[deleted] · -3 points · Posted at 12:45:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The best singer of all time. Died 2012. Was the lead in the band Suicide Silence. Was Oliver Sykes's cousin(whom is the lead singer of Bring Me The Horizon)
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 14:58:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, it's called "Saffron", but it's not its real name. Nobody knows. It's also claimed "Bridget" or "Yolanda", so we're just gonna call it "Yo-Saff-Bridge"
I actually just watched the episode of QI that covered this today (it was "Hoaxes"). The word used to be noranges or something like that and it came from the Spanish word for the fruit. Like many other words, the n shifted over so instead of "a norange," it became "an orange."
Edit: Also in some climates they actually have green skin.
Edit 2: Did some actual non-TV research and apparently it was almost called norange but the n was dropped by the French.
trebro · 5 points · Posted at 03:13:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
norange is pretty close to naranja if you squint your eyes and do a few shots. Besides, he qualified his statement with "or something like that..." so his spelling could have been off a bit.
trebro · 1 points · Posted at 13:13:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Is "norange" really that far off from naranja? It's a near-cognate, not that far off as languages can go.
trebro · 1 points · Posted at 13:14:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah not too far. Only thing is the ja is pronounced as a Flemmy ha
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 10:36:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orangutans?
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 12:11:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Also, carrots used to be many different colours. "
In the 17th century, Dutch growers cultivated orange carrots as a tribute to William of Orange – who led the the struggle for Dutch independence – and the color stuck. A thousand years of yellow, white and purple carrot history was wiped out in a generation."
He meant to type "bananas." In Europe and even more so in Eastern and Southern Asia, what we refer to as a pineapple is known as "bahnanna" or "banana." I think I heard the names were confused during the War of 1812 when the US began importing pineapples but mislabeled them due to a clerical error and no one has been the wiser since.
The only country? Are you sure? Because Australia is known for its pineapples. We even have The Big Pineapple in Queensland. I've been in it. It was big.
Edit: downvotes despite many countries calling them pineapples, many countries using checks/cheques and the U.S. being one of the only countries NOT using metric.
[deleted] · 27 points · Posted at 07:16:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In swedish you can make new words like this when you need to and they are considered correct even though they're not in a dictionary. You need a word for someone putting together words? In context you could say "ordihopsättare" (word-together-putter) and it would be considered correct swedish. This way of making new words at will is more common in swedish and german I think.
rtyuik7 · 27 points · Posted at 11:32:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
can confirm for german...source: Rhabarberbarbarabarbarbarenbartbarbierbierbarbärbel, or "Barbie, the bartender at the bar, that sells a particular beer, the brand favored by the barber, who cuts the beards worn by the barbarians, who frequent the bar owned by Barbara, who is known for her rhubarb cake"
this works in english, but is limited to a set of affixes and roots with their own set of complex rules. Antidisestablishmentarianism is a valid word in english, but is technically composed of: anti-, dis-, establ (stable), -ish, -ment, -ar (-er/-or (i.e. farmer or doctor)), -ian (-an), -ism
Most affixes are listed in the dictionary, and words are often listed with their root. It's technically a restricted set of words/morphemes, but it's possible to build words this way (auto-moble, tele-venison, etc.)
edit: although, one of said complex rules is usually lining up the proper set of affixes with the linguistically similar set of roots (see:Octopi,Octopuses,Octopodes)
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 08:22:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
As a kid we would half joke about compound words in norwegian, for example, shark = kjempetorsk, crocodile = pansartax, banana = guleböj, band aid = klantetejp, etc
No, i mean that aardvark is not litterally translated to earth pig in dutch Because pig is varken in dutch. They shortened varken to vark, i shortened pig to pi.
Arch27 · 1 points · Posted at 16:54:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Must have picked that up from the Germans. (naming things "descriptor-pig")
German animal names are an endless source of amusement.
Fruit bat = flight dog
Aardvark = soil piglet
Rhino = nose horn
Hippo = river horse
Ibex = rock buck
Edit: Haven't you people ever heard of the difference between Greek and Latin?!
nvolker · 60 points · Posted at 06:46:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Skunk = stink animal
Sloth = lazy animal
Porcupine = spike pig
Squid = ink fish
[deleted] · 30 points · Posted at 08:11:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
d00ns · 2 points · Posted at 13:51:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's actually a misconception. From Yahoo Answers: Pikachu is a combination of ピカピカ pikapika which is Japanese onomatopoeia for sparkle and チューチュー chuuchuu which is the sound of squeaking. Electric mouse would be Dennezumi でんえずみ[電ネズミ]
It's weird, I just saw a program on NHK a few days ago where a girl was trying to say her favorite animal in English and she said "wash bear." And everyone made fun of her, but TIL if she'd said it in German it would have worked.
It's actually a common moniker across many languages interestingly. Looking like a small bear makes enough sense. But the "wash" or sometimes "wet" distinction comes from the fact that raccoons don't really produce enough saliva to comfortably eat a lot of their modern diet. So they often dunk their food in water to soften it when they get the opportunity.
ArmadX · 6 points · Posted at 08:01:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
As far as I know hippopotamus means river horse too, it comes from the Latin for horse (hippo) and river (potamus)
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 12:45:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Greek. Not latin.
Latin would be equus for horse and fluvius for river.
ArmadX · 1 points · Posted at 21:02:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ah of course, I should have got that from French
Zarkei · 2 points · Posted at 11:13:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Swedish names are mostly the same as yours. However, I was very amused when I realized that the Swedish word for "bat" (the animal) translates to "flappy mouse".
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 14:25:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nah, Zug = draft in both the contexts of pulling a load (like a draft horse) or "shut the door there's a draft". Not "rough draft" though - the closest equivalent is Ziehung. That weird connection between draw/pull and ziehen, which look like completely different words but share so many of the same nuanced translations, fascinates me. I'm fun at parties.
Stigwa · 1 points · Posted at 09:48:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
After seeing the thread this sparked, I realised we use the exact same names as you, except that we use Norwegian words. Turtle is for example skilpadde which is not far off from skjoldpadde (shield toad).
“I want to get a job as someone who names kitchen appliances. Toaster, refrigerator, blender.... all you do is say what the shit does, and add "er". I wanna work for the Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute. Hey, what does that do? It keeps shit fresh. Well, that's a fresher....I'm going on break.”
Edit - I should add... not in a particularly antisemitic way, but simply as an observation from somebody living in a jewish part of town that they ALL have them.
[deleted] · 8 points · Posted at 12:49:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I've read most of both webcomics and hadn't noticed that at all - do you have an example of Zach trying to emulate Randall? I haven't noticed xkcd references on SMBC at all, while Zach did a guest comic on xkcd and is also referenced in this comic's hovertext
I don't see how that's referencing xkcd, how is it trying to emulate ? Randall? Edit: sorry, didn't realise votey meant red button comic
double edit: just got the joke :')
from my other reply
CIN33R · -5 points · Posted at 01:18:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
When they were naming vitamins, they must have thought there were going to be way more vitamins than there ended up being.
“Okay, let’s name these: Vitamin A, Vitamin B…okay man, slow down. We’ve got a lot to cover here. B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B12.” Then they got to E and they were like, “We’re pretty much done. We’ve got all those damn B’s. This is embarrassing. Let’s just skip to K and get the hell out of here.”
And finally...
I think they named oranges before they named carrots
Video explains this. They had Vitamins B1-12 at least at one point, but over time some of these were found not to be vitamins or to be different vitamins entirely. The example he gives is B4.
Interestingly, the reason why oranges are named oranges is because people used to not consider orange a color. They used to call it red-yellow until the fruit came along.
fun fact, carrots are not naturally orange, they are usually either yellow, purple or white. as weird as this sounds, orange carrots are the result of an extensive breeding project undertaken by the dutch to honer their nobility, particularly "the duke of orange."
njew · 3 points · Posted at 02:30:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't forget his thing about oranges and carrots!!
Fozism · 7 points · Posted at 03:05:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"What are these?"
"Those are orange. Oranges."
"What about these? "
"Oh shit. Long pointies?"
daqq · 8 points · Posted at 03:17:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It may interest you to know that the fruit orange predates the color orange. Before the fruit, the color was known as yellow-red.
You know what's lazier than fireplace. Chicken wings!
Think about it. They're so lazy to give food the proper name that it ends up just being "wings". I feel bad for the chickens. I were brought up just to die in pieces and served usually in a paper box. Despite their suffrage and ill fated lives, they still don't even deserve a decent name for your indulgence.
[deleted] · 22 points · Posted at 23:31:02 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Suffrage is not what you think it is
[deleted] · 13 points · Posted at 00:42:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Are you saying chickens don't deserve the right to vote?
I don't get ti, they are the wings of a chicken... pretty much every cut of meat is named for where it is cut from the animal or comes from the french original name of the animal
I just don't know how the crazy style of book and footnotes would be able to properly be translated to the big screen. Hm. Possibly Christopher Nolan could co-direct it with Michel Gondry? Maybe.
Oh sweet. Thanks. Is that the room that is 3/8"s of an inch bigger on the inside? Or the one with the hallway? I've had several new doors this week; I guess it's that time of year again!
Used to be the living room would be the largest single room in the house, the one which was used during the day for no particular task other than living life. Kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms (if you had them inside the house), dining rooms, etc. all had specific purposes and were usually much smaller than today's versions.
There's actually some history to this. Back in the day you didn't have a living room, you had a parlor. The parlor was the formal gathering room where you'd sit with friends and family and read, sew, talk, have tea, etc... and when someone in the family died they'd keep the coffin in the parlor for a few days (just to make sure grandpa really was dead and not just sleeping) and then they'd bury them. Then big hospitals become a thing and people stopped dying at home and started dying at the hospital. So funeral parlors came along. Get it? Parlor. So to rebrand the parlor and get rid of the stigma of dead grandma they re-named it the "living room."
A more accurate translation for "Zeug" would be "gear". It's only that the term "gear" is also being used for "stuff"...
edit: "Zeug" in Zaumzeug, Nähzeug, Spielzeug, Rasierzeug, Putzzeug, Werkzeug, Turnzeug, Reitzeug has a different meaning than in Halbzeug, Grünzeug, Leinzeug, Grobzeug etc.
It sounds like it would be "stuff", but it's still "gear". It is used in a similar fashion like you would use "stuff", but the literal meaning remains "gear".
As in "Put your gear away!"
Edit: as I said in the previous comment, the meaning shifts between for example "Zaumzeug" and "Grünzeug".
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 02:46:37 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Computer is also one of the words that tend to be funny in many languages. In Finnish, it's tietokone, literally translated "knowledge machine". It's like a group of shamans found an alien ship and named this mysterious device like that after hauling it to the holy temple.
Nah. Fleder doesn't mean anything, but it could be derived from 'flying'. But we have the sea dog(seal), and a guinea pig is called a Meerschweinchen(tiny sea pig) for some reason.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 03:02:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ah, my mistake, thank you for correcting me. Guinea Pig is also amazing.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 05:06:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I always think of it as flying leather mouse (fliegende leder maus), because of the leather-like texture of the animal's wings.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 12:40:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's really accurate.
