of any lexicalised examples in Azerbaijani, 
although they can be very rude about their neighbours. I wonder if that 
is because relations are too close to open warfare. I note that these 
expressions in English are not so often about modern enemies as about 
old ones, like the French, the Dutch and the Scots. I suspect a 
graduation from open warfare to residual hatred to stereotyping with 
such expressions to the lexicalisation and wider application of such 
expressions.

> ... The recent discussion of "Dutch courage", etc. provided 
> some interesting examples. Does Dutch have derogatory expressions 
> involving "English"?  Or is Dutch stereotypically more polite -- or 
> more parochial -- than English?


Just ask them how they stereotype the Belgians!

> ... the English stereotype for 'oasis' is that oases are calm. 
> tranquil, quiet, and green ... But my much-travelled colleague 
> Christiane Fellbaum tells me that in reality oases are typically 
> noisy, smelly, dirty places full of bustling people and honking 
> trucks.  About the only things that a stereotypical oasis in English 
> has in common with the real thing, it seems, is that it's found in a 
> desert and has water!
>  

But is this because the reality of the oasis has changed more quickly 
than the image? A century ago there would have been no honking trucks, 
and probably in most cases a lot less people. And there certainly are 
still tranquil oases in some places.

-- 
Peter Kirk
peter at qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk at qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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