[Lexicog] stereotypical beliefs and lexicography

[Patrick Hanks]

So would it be true to say that Pg. "Isso é chinês para mim" = Eng.
"It's all Greek to me" (which means 'incomprehensible')?

"work like a slave / work like a Black" were common expressions
in my youth, but I think they've been driven out by poltical correctness.

Patrick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Margarita Correia" <margarita-c at netcabo.pt>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 11:38 AM
Subject: RE: [Lexicog] stereotypical beliefs and lexicography


>
> > 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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