I mean biogicallt. They're both rodents.
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 23:14:08 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Netherlands is a pretty lazy name too. It just means all the lower lands together (all the provinces).
But yea, the Netherlands started New York (previously New Amsterdam) which is lazy again. The American got their laziness from the Netherlands I guess.
It's not so much where it came from. That's literally what it means...
[deleted] · 16 points · Posted at 21:59:55 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Canada's name is actually just as lazy. It's the French form of the Iroquoian word for "settlement", "village", or "land". At one point it was just part of New France, then British North America. All lazy names. And our provinces are either super lame like Nova Scotia(New Scotland) or just taken from native words for lakes and rivers. But sometimes they got real original and named them after British People!
Except they all follow the same laws, have the same currency, have no borders and have the same government and also speak the same language (no matter what the welsh may insist).
[deleted] · 27 points · Posted at 21:01:26 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Scotland has its own laws, parliament and money (although to be fair it's just British money with Scottish pictures).
yeah, but if you try to buy a kebab in london with "scottish" pounds you are going to have bad time. i'm pretty sure my money was more english than the guy selling me the kebab...
[deleted] · -6 points · Posted at 19:40:36 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, it is, it's a United Kingdom, so it's a country made up of countries made up of counties.
[deleted] · 12 points · Posted at 20:23:42 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United States of American is a collective name for 50 different states, many (or most) of which are much larger than any of those 4 countries, and each having it's own name, laws, et cetera. What's the difference really?
[deleted] · 8 points · Posted at 02:20:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Soviet Union could have also been called the "United Councils" but the capitalist powers that be were satisfied with the alien-sounding "Soviet" word with the dreaded (to capitalists) word "Union" for the name of the damn red commie motherland.
[deleted] · 6 points · Posted at 20:39:39 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm just saying, in terms of the syntax, the names of the United Kingdom and the United States are identical, so it doesn't matter if it's states or countries that are being united. If one were to argue that the United Kingdom does not fit in the same category name-wise because the things it is uniting is one step of organization higher than the other, they would be in error.
Politely yours,
MyName
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 21:05:22 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's technically 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' but we just shorten it to 'United Kingdom' like 'United States of America' is shortened to 'United States' or 'The States'.
[deleted] · 11 points · Posted at 23:53:11 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
What does this conversation have to do with fireplaces?
[deleted] · 7 points · Posted at 02:23:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
A "fireplace" could also be called "The United Blazing Logs of House" perhaps.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 11:34:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hey I like it. I think I will start referring to my fireplace as that.
United Kingdom is short for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", it's much more specific/less lazy when taken as the whole name.
ArmadX · 1 points · Posted at 08:14:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thank you for remembering that it's Northern Ireland that is part of the UK and not Ireland in general.
On a separate note, I assume you're a brit from your username?
Not the same thing. All those countries have their own states as well.
[deleted] · 10 points · Posted at 20:31:34 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah, and each state has a smaller level of organization, and each of those a smaller level of organization. It's just magnified by one power, essentially. Also, the issue being discussed is the nomenclature being literal. The US is a union of states that make a country, the UK is a union of countries that make a kingdom. Linguistically they have the same type of name, so I don't know why it matters if it's countries, states, nations, emirates. It's all equally literal.
parts of greenland are also desert, artic desert, but still desert. i was amused when i discovered that stores sell fake snow in Greenland of all places, but it turns out they don't get much. that's one of the reasons that the former US runway there is one of the most reliable in the world, it's rarely ever closed by weather.
Amerigo. His name was Amerigo Vespucci. And he was technically a Cartographer. I will admit that cartographer is a mapmaker though. I just wanted to say cartographer. Cartographer.
Well, technically, Canada is an Iroquoian word: "kanata", meaning “village”.
Source: A Part of Our Heritage commercials in the 80s and 90s
Joon01 · 1 points · Posted at 04:13:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United Arab Emirates. The United Mexican States. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
Damn near every country has "Republic of" or "Kingdom of" in their name. They're just generally shortened.
Seriously almost every country follows the formula of "Description of Structure" and then "Name." What the hell are you talking about? Just because the only one you know is America doesn't mean that's the only one.
I know, whoever called us the United Kingdom was so creative.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 13:59:58 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
This country as a whole is "America", which is a pretty majestic name. It's formal name is derived from the fact that it is a federal republic consisting of 50 separate but united "states". All fifty of our states have fairly unique or culturally/historically significant names.
Is England/Scotland/Ireland/Deutschland/Zhongguo(Middle country/China)/etc any less lazy?
But with the U.S. you don't have to worry about your country being called something in your host language but something else to the rest of the world.
E.G. The rest of the world calls Germany "Germany." Germans themselves internally refer to their country as "Deutschland," and this apparent even on their own cartography. If you buy a map of the world or of Europe in Germany, it will show as Deutschland. If you buy a map in the U.S.., then the anglicized names will be shown.
This confusion initially led to Deutschland or the language Deutsch (German) mistaken as "Dutch" by some dumb fucks in earlier colonial times.
Because there is only one country in the world that has the word "America" in it.
Also, there are two continents: North and South America. A Canadian is North American, a Mexican is North American, a Brazilian is South American, but none of them are just plain American.
Does it really drive you nuts? Or did you kind of just see someone else saying that online, thought to yourself, "Oh yeah, that's true," then repeated it ever since?
It's not like it's even causing a problem. How often would you generalize that many people at once anyway? Why wouldn't you specify which part of the Americas you're talking about? North, South, Central?
It's a nonissue that people, for some reason, won't let go.
As Neil Tyson once said, leave it to the astrophysicists to name things, and you will get simply named things, i.e. "Black Hole" or "Big Bang."
[deleted] · 30 points · Posted at 23:05:54 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or as Calvin would like it called 'The horrendous space kablooey!'
[deleted] · 21 points · Posted at 00:45:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't I've ever seen someone call him "Neil Tyson." It's alway "Neil deGrasse Tyson." It took me a few seconds to realize who you were talking about.
Idk Tolkien is pretty rare isn't it? But yeah, I'd have to think
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 02:58:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Just Tolkien is obvious, even written as John Tolkien I could probably figure it out quickly, but if you asked me verbally who John Tolkien was I would probably have to really think about it for a minute.
No. Dutch nationalism for William of Orange explains carrots. They used to be all different colours but now you have to hunt out the old seeds to grow them.
That's because we were purchased from Mexico and there is strong Hispanic heritage so we kept our name and added new to it. If you think about it new Mexico was inhabited and part of Mexico for a very long time before it was ever a state
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 02:25:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Now I imagined a damn lazy lord who is always asked what to name new things. And then this one day day he was way to lazy and didn't even thought of something :D
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 05:29:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 00:46:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Actually, we do that kinda stuff all the time. I'd guess 60-70% of German nouns are made like that! and the cool thing is, if you don't have a word for something! you just take a few other words and put them together.
My German friend once asked "what's the name for that thing that you put the hot water in, it's rubber, and it stays hot? Like if you're sick?" Me: "uhh ... it's a hot water bottle." She was displeased.
Given that fire is one of the oldest pieces of technology we learned to harness, it makes sense that it would have a very simple name, without modern euphemism.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 02:39:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Come hang in Australia.
We got a Great Sandy Desert, exactly what you'd expect a desert to be.
There's a much smaller one in Victoria called the Little Desert.
Mountain range called the Blue Mountains. Off shoot of the Great Dividing Ranges which divides the interior from the East coast.
There's also some Snowy Mountains in the area, get's a bit of snow.
Someone found a reef off the coast, a big one. Made a barrier. Called the Great Barrier Reef.
We got a Northern Territory up in the North. The Capital Territory in Australia is called the A.C.T. The Australian Capital Territory.
New York, New England, New Jersey, Newfoundland, New Chitose, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Wales, New Chester, New Durham, New Wiltshire, New Norfolk, New Cambridge, Cambridge (because New Cambridge was already taken in America), New Hertford... Just off the top of my head
2-1-5 · 1 points · Posted at 06:46:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The big black open area in the sky with all the stars.
csmark · 1 points · Posted at 08:48:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What do you do on that?
You sit.
We'll call it a seat then! Good day!
Wait! You can lay back and recline on this one. Any ideas what we should call it?
Hmm...how about "recliner?"
Once while playing pictionary, I blurted out "airplane landing field." "Runway" was correctly said by the other players, who didn't even need to see their partners' drawings after what I said.
I was playing pictionary in HS with my gf and her family. I drew a bat, and a man. And nobody got it <_<
2nd roto, I get Alfred Hitchcock. So I drew fettucini alfredo, a vehicle hitch, and a cock. And still nobody got it and it definitely took away some of the brownie points I had earned earlier <_<
btao · 1 points · Posted at 11:39:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'd guess most names came that way from their original languages. Orange-orange for example. What about ancient languages where the words were pictures of the thing. In time the word just gets flair to sound cool, masking the simplicity of the original.
How about the sloth. it's not even trying to make up for it's lack of motivation or the fact that its name is one of the 7 deadly sins...SLOTH! I mean even "laziness" looks cooler wit the Z and double S thing going on....sloth.
Saved comment
colejosephhammers · 1136 points · Posted at 20:52:02 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
"What should we call that thing that's eating ants?"
"anteater. BOOM, next animal"
Ixolich · 455 points · Posted at 02:38:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Okay, how about this one? It flies."
"Call it a fly."
XylophoneSkellington · 166 points · Posted at 03:47:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The fly was almost called the Land, because that's what it does the rest of the time.
ilovelucidity · 35 points · Posted at 07:20:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
R.i.p. mitch
[deleted] · -3 points · Posted at 11:28:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mitch Lucker never forget :_
ILiPsLidE · 1 points · Posted at 12:20:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mitch who?
[deleted] · -3 points · Posted at 12:45:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The best singer of all time. Died 2012. Was the lead in the band Suicide Silence. Was Oliver Sykes's cousin(whom is the lead singer of Bring Me The Horizon)
ILiPsLidE · 2 points · Posted at 12:47:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I know who he is, I was just making a (bad) joke.
rockmetler · 1 points · Posted at 14:51:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
that last part is hilariously wrong.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 07:29:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
this could be its own /r/Showerthoughts post
GerardofRiverton · 12 points · Posted at 07:47:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mitch Hedberg is /r/showerthoughts
HobbitofUC · 1 points · Posted at 19:08:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
If I had gold to give, it'd be for this statement.
Vinlan · 2 points · Posted at 10:22:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What do you call a fly without wings? A walk.
darksmile666 · 0 points · Posted at 10:45:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
If you pull the wings off a fly, does it become a walk?
Hansmat · 2 points · Posted at 15:10:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What's a Bottle-O
[deleted] · 316 points · Posted at 00:21:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What are these?
Those are orange... oranges.
How about these?
Oh shit... long pointies?
vwhipv · 268 points · Posted at 00:32:03 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
the color was named after the fruit
[deleted] · 62 points · Posted at 00:37:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'd actually heard that one before! I guess it was just red-yellow or something before. I was just posting another relevant Demetri Martin joke.
XylophoneSkellington · 32 points · Posted at 03:46:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yellow-red. Geolorud I think.
Alethiometer_AMA · 0 points · Posted at 21:50:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't know what the correct answer is but it's not that, your comment is the first google result.
XylophoneSkellington · 1 points · Posted at 02:15:51 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(word)
HelperBot_ · 1 points · Posted at 02:16:09 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Non-Mobile link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(word)
HelperBot_™ v1.0 I am a bot. Please message /u/swim1929 with any feedback and/or hate. Counter: 5625
xmotorboatmygoatx · 19 points · Posted at 06:02:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Old english calls the color orange "saffron" or simply "yellow-red" (source: vsauce)
hellforkitty · 1 points · Posted at 08:17:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm just mad about saffron
cammyjew · 2 points · Posted at 08:54:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Saffrons mad about me-e
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 14:58:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, it's called "Saffron", but it's not its real name. Nobody knows. It's also claimed "Bridget" or "Yolanda", so we're just gonna call it "Yo-Saff-Bridge"
Miamime · 6 points · Posted at 03:47:58 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It was on TIL the other day.
Dumblydoe · 1 points · Posted at 03:17:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm watching his "if I" right now
Reddichu9001 · 1 points · Posted at 10:09:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange you gonna show us the joke?
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 10:38:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No everything was b&w before 1950
A_Cunning_Plan · 12 points · Posted at 04:48:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
And carrots used to be purple
subwaysx3 · 2 points · Posted at 05:07:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Still are in my garden
ShiggledyDiggledy · 1 points · Posted at 14:13:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thanks, France!
kickingtenshi · 1 points · Posted at 04:46:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
So the real slacker was the person who named the colour orange. :\ Go figure.
Phnglui · 1 points · Posted at 08:22:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nah it used to be considered a shade of red. Just like how green used to be considered a shade of blue (and still is in many languages).
Pineapplenazi · 1 points · Posted at 06:35:54 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The chicken came before the egg
GothicToast · 1 points · Posted at 11:49:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
And oranges aren't really orange.
I_Think_Im_Confused · 1 points · Posted at 14:49:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Is that why nothing rhymes with it?
Wolfey1618 · 54 points · Posted at 06:04:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What's this hole in my ass...?
Some kind of... Ass-hole...?
SpoopsThePalindrome · 2 points · Posted at 10:51:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fun fact: no word in the English language rhymes with "orange."
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 16:55:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about that one synonym for gullible? Chornge or something?
MrMustangg · 2 points · Posted at 02:44:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
I actually just watched the episode of QI that covered this today (it was "Hoaxes"). The word used to be noranges or something like that and it came from the Spanish word for the fruit. Like many other words, the n shifted over so instead of "a norange," it became "an orange."
Edit: Also in some climates they actually have green skin.
Edit 2: Did some actual non-TV research and apparently it was almost called norange but the n was dropped by the French.
trebro · 5 points · Posted at 03:13:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Naranja is the Spanish world for orange
Sociopathic_Pro_Tips · 2 points · Posted at 07:37:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
norange is pretty close to naranja if you squint your eyes and do a few shots. Besides, he qualified his statement with "or something like that..." so his spelling could have been off a bit.
trebro · 1 points · Posted at 13:13:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah I know I was just helping the guy out
togro20 · 1 points · Posted at 11:25:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Is "norange" really that far off from naranja? It's a near-cognate, not that far off as languages can go.
trebro · 1 points · Posted at 13:14:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah not too far. Only thing is the ja is pronounced as a Flemmy ha
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 10:36:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orangutans?
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 12:11:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Also, carrots used to be many different colours. "
In the 17th century, Dutch growers cultivated orange carrots as a tribute to William of Orange – who led the the struggle for Dutch independence – and the color stuck. A thousand years of yellow, white and purple carrot history was wiped out in a generation."
RobinBankss · -1 points · Posted at 03:27:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Oranges had another name. USA is the only country to call ananas "pineapples" (and use checks for banking, and the metric system...)
EDIT: English is the only language that calls them pineapples.
franktopus · 6 points · Posted at 03:50:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What.
NyQuilneatwaterback · -6 points · Posted at 04:05:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
He meant to type "bananas." In Europe and even more so in Eastern and Southern Asia, what we refer to as a pineapple is known as "bahnanna" or "banana." I think I heard the names were confused during the War of 1812 when the US began importing pineapples but mislabeled them due to a clerical error and no one has been the wiser since.
HerboIogist · 7 points · Posted at 04:13:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No he didn't. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananas
HelperBot_ · 2 points · Posted at 04:14:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Non-Mobile link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananas
HelperBot_™ v1.0 I am a bot. Please message /u/swim1929 with any feedback and/or hate. Counter: 5341
Heathenforhire · 5 points · Posted at 04:52:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The only country? Are you sure? Because Australia is known for its pineapples. We even have The Big Pineapple in Queensland. I've been in it. It was big.
disambiguationuk · 0 points · Posted at 09:54:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I've also seen a big mango, a big crab and my favourite, big kangaroo with terrifying glowing red eyes. It was big and terrifying.
Heathenforhire · 0 points · Posted at 10:37:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
There's a big prawn and a big banana too.
disambiguationuk · 0 points · Posted at 12:56:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
And everybody loves Keno in Queensland!
intro2womenslasers · 1 points · Posted at 09:34:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
What the. Wrong on most counts.
Edit: downvotes despite many countries calling them pineapples, many countries using checks/cheques and the U.S. being one of the only countries NOT using metric.
darksmile666 · 0 points · Posted at 10:46:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Gotta love Dimitri Martin.
SirCatMaster · 30 points · Posted at 01:08:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It keeps things fresh so that's a fresher. I'm going on break.
Jenneva86 · 9 points · Posted at 05:00:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh Mitch. How I miss you.
The_Natural_climber · 1 points · Posted at 17:10:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Obligatory Mitch Hedberd upvote
SirCatMaster · 2 points · Posted at 18:45:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"I didn't lose an arm in Vietnam to make you guys hotdogs"
"Mitch you're not missing an arm"
"Like I said, I didn't not lose an arm in Vietnam"
shirosbutthole · 96 points · Posted at 00:17:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
thats how german works to some degree
herrmister · 168 points · Posted at 03:16:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's how every language works. English just has a lot of latinate/greek loan words, but if you could break those down it would be the same thing.
E.g. Hippo= Horse, Potamus=River. Tele= Far, Vision=Deer meat.
CaptainMoonman · 68 points · Posted at 05:07:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Television=Far away deer meat
IggyZ · 2 points · Posted at 13:04:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The best sort of helpless prey!
kflapp · 115 points · Posted at 03:26:58 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Uh... Venison...
ironcrotch · 133 points · Posted at 05:05:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mmm televenison
[deleted] · 27 points · Posted at 07:16:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In swedish you can make new words like this when you need to and they are considered correct even though they're not in a dictionary. You need a word for someone putting together words? In context you could say "ordihopsättare" (word-together-putter) and it would be considered correct swedish. This way of making new words at will is more common in swedish and german I think.
rtyuik7 · 27 points · Posted at 11:32:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
can confirm for german...source: Rhabarberbarbarabarbarbarenbartbarbierbierbarbärbel, or "Barbie, the bartender at the bar, that sells a particular beer, the brand favored by the barber, who cuts the beards worn by the barbarians, who frequent the bar owned by Barbara, who is known for her rhubarb cake"
TheInternetHivemind · 2 points · Posted at 20:22:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I call bullshit.
ShillinTheVillain · 2 points · Posted at 21:31:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think you mean bulbubulbillbuscheisse.
xerxesbeat · 8 points · Posted at 08:39:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
this works in english, but is limited to a set of affixes and roots with their own set of complex rules. Antidisestablishmentarianism is a valid word in english, but is technically composed of: anti-, dis-, establ (stable), -ish, -ment, -ar (-er/-or (i.e. farmer or doctor)), -ian (-an), -ism
Most affixes are listed in the dictionary, and words are often listed with their root. It's technically a restricted set of words/morphemes, but it's possible to build words this way (auto-moble, tele-venison, etc.)
edit: although, one of said complex rules is usually lining up the proper set of affixes with the linguistically similar set of roots (see:Octopi,Octopuses,Octopodes)
BoxOfSnoo · 2 points · Posted at 14:21:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Octopi is linking two linguistically dissimilar word fragments. The -i suffix is Latin whereas the rest of the word is not. The other two are correct.
Of course, you probably knew this already...
SorasNobody · 2 points · Posted at 08:12:54 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Danish and norwegian too.
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 08:22:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
As a kid we would half joke about compound words in norwegian, for example, shark = kjempetorsk, crocodile = pansartax, banana = guleböj, band aid = klantetejp, etc
stargirl2015 · 1 points · Posted at 23:29:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
amazing
[deleted] · 16 points · Posted at 06:47:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
mixture_model · 20 points · Posted at 08:25:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The animal comes from English while the food comes from French.
Uberzwerg · 10 points · Posted at 09:59:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
because the English were the ones who handled the animals while the French were the ones eating them.
Back when the french ruled England.
Brave2heart4 · 37 points · Posted at 08:04:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's called poultry...
no_this-is_patrick · 16 points · Posted at 09:29:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Poultry also includes turkey, duck and goose meat.
kaosChild · 2 points · Posted at 16:45:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Vache viande? Non, c'est bœuf. Cochon viande? Non, c'est porc. Poulet viande? Non, c'est poulet. Merci mon dieu.
Young_Aria · 3 points · Posted at 07:58:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I love you
Spinzzz · 2 points · Posted at 12:13:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ohhhh so that's where "vision" came from..
AFK42 · 2 points · Posted at 14:59:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Wait... I was with you through the river horse... then ... exactly what happened to this explanation?
avenuesouth · 1 points · Posted at 05:32:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
German hippopotamus is Nilpferd which is Nile horse so makes sense
TrackXII · 1 points · Posted at 06:26:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Huh, I remember Ultron saying something about organic material being able to bond with the Vibranium. Never knew he used deer meat.
pictures_at_last · 1 points · Posted at 13:21:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
rhino-ceros = nose-horn
sclero-phyll = hard-leafed (eucalyptus)
sesquipedalian = one-and-a-half-foot-long
platy-pus = flat-foot
dia-rrhoea = through-flow
tele-phone = far-sound
phono-graph = sound-writer
Rexamicum · 1 points · Posted at 07:05:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I found this far too funny to not tell you. Good job squire.
nvolker · 26 points · Posted at 06:36:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Pretty much
shirosbutthole · 1 points · Posted at 11:21:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
man truthahn are dangerous animals
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 08:50:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Zug is zug because it goes zug zug zug
crazywoj · 16 points · Posted at 21:53:35 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
aardvark*
libc · 39 points · Posted at 22:17:04 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
which is earth pig in Dutch
ditisthomas · 5 points · Posted at 00:20:13 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
More like earth pi?
vonmonologue · 2 points · Posted at 12:53:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Pretty sure Pi is the same no matter which planet you're on.
ditisthomas · 1 points · Posted at 20:23:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No, i mean that aardvark is not litterally translated to earth pig in dutch Because pig is varken in dutch. They shortened varken to vark, i shortened pig to pi.
Arch27 · 1 points · Posted at 16:54:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Must have picked that up from the Germans. (naming things "descriptor-pig")
KampalaReal · 1 points · Posted at 13:28:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Aadvark sounds cool. Ant eater sounds.....not so cool
thedaytuba · 2 points · Posted at 03:20:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I want a job at the Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute.
What does this do?
Well, it keeps things fresh.
Then that's a Fresher. I'm going on break!
intro2womenslasers · 3 points · Posted at 09:37:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What the hell is a fresher?
tinfoil21 · 1 points · Posted at 03:14:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Dimitri Martin. Love that whole piece.
futurityverb · 1 points · Posted at 04:16:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I've always felt this way about the word "rollercoaster."
Like "Screw it, it's getting late; let's just go with Steve's idea."
Bigenoughpieceofcake · 1 points · Posted at 10:47:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thinking about it it's a pretty crappy name, too. I mean, sure it rolls and coasts but you're kind if burying the lead there.
hiimnoam64 · 1 points · Posted at 06:26:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't forget the walkie talkie!
jonasbeaver · 1 points · Posted at 07:05:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Branch monster.
Young_Aria · 1 points · Posted at 07:58:03 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Medamnit, Adam!!! Will you take this seriously?!"
lpolon · 1 points · Posted at 13:55:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Meanwhile in portuguese:
"hey, what is the name of this ant-eater?"
"tamanduá"
"What does it means?"
"Ant-eater in an Indian dialect"
Uhm..
Rigby_Danger_Flex · 0 points · Posted at 09:29:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Can we talk about the "orange" please?
Urgullibl · 248 points · Posted at 22:32:46 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Unless you speak German.
Sagefox2 · 117 points · Posted at 04:31:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
I kind of like shield toad more than turtle.
Urgullibl · 97 points · Posted at 05:16:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
German animal names are an endless source of amusement.
Edit: Haven't you people ever heard of the difference between Greek and Latin?!
nvolker · 60 points · Posted at 06:46:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Skunk = stink animal
Sloth = lazy animal
Porcupine = spike pig
Squid = ink fish
[deleted] · 30 points · Posted at 08:11:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
d00ns · 2 points · Posted at 13:51:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's actually a misconception. From Yahoo Answers: Pikachu is a combination of ピカピカ pikapika which is Japanese onomatopoeia for sparkle and チューチュー chuuchuu which is the sound of squeaking. Electric mouse would be Dennezumi でんえずみ[電ネズミ]
http://jisho.org/search/chuuchuu
http://jisho.org/search/pikapika
AlwaysBetsubara · 2 points · Posted at 13:57:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
But it's species in the Pokédex is listed as "electric mouse".
d00ns · 2 points · Posted at 14:03:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The misconception is that the word "pika" means "electric" and "chu" means "mouse".
Themperror · 5 points · Posted at 09:33:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
How do they know what a mouse/snake/pig is.. IF THEY DONT HAVE ANY? Aliens! I tell ya!
whizzer0 · 1 points · Posted at 09:53:53 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Inkling the… Ink Fish Kid…
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 12:43:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The squid one is very interesting because Chinese also calls it a "ink fish" (墨魚).
entropyandcreation · 17 points · Posted at 06:51:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Raccoon = wash bear
Bigenoughpieceofcake · 9 points · Posted at 10:40:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In German? Because it's also a wash bear in Japanese.
TheWinterKing · 5 points · Posted at 13:50:35 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In Norwegian too.
Bigenoughpieceofcake · 1 points · Posted at 13:52:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
After looking on wikipedia it seems like English is the odd man out as far as the washing goes.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 12:44:13 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yup, same in German. Wash bear.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 12:46:08 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Me: "Wash bear? What the fuck! It's ラックン! Wash bear!?!? What would that even be!? 洗熊?!
............Yes, it is in fact wash-bear in Japanese..."
Bigenoughpieceofcake · 1 points · Posted at 12:50:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's weird, I just saw a program on NHK a few days ago where a girl was trying to say her favorite animal in English and she said "wash bear." And everyone made fun of her, but TIL if she'd said it in German it would have worked.
AdOutAce · 1 points · Posted at 20:51:30 on August 31, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's actually a common moniker across many languages interestingly. Looking like a small bear makes enough sense. But the "wash" or sometimes "wet" distinction comes from the fact that raccoons don't really produce enough saliva to comfortably eat a lot of their modern diet. So they often dunk their food in water to soften it when they get the opportunity.
Organspender · 3 points · Posted at 08:02:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hippo can be Nil Horse either
Urgullibl · 1 points · Posted at 12:29:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Zero horse?
Organspender · 1 points · Posted at 14:57:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nilpferd (german) = Nilhorse (english)
Nil as in Nil, the river in egypt
Urgullibl · 1 points · Posted at 15:07:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nile then. Nil is another way of saying "nothing, zero".
Organspender · 2 points · Posted at 20:11:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh sorry. Didn't bother to look it up, i just tought Nil was the international name. Blame on me ;)
sdrow_sdrawkcab · 3 points · Posted at 09:10:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Hippopotamus is literally water-horse in greek
hippo = horse
potam = water
Edit: no hablo espanol
Urgullibl · 1 points · Posted at 12:29:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah, that's Greek. Latin would be equus and aqua.
sdrow_sdrawkcab · 1 points · Posted at 21:16:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Dammit
Knew something wasn't right
Bigenoughpieceofcake · 3 points · Posted at 10:41:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Rhinoceros is from Greek meaning nose horn iirc.
ArmadX · 6 points · Posted at 08:01:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
As far as I know hippopotamus means river horse too, it comes from the Latin for horse (hippo) and river (potamus)
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 12:45:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Greek. Not latin.
Latin would be equus for horse and fluvius for river.
ArmadX · 1 points · Posted at 21:02:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ah of course, I should have got that from French
Zarkei · 2 points · Posted at 11:13:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Swedish names are mostly the same as yours. However, I was very amused when I realized that the Swedish word for "bat" (the animal) translates to "flappy mouse".
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 14:25:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Funny, we call hippos Nile horses in Dutch.
HardcoreFluff93 · 1 points · Posted at 11:24:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hippopotamus literally means "water horse" in Latin.
Urgullibl · 1 points · Posted at 12:26:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think you mean Greek.
HardcoreFluff93 · 2 points · Posted at 15:47:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Damn... That's what I meant
Vinny_Gambini · 1 points · Posted at 13:39:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I wish it was armor toad
Braum_Bot · 56 points · Posted at 06:36:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sorry, but the laziest german words are
peepeenunu · 46 points · Posted at 07:00:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Drums = hit thing (Schlagzeug)
[deleted] · 19 points · Posted at 10:15:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think zeug is closer to "Thing" than "Stuff". But yeh.
Lighter = Fire Thing.
Tool = Work Thing
Braum_Bot · 1 points · Posted at 10:35:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No, 'thing' is 'ding'. 'Stuff' is most definitely 'zeug', check any online dictionary (Example)
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 13:56:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
https://translate.google.de/?ie=UTF-8&hl=de&client=tw-ob#de/en/zeug
"Thing" fits better in my opinion
Braum_Bot · 1 points · Posted at 14:00:54 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
But google says 'zeug' = 'stuff' too? Zeug is really informal, can even be dismissive. Thing is something entirely different.
thirteenchars · 3 points · Posted at 10:12:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Tool = making thing (Werkzeug)
Themperror · 1 points · Posted at 09:34:29 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
train = Zug (zeug?) which would be stuff...
thirteenchars · 2 points · Posted at 10:22:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nah, Zug = draft in both the contexts of pulling a load (like a draft horse) or "shut the door there's a draft". Not "rough draft" though - the closest equivalent is Ziehung. That weird connection between draw/pull and ziehen, which look like completely different words but share so many of the same nuanced translations, fascinates me. I'm fun at parties.
clunkclunk · 19 points · Posted at 00:53:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hey what should we call that white beer from Berlin?
I dunno, how about Berliner Weisse?
SayceGards · 9 points · Posted at 01:37:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I love German and Germany and it's words. So silly
[deleted] · 11 points · Posted at 02:25:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Cat food = Katzenfutter. I like it saying it better than "cat food", yawn.
samprog · 2 points · Posted at 10:31:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, there are 2 words for dinner in german. In my region evening bread is more used in context with religion (the last meal thingy)
The other word for dinner is literally evening eating
vHAL_9000 · 2 points · Posted at 11:05:51 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Elevator = Aufzug, literally upward-pull
MinecraftK131 · 2 points · Posted at 11:36:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Same thing for dutch lol
canyoutriforce · 2 points · Posted at 12:30:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Tramp stamp - ass antlers
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 12:42:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
To be fair, dinner in Japanese is just "evening rice" (晩ご飯). Breakfast and lunch are also "morning rice" and "around-noon rice" (朝ご飯、昼ご飯).
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 12:46:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In German, it’s
Early-Piece (Frühstück)
Mittagessen (Mid-Day-Eating)
Abendbrot (Evening-bread) or Abendessen (Evening-Eating)
It seems like Germans and Japanese have literal words for everything in common, too
wiggaroo · 2 points · Posted at 17:40:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Brustwartze is German for nipple. Breast wart.
Stigwa · 1 points · Posted at 09:48:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
After seeing the thread this sparked, I realised we use the exact same names as you, except that we use Norwegian words. Turtle is for example skilpadde which is not far off from skjoldpadde (shield toad).
tempacct011235 · 1 points · Posted at 10:35:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Always efficient, those Germans.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 15:42:35 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In dutch dinner is evening food
throwaway_f0r_today · 1 points · Posted at 10:52:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
My favourite is pork = schweinfleisch - literally 'swine flesh'
marcopennekamp · 2 points · Posted at 14:05:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Although we say Fleisch for meat too, so if English used the same structure for the word it would rather be "pig meat".
lessdothisshit · 1 points · Posted at 11:00:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Isn't the entire German language just small words compounded together?
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 12:48:29 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yes. You need like 300-400 words and you can read almost all of German, included books from over 600 years ago.
It’s a very efficient language.
marcopennekamp · 3 points · Posted at 14:06:51 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sounds a bit low to me. You have a source?
WoeoftheWhales · 340 points · Posted at 19:18:19 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
“I want to get a job as someone who names kitchen appliances. Toaster, refrigerator, blender.... all you do is say what the shit does, and add "er". I wanna work for the Kitchen Appliance Naming Institute. Hey, what does that do? It keeps shit fresh. Well, that's a fresher....I'm going on break.”
PreheatedDutchOven · 57 points · Posted at 00:37:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The real question is, are the things at the store just called Fridgerators?
DownvoteCommaSplices · 10 points · Posted at 08:39:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Woah
Drudicta · 1 points · Posted at 17:35:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well technically they REfridgerate the food that was previously fridgera...ted.... BLAH.
johnnybiggles · 1 points · Posted at 18:22:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Why are we refridgerating things??
Hedberg_Lives · 79 points · Posted at 00:51:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Always stealing my lines
strechyballs · 2 points · Posted at 02:37:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mitch Hedberg - Kitchen Appliances:
https://youtu.be/0lwpS5M7hgA
Anonymous7056 · 1 points · Posted at 04:20:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Source for the lazy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lwpS5M7hgA
ASK_ME_FOR_UPVOTES · 1 points · Posted at 06:48:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
/u/woeofthewhales, official member of the ADDAEANDR.
Association Descriptively Describing Accessories Exclusively Around Noticeable Duties and Responsibilities
WildTurkey81 · 1 points · Posted at 07:09:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
We do that with the machinery and tools at work. Jackhammer = breaker, disk saw = cutter, compaction plate = whacker
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 00:24:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I scrolled way to far to find this.
[deleted] · -1 points · Posted at 02:23:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
[removed]
SomalianRoadBuilder · -2 points · Posted at 02:44:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
wives that use sex as a bargaining chip are cunts.
KinKyDave92 · 101 points · Posted at 21:54:20 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
'Waterfall' is one of my favourite lazy words.
[deleted] · 463 points · Posted at 18:39:33 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Where should we put the fire"
"In the place where the fire goes"
"Where's that?"
"Uh, the fire... place?"
iamablackbeltman · 331 points · Posted at 22:09:26 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
"We need a racial slur for all those men over in China."
"How about Chinaman?"
"You literally just said what he is."
"It worked for Jews. Just put a little stank on it."
underthegod · 73 points · Posted at 00:05:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Jewman?
finkalicious · 9 points · Posted at 04:31:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hello Jewman
45thParallelTom · 2 points · Posted at 08:44:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fighter of the Nightman!
underthegod · 1 points · Posted at 10:39:58 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fighter of the Night-watch-man.
[deleted] · 27 points · Posted at 04:36:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Works for me. I've been calling this class of vehicle type a "JewMobile" for several years now.
http://i.imgur.com/ItYkhpP.png
Edit - I should add... not in a particularly antisemitic way, but simply as an observation from somebody living in a jewish part of town that they ALL have them.
[deleted] · 8 points · Posted at 12:49:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, they are cheap and effective. Makes sense.
thehonestyfish · 2 points · Posted at 14:16:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
For proper hasidic jewmobile status, it has to be full of 9 kids and driving 15 mph under the speed limit, straddling two lanes.
Disclaimer: I am Jewish, but those hasidim really irk me.
LSDecent · 1 points · Posted at 06:15:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm not Jewish and I have a Honda Odyssey ):
elitan98 · 0 points · Posted at 07:16:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
/u/mcjolo
KimJongIlSunglasses · 2 points · Posted at 06:22:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Faster than a speeding buffet. Able to kill God's son in a single bound.
DownvoteCommaSplices · 1 points · Posted at 08:32:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Here to save the day!
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 10:56:35 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
fighter of the ...christman
SmartAlec105 · 30 points · Posted at 23:57:50 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Relevant xkcd knockoff
ReaderWalrus · 84 points · Posted at 02:22:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yes, because as we all know, Randall Munroe invented the idea of a webcomic with jokes.
f__ckyourhappiness · 21 points · Posted at 02:53:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
And don't you forget it!
sellyme · 20 points · Posted at 03:47:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's a bit of a running gag in SMBC that Zach is just trying to emulate Randall. For example, the votey comic here.
deltalessthanzero · 7 points · Posted at 04:47:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I've read most of both webcomics and hadn't noticed that at all - do you have an example of Zach trying to emulate Randall? I haven't noticed xkcd references on SMBC at all, while Zach did a guest comic on xkcd and is also referenced in this comic's hovertext
sellyme · 5 points · Posted at 04:51:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
...I linked one in my previous comment.
deltalessthanzero · 1 points · Posted at 05:03:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't see how that's referencing xkcd, how is it trying to emulate Randall? Edit: sorry, didn't realise votey meant red button comic
double edit: just got the joke :')
DeebsterUK · 2 points · Posted at 12:01:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh god, now I have to go through all the old comics to see those. At least I'm not looking for alt-texts this time.
jfb1337 · 2 points · Posted at 13:40:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
There are alt texts on some of the more recent ones.
DeebsterUK · 2 points · Posted at 14:50:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thanks for letting me know now - going through a third time would have been a challenge to my completionism.
SmartAlec105 · 1 points · Posted at 12:37:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well he just started doing alt texts earlier this year.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 06:39:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
deltalessthanzero · 1 points · Posted at 07:22:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
from my other reply
CIN33R · -5 points · Posted at 01:18:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Came for the xkcd, dissappointed from the smbc
Tattered · 1 points · Posted at 06:51:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
pepperoni~
CounterClockworkOrng · 130 points · Posted at 23:59:41 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)*
"What do we call that?"
"Well, what's he doing?"
"He's eating ants"
"Ant-eater.....Done!"
-Demetri Martin
Another great one from him:
When they were naming vitamins, they must have thought there were going to be way more vitamins than there ended up being.
“Okay, let’s name these: Vitamin A, Vitamin B…okay man, slow down. We’ve got a lot to cover here. B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B12.” Then they got to E and they were like, “We’re pretty much done. We’ve got all those damn B’s. This is embarrassing. Let’s just skip to K and get the hell out of here.”
And finally...
I think they named oranges before they named carrots
"What are these?"
"Those are orange. Oranges."
"What about these?"
"Oh, crap...Long-pointies?"
fishcircumsizer · 32 points · Posted at 01:24:37 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
How vitamins got their names: https://youtu.be/NnmgM_Lz3o0
usfchem · 11 points · Posted at 01:40:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fucking love that channel
ChronoKrieg · 6 points · Posted at 04:31:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fuckin love science!
ArmadX · 1 points · Posted at 08:09:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Wait, so how did B12 come about? It's very far away from the other B vitamins
MemorableCactus · 2 points · Posted at 08:18:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Video explains this. They had Vitamins B1-12 at least at one point, but over time some of these were found not to be vitamins or to be different vitamins entirely. The example he gives is B4.
Qorinthian · 2 points · Posted at 03:14:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Interestingly, the reason why oranges are named oranges is because people used to not consider orange a color. They used to call it red-yellow until the fruit came along.
speaker_2_seafood · 2 points · Posted at 20:47:53 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
fun fact, carrots are not naturally orange, they are usually either yellow, purple or white. as weird as this sounds, orange carrots are the result of an extensive breeding project undertaken by the dutch to honer their nobility, particularly "the duke of orange."
njew · 3 points · Posted at 02:30:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't forget his thing about oranges and carrots!!
Fozism · 7 points · Posted at 03:05:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"What are these?"
"Those are orange. Oranges."
"What about these? "
"Oh shit. Long pointies?"
daqq · 8 points · Posted at 03:17:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It may interest you to know that the fruit orange predates the color orange. Before the fruit, the color was known as yellow-red.
Deliphin · 24 points · Posted at 01:25:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Welcome to German, where every word is just smaller words combined.
whizzer0 · 4 points · Posted at 09:57:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Germany = German country (Deutschland), for example
madbunnyrabbit · 11 points · Posted at 01:28:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fireplace in German is "Kamin" so this must be the exception that proves the rule.
Yorikor · 2 points · Posted at 02:53:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
To be fair: We use Feuerstelle(fire place) for where we light fires outside. Fire pit is a close approximation.
IggyZ · 1 points · Posted at 13:09:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't worry, fire pit is equally lazy and applicable here.
ByFireBePurged · 1 points · Posted at 04:27:46 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Kamin comes from the latin word caminos (or greek: kaminos) what means oven.
canadianguy1234 · 2 points · Posted at 03:21:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
where a lighter is a fire thing and a skunk is a stink animal. Heilige Scheiße liebe ich Deutsch!
Trisa133 · -20 points · Posted at 19:40:06 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
You know what's lazier than fireplace. Chicken wings!
Think about it. They're so lazy to give food the proper name that it ends up just being "wings". I feel bad for the chickens. I were brought up just to die in pieces and served usually in a paper box. Despite their suffrage and ill fated lives, they still don't even deserve a decent name for your indulgence.
[deleted] · 22 points · Posted at 23:31:02 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Suffrage is not what you think it is
[deleted] · 13 points · Posted at 00:42:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Are you saying chickens don't deserve the right to vote?
happylittlefisherman · 2 points · Posted at 04:10:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
End Chicken Suffrage!!!!
charleyisgay · 15 points · Posted at 21:32:03 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Um what else would you call chicken wings?
Seeth4 · 18 points · Posted at 21:33:48 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Meat flaps
Rberdo · 3 points · Posted at 23:12:15 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
/r/beefflaps NSFW
GrumpyTeddy · 4 points · Posted at 23:33:42 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Some of those are more horrifying than others
Dotchee · 2 points · Posted at 01:10:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
lmao that sidebar
graymorality · 3 points · Posted at 21:46:12 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't get ti, they are the wings of a chicken... pretty much every cut of meat is named for where it is cut from the animal or comes from the french original name of the animal
lecherous_hump · -14 points · Posted at 19:49:19 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yes, that's the joke.
Ferl74 · 5 points · Posted at 20:06:18 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Wait.. there was a joke?
lecherous_hump · -2 points · Posted at 20:12:17 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The funny observation.
Ann_Kittenplan · 133 points · Posted at 19:46:30 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fly has already been mentioned a couple of times. It always makes me think that a fish should be called a swim.
[deleted] · 23 points · Posted at 02:19:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or add George carlin said
"We have an animal called the fly, but we don't have one called the walk. Seems like that should've come first."
Ann_Kittenplan · 1 points · Posted at 06:57:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yet more proof that it's all down to aliens :-)
Tuckles7 · 9 points · Posted at 23:59:09 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Seriously, this. This is the laziest name!
Solna · 4 points · Posted at 02:24:13 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Once upon a time a conversation went like this:
These annoying things flying around here. Look, there's another one.
Damn these flies.
In the 1700s, Carl von Linné sits at his desk, having received a previously unknown exotic specimen. Now let's see where this fits in.
serapheth · 2 points · Posted at 14:52:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
But then Fishermen would become Swimmers, and we can't have that now can we?
Which, irrelevantly takes me to the fact that in The Elder Scrolls Mer is Elvish for men. So Swimmers, ARE SWIM MEN.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 02:48:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
How weird would it be if were called them Flyers?
Dicks4feet · 1 points · Posted at 06:10:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Also fishing, do we car deer hunting, deering?
Iavasloke · 65 points · Posted at 23:21:44 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Idk, " Space."
nooneimportan7 · 18 points · Posted at 01:41:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Was going to say this. I love that space is called space. Like... "what do we call all that stuff?" "I dunno, there's a lot of space out there..."
galazam_jones · 1 points · Posted at 02:50:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In German it's Weltraum which is literally translated worldroom or worldspace not lazy but silly
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 07:34:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
This made me think back to a Space Ghost interview with William Shatner when asked about the similarities between star wars and star trek.
HerraIAJ · 1 points · Posted at 16:22:29 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Wasn't it first called interstellar space?
ForTheWhorde · 112 points · Posted at 18:58:09 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
So are most rooms in a house.
"Mom, in which room should I bathe?"
"In the bath room, you idiot."
Moving into a new house-
Movers: "where do you want your bed, ma'am?"
"Uh, how about the bed room?"
IblobTouch · 55 points · Posted at 19:22:30 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Which makes the term "living room" kind of weird.
ForTheWhorde · 24 points · Posted at 19:40:38 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
When I overthink "living room", I start thinking of the book, "House of Leaves".
overkill · 7 points · Posted at 23:48:13 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thanks for reminding me. I think the nightmares stopped about 3 years ago, but I think I could handle them again. I just need to find my copy.
ForTheWhorde · 1 points · Posted at 06:40:51 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It needs to be a movie. We should fund this.
I just don't know how the crazy style of book and footnotes would be able to properly be translated to the big screen. Hm. Possibly Christopher Nolan could co-direct it with Michel Gondry? Maybe.
Rowan5215 · 2 points · Posted at 08:34:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
alright hypothetical casting time. Always thought Christian Bale would be a pretty good Johnny Truant.
Nomikos · 2 points · Posted at 14:05:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
You'd need like 3 screens, and a 4th screen behind you.
Nomikos · 1 points · Posted at 14:04:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's in the spare room - behind the door that appeared last week.
overkill · 2 points · Posted at 14:08:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh sweet. Thanks. Is that the room that is 3/8"s of an inch bigger on the inside? Or the one with the hallway? I've had several new doors this week; I guess it's that time of year again!
SayceGards · 3 points · Posted at 01:36:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeeees
Ymir24 · 3 points · Posted at 05:36:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
shivers
AadeeMoien · 7 points · Posted at 04:03:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Used to be the living room would be the largest single room in the house, the one which was used during the day for no particular task other than living life. Kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms (if you had them inside the house), dining rooms, etc. all had specific purposes and were usually much smaller than today's versions.
WildTurkey81 · 2 points · Posted at 07:10:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
We should just call the living room the TV room now.
jareths_tight_pants · 1 points · Posted at 07:15:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
There's actually some history to this. Back in the day you didn't have a living room, you had a parlor. The parlor was the formal gathering room where you'd sit with friends and family and read, sew, talk, have tea, etc... and when someone in the family died they'd keep the coffin in the parlor for a few days (just to make sure grandpa really was dead and not just sleeping) and then they'd bury them. Then big hospitals become a thing and people stopped dying at home and started dying at the hospital. So funeral parlors came along. Get it? Parlor. So to rebrand the parlor and get rid of the stigma of dead grandma they re-named it the "living room."
Young_Aria · 1 points · Posted at 08:01:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The "Netflix and fucking room"?
[deleted] · 9 points · Posted at 02:22:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The last time I moved, the moving crew that showed up were all black guys. I felt really awkward asking them to bring anything to the master bedroom.
palmtreevibes · 1 points · Posted at 09:27:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ok
tocilog · 6 points · Posted at 21:32:08 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Interesting tidbit: A public restroom in the Philippines is called comfort room or CR for short.
giantnakedrei · 10 points · Posted at 03:16:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Just about as good as a water closet.
titsaresoft · 2 points · Posted at 07:43:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Which bedroom, you cunt"
table_fireplace · 1 points · Posted at 20:13:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Mom, I need a rest. Which room should I use?"
SleepingWithRyans · 48 points · Posted at 20:23:50 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Walkie-Talkies are up there, too.
dilatory_tactics · 7 points · Posted at 04:51:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I feel like this should be a Brian Regan bit if it isn't already
Edit: it is already, and that is why that.
johnthomaslumsden · 3 points · Posted at 09:41:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Look sarge, I'm walkie and I'm talkie
SleepingWithRyans · 1 points · Posted at 21:39:53 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Huh! Cool, I hadn't seen him before! He's great!
sandm000 · 2 points · Posted at 00:40:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
How so? They neither walk, nor talk.
SleepingWithRyans · 21 points · Posted at 01:40:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
But you can talkie while you walkie
not_ryo_hazuki · 1 points · Posted at 01:42:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
So as not to confuse them with the Handie-Talkies. (I'm not making that up).
[deleted] · 176 points · Posted at 19:10:58 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
thatgermanperson · 117 points · Posted at 00:02:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
flystuff - plane,
firestuff - lighter,
hitstuff - drum set,
playstuff - toy,
sleepstuff - clothes for bed,
writestuff - pens and stuff,
drivestuff - 'official' word for car,
...
[deleted] · 33 points · Posted at 00:31:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
put-onstuff - clothes
giantnakedrei · 9 points · Posted at 03:14:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Japanese does this too. Kimono is literally 'things you put on.'
galazam_jones · 18 points · Posted at 02:40:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't forget the mighty
Workstuff - tools
AadeeMoien · 5 points · Posted at 03:58:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
He already mentioned playstuff.
tloxscrew · 10 points · Posted at 07:18:37 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
A more accurate translation for "Zeug" would be "gear". It's only that the term "gear" is also being used for "stuff"...
edit: "Zeug" in Zaumzeug, Nähzeug, Spielzeug, Rasierzeug, Putzzeug, Werkzeug, Turnzeug, Reitzeug has a different meaning than in Halbzeug, Grünzeug, Leinzeug, Grobzeug etc.
thatgermanperson · 1 points · Posted at 07:49:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thanks! I've been thinking about a more accurate translation and as far as I can tell gear fits perfectly for these words.
Though, if you use 'Zeug' solely its 'stuff'... as in "räum dein Zeug weg"
tloxscrew · 1 points · Posted at 08:05:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It sounds like it would be "stuff", but it's still "gear". It is used in a similar fashion like you would use "stuff", but the literal meaning remains "gear". As in "Put your gear away!"
Edit: as I said in the previous comment, the meaning shifts between for example "Zaumzeug" and "Grünzeug".
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 02:46:37 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
Yorikor · 1 points · Posted at 02:58:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yes it does. Ölzeug and Werkzeug make no sense if it meant tool or device.
QueenOfTonga · 11 points · Posted at 22:49:04 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Favourite German word: Kranenhaus. (I think that's how it's spelt)
The_Batmen · 20 points · Posted at 23:36:32 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Flugzeug is a way better. Imagine americans/australians/british people saying flystuff insted of plane.
Spysnakez · 30 points · Posted at 23:41:42 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Computer is also one of the words that tend to be funny in many languages. In Finnish, it's tietokone, literally translated "knowledge machine". It's like a group of shamans found an alien ship and named this mysterious device like that after hauling it to the holy temple.
The_Batmen · 20 points · Posted at 23:55:14 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I love languages that work like LEGO.
Serei · 6 points · Posted at 06:07:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Most languages work like Lego, English is just weird and steals vocabulary from other languages.
The_Batmen · 1 points · Posted at 08:10:03 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I just speak German, English and 3 1/2 words latin so I can't compare many languages.
sdrow_sdrawkcab · 1 points · Posted at 09:14:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
English is like that one guy whose lego creations are made out of various "similar brands" but only like four actual bricks of lego
SarcasticCynicist · 12 points · Posted at 01:12:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Electric brain in Chinese.
Eavynne · 1 points · Posted at 10:50:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yup. Can confirm. (電腦)
why_rob_y · 8 points · Posted at 00:37:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hell, even in English it's pretty funny. It computes things. Call it a computer.
SayceGards · 6 points · Posted at 01:35:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, I mean, it's not wrong. What would you call it?
dorsenator · 21 points · Posted at 04:23:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Pornbox
dilatory_tactics · 2 points · Posted at 04:49:29 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That is way cooler and more relevant to humans than "computer," for "that which computes."
Which doesn't really tell you how it's amazing or relevant to our lives, but only what it does in the most boring possible way.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 07:31:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In icelandic it's tölva, which is a combination of tala and völva, meaning number soothsayer.
avenuesouth · 1 points · Posted at 05:38:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
computer in German is der Computer
[deleted] · 17 points · Posted at 00:43:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fledermaus is great. It means 'bat', and it's literally 'flying mouse'.
SayceGards · 3 points · Posted at 01:36:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Aw :3
Yorikor · 1 points · Posted at 03:01:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nah. Fleder doesn't mean anything, but it could be derived from 'flying'. But we have the sea dog(seal), and a guinea pig is called a Meerschweinchen(tiny sea pig) for some reason.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 03:02:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ah, my mistake, thank you for correcting me. Guinea Pig is also amazing.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 05:06:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I always think of it as flying leather mouse (fliegende leder maus), because of the leather-like texture of the animal's wings.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 12:40:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's really accurate.
I mean biogicallt. They're both rodents.
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 23:14:08 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Krankenhaus, House for Kranke (sick people).
QueenOfTonga · 5 points · Posted at 23:29:03 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
My 'K' key doesn't work on my iPad. Clearly.
ANerdAward · 7 points · Posted at 01:41:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Krankenschwester: a nurse but literally translates to "sick sister" even if it's referring to a male.
galazam_jones · 2 points · Posted at 02:43:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nah, males are Krankenpfleger which means the caretaker of sick people. At least nowadays
ANerdAward · 1 points · Posted at 05:00:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah our textbooks were horribly dated... Damn cheap American public schools!
elkoubi · 1 points · Posted at 13:29:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's because the job used to be done by nuns (sisters).
Finnnicus · 3 points · Posted at 00:53:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That means crane house. I think you want hospital.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 01:56:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Waffenträger
Yorikor · 1 points · Posted at 02:59:29 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Krankenhaus. Sick person house.
whizzer0 · 1 points · Posted at 09:59:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Krankenhaus if hospital is what you mean. Krankenhaus! Ill building!
🎙️ TheSlyGuy1 · 17 points · Posted at 19:13:57 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Me too - An American
[deleted] · 18 points · Posted at 19:17:35 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
Ferl74 · 7 points · Posted at 20:08:45 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't think he was asking. He's just conceited.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 23:17:54 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
galazam_jones · 5 points · Posted at 02:44:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Haha yeah. It's the German word for meerkat but it's literally translated little earth guy
Jimmytwofist · 1 points · Posted at 07:53:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Wow. This whole time I was thinking it was strawberry man lol. Oops.
DemeaningSarcasm · 2 points · Posted at 04:57:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
luftwaffe: Air Weapon
PanzerFaust: Tank Fist
Aeropostale: Air mail.
Though to be fair, I don't know how aeropostale became a clothing brand.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 07:01:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Germanman from Germanmanplace
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 23:13:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
In German it's even 'Kamin', ... and just now I remember 'Feuerstelle'. Nevermind.
Pancakesday · 294 points · Posted at 18:48:37 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United States of America is a lazy name too. It's literally a bunch of states that unites to be a country.
Every other country has an actual name.
It's like if Canada was named the United Provinces of America.
CaptnGoose · 110 points · Posted at 19:55:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Netherlands is a pretty lazy name too. It just means all the lower lands together (all the provinces).
But yea, the Netherlands started New York (previously New Amsterdam) which is lazy again. The American got their laziness from the Netherlands I guess.
seandamn · 55 points · Posted at 20:57:23 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Why they changed it I can't say
[deleted] · 52 points · Posted at 21:14:18 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
TristikNZ · 21 points · Posted at 00:37:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Istanbul
[deleted] · 24 points · Posted at 02:09:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's nobody's business but the Turks.
Virulentt · 2 points · Posted at 05:42:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Isn't instanbul vs. Constantinople a big issue for some people?
Jimmytwofist · 2 points · Posted at 07:48:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Constantinople
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 00:48:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure it's not Istanbul.
TristikNZ · 1 points · Posted at 01:06:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
referring to the song Constantinople
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 01:21:51 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I just realized I mixed up the order. I should have said "I'm pretty sure it's not Constantinople"
Lyric I was referencing:
I apologize for my sudden lyrical dyslexia.
CaptnGoose · 10 points · Posted at 21:11:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Netherlands traded New Amsterdam for Surinam with the UK, then the UK decided to change the name to New York (York is a city in England).
Still a lot of neighbourhood and street names in New York are Dutch.
shtuffandthings · 1 points · Posted at 04:48:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Harlem is named after Haarlem
UltraShibe10s · 1 points · Posted at 08:51:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Brooklyn is Breukelen aswell
Menulo · 1 points · Posted at 00:27:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
lets go back to the Batavian republic, much better name.
caldera · 1 points · Posted at 05:40:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Iceland and Greenland while cleverly switched - also lazy
jokersleuth · 0 points · Posted at 01:25:37 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Shit, you just made me realize. Nether-Lands
[deleted] · -1 points · Posted at 22:18:28 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Is this where "nether regions" came from, i.e., the lower regions of the body?
Rather_Unfortunate · 6 points · Posted at 00:30:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's not so much where it came from. That's literally what it means...
[deleted] · 16 points · Posted at 21:59:55 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Canada's name is actually just as lazy. It's the French form of the Iroquoian word for "settlement", "village", or "land". At one point it was just part of New France, then British North America. All lazy names. And our provinces are either super lame like Nova Scotia(New Scotland) or just taken from native words for lakes and rivers. But sometimes they got real original and named them after British People!
IblobTouch · 36 points · Posted at 19:09:15 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about the United Kingdom?
_Polite_as_Fuck · 33 points · Posted at 19:35:55 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Essentially United Kingdom is the collective name for 4 different countries: England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland
Trisa133 · 22 points · Posted at 19:42:24 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
There are 29 species of chicken but we all call it chicken. If it was upgraded to United Chickens, it would've been worlds better.
IblobTouch · 46 points · Posted at 19:37:52 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Except they all follow the same laws, have the same currency, have no borders and have the same government and also speak the same language (no matter what the welsh may insist).
[deleted] · 27 points · Posted at 21:01:26 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Scotland has its own laws, parliament and money (although to be fair it's just British money with Scottish pictures).
rawker86 · 1 points · Posted at 04:02:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
yeah, but if you try to buy a kebab in london with "scottish" pounds you are going to have bad time. i'm pretty sure my money was more english than the guy selling me the kebab...
[deleted] · -6 points · Posted at 19:40:36 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
KizzyKid · 13 points · Posted at 21:25:49 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, it is, it's a United Kingdom, so it's a country made up of countries made up of counties.
[deleted] · 12 points · Posted at 20:23:42 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United States of American is a collective name for 50 different states, many (or most) of which are much larger than any of those 4 countries, and each having it's own name, laws, et cetera. What's the difference really?
[deleted] · 8 points · Posted at 02:20:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Soviet Union could have also been called the "United Councils" but the capitalist powers that be were satisfied with the alien-sounding "Soviet" word with the dreaded (to capitalists) word "Union" for the name of the damn red commie motherland.
_Polite_as_Fuck · 2 points · Posted at 20:32:11 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
You tell me, I'm just presenting facts!
[deleted] · 6 points · Posted at 20:39:39 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm just saying, in terms of the syntax, the names of the United Kingdom and the United States are identical, so it doesn't matter if it's states or countries that are being united. If one were to argue that the United Kingdom does not fit in the same category name-wise because the things it is uniting is one step of organization higher than the other, they would be in error. Politely yours, MyName
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 21:05:22 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's technically 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' but we just shorten it to 'United Kingdom' like 'United States of America' is shortened to 'United States' or 'The States'.
[deleted] · 11 points · Posted at 23:53:11 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
What does this conversation have to do with fireplaces?
[deleted] · 7 points · Posted at 02:23:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
A "fireplace" could also be called "The United Blazing Logs of House" perhaps.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 11:34:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hey I like it. I think I will start referring to my fireplace as that.
BritishBrownie · 1 points · Posted at 23:00:48 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
United Kingdom is short for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", it's much more specific/less lazy when taken as the whole name.
ArmadX · 1 points · Posted at 08:14:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Thank you for remembering that it's Northern Ireland that is part of the UK and not Ireland in general.
On a separate note, I assume you're a brit from your username?
whizzer0 · 1 points · Posted at 10:01:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
And the United States is the collective name for 50 different states. There's not really any difference, one's just bigger.
Bubbay · 5 points · Posted at 19:37:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's not the full name, though. It's The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There are actual names in there.
GrumpyTeddy · 9 points · Posted at 23:34:43 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, using that logic, America is an actual name too
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 23:58:30 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
And we're not the United States... we're the United States of America
RamsesThePigeon · 4 points · Posted at 19:36:47 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Every country in the UK has its own name, though.
There's England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Hogwarts, and Wales.
[deleted] · 21 points · Posted at 20:18:57 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Every state in the US has a name too, though
ScoutsOut389 · 1 points · Posted at 04:00:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's a common misconception. Several of the states don't have names, but obviously I can't tell you which ones.
JanitorOfSanDiego · 1 points · Posted at 08:52:08 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
TIL. Thought I was living in state #35
valhalla_owl · -2 points · Posted at 20:23:25 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Not the same thing. All those countries have their own states as well.
[deleted] · 10 points · Posted at 20:31:34 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah, and each state has a smaller level of organization, and each of those a smaller level of organization. It's just magnified by one power, essentially. Also, the issue being discussed is the nomenclature being literal. The US is a union of states that make a country, the UK is a union of countries that make a kingdom. Linguistically they have the same type of name, so I don't know why it matters if it's countries, states, nations, emirates. It's all equally literal.
Animal31 · 1 points · Posted at 07:28:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United Kingdom is not a country
tavenger5 · 20 points · Posted at 20:18:12 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Greenland is pretty lazy, but apparently pretty smart cause most of that place is frozen.
mcc5159 · 48 points · Posted at 22:55:49 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
They say Greenland is ice and Iceland is green...
I've been to Iceland. Shit was frozen. Both places are ice.
overkill · 21 points · Posted at 23:41:19 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The name Greenland was Viking propaganda to get enough people together to make a colony on it's frozen shores.
Colony didn't last long.
rawker86 · 3 points · Posted at 04:06:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
parts of greenland are also desert, artic desert, but still desert. i was amused when i discovered that stores sell fake snow in Greenland of all places, but it turns out they don't get much. that's one of the reasons that the former US runway there is one of the most reliable in the world, it's rarely ever closed by weather.
Carrotsandstuff · 1 points · Posted at 14:35:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Welp, I love the cold and hate the snow. I guess I know where I'm going.
theonewhocouldtalk · 5 points · Posted at 00:41:03 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
Only slightly
bettermore so than United Mexican States.DeusModus · 10 points · Posted at 22:20:42 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
And even then, America was the name of the mapmaker.
That's like the equivalent of looking around your immediate vicinity and naming your character "keyboard".
Solna · 9 points · Posted at 02:03:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
You should probably read that TIL again the next time it comes up.
overkill · 6 points · Posted at 23:43:58 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's my next character's name sorted. Now to hit 'random' on the face generator.
Spectacularity · 4 points · Posted at 00:58:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
If you play with fire, you might get burned.
Hobobling · 1 points · Posted at 01:28:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well played
SayceGards · 6 points · Posted at 01:33:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about Newfoundland? New. Found. Land.
JDaub08 · 7 points · Posted at 03:22:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Amerigo. His name was Amerigo Vespucci. And he was technically a Cartographer. I will admit that cartographer is a mapmaker though. I just wanted to say cartographer. Cartographer.
ishouldnthavejoined · 2 points · Posted at 23:54:53 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
they would be the Confederated Provinces of America
ishouldnthavejoined · 2 points · Posted at 23:55:23 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
or the Provincial Confederacy
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 20:21:36 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
United Arab Emirates. The USSR when it was still around.
nobunaga_1568 · 6 points · Posted at 21:44:24 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
USSR is the worst because it does not contain any toponyms. UAE/UK/USA at least have some place name or ethnic group name in the full country name.
Dovienya5 · 1 points · Posted at 23:48:46 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'd think it would be better as the United Provinces of North America. I think UPNA would be a great acronym for a country.
MalyKotka · 1 points · Posted at 01:30:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, technically, Canada is an Iroquoian word: "kanata", meaning “village”.
Source: A Part of Our Heritage commercials in the 80s and 90s
Joon01 · 1 points · Posted at 04:13:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United Arab Emirates. The United Mexican States. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
Damn near every country has "Republic of" or "Kingdom of" in their name. They're just generally shortened.
Seriously almost every country follows the formula of "Description of Structure" and then "Name." What the hell are you talking about? Just because the only one you know is America doesn't mean that's the only one.
bannana · 1 points · Posted at 04:21:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Earth = Dirt, we call our planet Dirt.
jarrys88 · 1 points · Posted at 05:14:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
well, when the dutch first found Australia they just called it "New Holland".
Then when the brits (Welsh?) found the other side of australia they called it "New South Wales".
Animal31 · 1 points · Posted at 07:28:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The United Provinces and not so much Territories of America
whizzer0 · 1 points · Posted at 10:00:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I know, whoever called us the United Kingdom was so creative.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 13:59:58 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
This country as a whole is "America", which is a pretty majestic name. It's formal name is derived from the fact that it is a federal republic consisting of 50 separate but united "states". All fifty of our states have fairly unique or culturally/historically significant names.
Is England/Scotland/Ireland/Deutschland/Zhongguo(Middle country/China)/etc any less lazy?
rodvinsky · 1 points · Posted at 16:10:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Norway literally translates as "the way north" or "the northern route"
ByFireBePurged · 1 points · Posted at 04:31:34 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Germany strikes again.
Germany = Deutschland = german land
KarateJons · -3 points · Posted at 19:13:04 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
But with the U.S. you don't have to worry about your country being called something in your host language but something else to the rest of the world.
E.G. The rest of the world calls Germany "Germany." Germans themselves internally refer to their country as "Deutschland," and this apparent even on their own cartography. If you buy a map of the world or of Europe in Germany, it will show as Deutschland. If you buy a map in the U.S.., then the anglicized names will be shown.
This confusion initially led to Deutschland or the language Deutsch (German) mistaken as "Dutch" by some dumb fucks in earlier colonial times.
RuhWalde · 5 points · Posted at 21:24:44 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Solna · 3 points · Posted at 01:58:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Allemagne, Niemcy, Tyskland...
ForTheWhorde · -9 points · Posted at 19:02:22 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
what drives me nuts is when you reference "Americans", most people will automatically assume you're speaking about people from the U.S.
Feroshnikop · 26 points · Posted at 19:11:58 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Because most people who say "Americans" are referring to people from the U.S.
SoldierOf4Chan · 8 points · Posted at 20:34:28 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Because there is only one country in the world that has the word "America" in it.
Also, there are two continents: North and South America. A Canadian is North American, a Mexican is North American, a Brazilian is South American, but none of them are just plain American.
jdscarface · 19 points · Posted at 19:17:21 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Does it really drive you nuts? Or did you kind of just see someone else saying that online, thought to yourself, "Oh yeah, that's true," then repeated it ever since?
It's not like it's even causing a problem. How often would you generalize that many people at once anyway? Why wouldn't you specify which part of the Americas you're talking about? North, South, Central?
It's a nonissue that people, for some reason, won't let go.
Hemmingways · 5 points · Posted at 00:09:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah, and who the fuck hates the word moist!(ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง
tfofurn · -1 points · Posted at 20:07:04 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm a United Statesian, but I'm still going to link to "I am not American".
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 22:20:56 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
United States, as in the United Mexican States?
JDaub08 · 0 points · Posted at 03:20:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Actually, it's a bunch of made-up states that come together to form one real state...
thejumbowumbo · 53 points · Posted at 22:55:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
As Neil Tyson once said, leave it to the astrophysicists to name things, and you will get simply named things, i.e. "Black Hole" or "Big Bang."
[deleted] · 30 points · Posted at 23:05:54 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or as Calvin would like it called 'The horrendous space kablooey!'
[deleted] · 21 points · Posted at 00:45:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't I've ever seen someone call him "Neil Tyson." It's alway "Neil deGrasse Tyson." It took me a few seconds to realize who you were talking about.
avenuesouth · 5 points · Posted at 05:42:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
honestly thought of Mike Tyson first and was very confuse
galazam_jones · 1 points · Posted at 02:48:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Just like John Kennedy. Or John Tolkien.
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 02:53:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
If you asked me who J.R.R. Tolkien was I could answer that easily. If you asked me who John Tolkien was I would have no clue.
galazam_jones · 2 points · Posted at 02:55:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Idk Tolkien is pretty rare isn't it? But yeah, I'd have to think
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 02:58:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Just Tolkien is obvious, even written as John Tolkien I could probably figure it out quickly, but if you asked me verbally who John Tolkien was I would probably have to really think about it for a minute.
galazam_jones · 6 points · Posted at 03:04:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh shit! Just thought of another one!
Who the fuck is Martin King?
[deleted] · 6 points · Posted at 03:11:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Herbert Wells
Joanne Rowling
Alexander Bell
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 06:42:08 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Edwin Aldrin
I_Posted_That · 1 points · Posted at 02:42:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
My personal favourites are Jupiter's Trojan Trojans
DownvoteCommaSplices · 1 points · Posted at 08:46:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
How about the word space? Now that's lazy
HabeLinkin · 1 points · Posted at 14:24:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Dark Matter's a pretty good one, too.
DOPE_ASFUCK_USERNAME · 24 points · Posted at 22:45:26 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Tooth brush
beanamonster · 13 points · Posted at 23:37:17 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
By golly, that's a finely dope username, if I must say.
avenuesouth · 0 points · Posted at 05:46:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
possibly even dope as fuck, one may say?
beanamonster · 2 points · Posted at 12:07:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Quite indeed, sir.
MunchiesFonda · 1 points · Posted at 03:44:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Toothpaste.
squat_bench_press · 1 points · Posted at 16:06:53 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Teeth Brush
gav989 · 19 points · Posted at 23:13:21 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I've always thought "movie" was a pretty lazy name, and somewhat childish too
Hemmingways · 3 points · Posted at 00:14:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Walkie-Talkie
whizzer0 · 1 points · Posted at 10:02:29 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
…I've only just noticed that
presidentsrepresent · 7 points · Posted at 02:26:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Meatball
moistgnome · 17 points · Posted at 19:40:21 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange?
Steven2k7 · 41 points · Posted at 20:47:38 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Actually the color orange is named after the fruit, orange. Not the other way.
mcc5159 · 21 points · Posted at 22:57:18 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
That explains carrots.
burglebox · 36 points · Posted at 23:41:59 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Finally carrots are explained.
deadphishcheez4 · 8 points · Posted at 00:17:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Man, I wish he used a spoiler tag, though.
PianoTrumpetMax · 8 points · Posted at 01:03:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Seriously. I'm still on onions man.
mcc5159 · 2 points · Posted at 01:18:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh, that one's easy. You see, they're just like Ogres... they smell.
overkill · 15 points · Posted at 23:46:55 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
No. Dutch nationalism for William of Orange explains carrots. They used to be all different colours but now you have to hunt out the old seeds to grow them.
mcc5159 · 3 points · Posted at 01:20:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Holy shit! I thought you were pulling my leg, until I looked it up!
Most unexpected TIL ever!
MinecraftK131 · 1 points · Posted at 11:42:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Really? THAT is what his name is in English!?
clunkclunk · 1 points · Posted at 00:50:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
And is a modified version of the Persian word "nārang"
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 20:16:49 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] · 4 points · Posted at 20:25:40 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or maybe we get the name for the color from the name for the object?
Steven2k7 · 3 points · Posted at 20:48:09 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
We actually do. The color is named after the fruit.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 20:58:32 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I know, I was trying to come off as sarcastic
Steven2k7 · 1 points · Posted at 21:04:05 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh I thought you were trying to make a joke!
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 21:05:44 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Well, a sort of joke I suppose haha but not a very good one at that
Steven2k7 · 7 points · Posted at 20:48:39 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The color Orange is actually named after the fruit, the fruit isn't named after the color.
Aquape · 18 points · Posted at 19:41:14 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The german word for plane is 'Flugzeug' which literally translates to flight thing
Mirshikar · 17 points · Posted at 20:51:48 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Could a name be more plane?
mully_and_sculder · 5 points · Posted at 00:55:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
German is great for this stuff.
SayceGards · 6 points · Posted at 01:38:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Undervaterbuten (spelling may need to be evaluated ). It's an under water boat. A submarine
Reiker0 · 5 points · Posted at 05:12:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
To be fair, "submarine" is just a fancy way to say underwater. We didn't even specify the boat part.
SayceGards · 1 points · Posted at 18:24:03 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's legit.
galazam_jones · 1 points · Posted at 02:51:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sounds more dutch. In German it's U-Boot. Nobody actually says Unterwasserboot
SayceGards · 2 points · Posted at 02:54:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yeah, but that's what "u-boat" stands for
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 02:54:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Idk, I mean, it just makes sense
Yorikor · 1 points · Posted at 03:06:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
U-boot. It's short for Unterseeboot. Under sea boat.
avenuesouth · 1 points · Posted at 05:43:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Unterwasserboot
(under=unter, water=wasser, boat=boot)
aka U-boot
similarly, Untergrundbahn, or U-bahn - underground train / subway
SayceGards · 2 points · Posted at 18:23:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'll give myself partial credit
Jimmytwofist · 1 points · Posted at 09:03:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ünterwaßerboot.
PoorProteus · 2 points · Posted at 10:42:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
German here. Actually it's Ünterwäßerböot
Ovenproofcorgi · 1 points · Posted at 16:24:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No word for what you're talking about? Make it up by stringing a bunch of words together!
retry-from-start · 1 points · Posted at 05:02:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Esperanto word for web-browser is retumilo, which literally translates to 'the tool you use to do that thing with the net'.
Esperanto also has:
Aquape · 1 points · Posted at 17:17:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That is a great language
[deleted] · 7 points · Posted at 23:11:03 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't think it's lazy. It's just incredibly accurate.
chiefz816 · 7 points · Posted at 00:34:06 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about sleeping bag?
tcat84 · 1 points · Posted at 11:38:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Before a sleeping bag was made it was called laydownandcloseyoureyesuntilmorning
ImASpectre · 7 points · Posted at 19:20:44 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh boy, you would have fun learning German words.
🎙️ TheSlyGuy1 · 2 points · Posted at 19:26:45 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nein :p
Yeah I've heard German can be fun.
ScornMuffins · 6 points · Posted at 20:55:53 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think sidewalk beats it. Or handshake.
whizzer0 · 1 points · Posted at 10:03:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't look at us, we called it the pavement. A paved… thing. Oh well.
ScornMuffins · 2 points · Posted at 10:15:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'm guessing it's the French who came up with that. The literal translation being pavely or resembling pave.
[deleted] · 6 points · Posted at 03:16:08 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about thoughts you have in the shower?
Scarnox · 0 points · Posted at 05:57:38 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Pure strokes of genius
swimfreakizoid · 10 points · Posted at 22:13:43 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
gotta say new mexico has always made me laugh. "oh, fuck it, it looks the same, we'll just add a 'new' to it"
attazach · 6 points · Posted at 01:15:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's because we were purchased from Mexico and there is strong Hispanic heritage so we kept our name and added new to it. If you think about it new Mexico was inhabited and part of Mexico for a very long time before it was ever a state
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 02:25:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)*
[removed]
attazach · 1 points · Posted at 02:59:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
New York, and New Hampshire as well
rawker86 · 1 points · Posted at 04:12:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
New Holland checking in. G'day!
avenuesouth · 1 points · Posted at 05:47:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
and is now mostly known for being widely populated with native Americans
edit: and meth, bitch
attazach · 2 points · Posted at 06:55:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
We're quite fond of our green chili as well
swimfreakizoid · 1 points · Posted at 17:38:08 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
yea, but it's still a pretty lazy name :P
CounterClockworkOrng · 5 points · Posted at 00:16:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think they named oranges before they named carrots
"What are these?"
"Those are orange. Oranges."
"What about these?"
"Oh, crap...Long-pointies?"
Demetri martin
burner729 · 5 points · Posted at 00:32:15 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
what should we call time that is after noon?
Afternoon.
DownvoteCommaSplices · 1 points · Posted at 08:49:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I've always wanted to come up to someone at 12:00 and say "good noon!"
Pvt_Pants · 5 points · Posted at 11:18:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I disagree. The word for fish in Korean when translated literally means water meat
nihilo503 · 2 points · Posted at 20:33:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Korean is great for these. Snot literally translates to nose water. Tears are eye water.
_Polite_as_Fuck · 10 points · Posted at 19:11:56 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
There's a old story of how we got the word 'bungalow' for a single-story building:
"Boss we've run out of bricks for this house, what should we do?"
"Just bung a low roof on it."
rlamacraft · 1 points · Posted at 06:09:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Dad jokes as their finest.
Umbrifer · 3 points · Posted at 05:14:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"maestro, We've finally done it, we've made a drinking vessel out of glass. What shall we call it."
"We shall call it a Glass".
ByFireBePurged · 1 points · Posted at 04:38:02 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Now I imagined a damn lazy lord who is always asked what to name new things. And then this one day day he was way to lazy and didn't even thought of something :D
[deleted] · 5 points · Posted at 05:29:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
girzim23 · 1 points · Posted at 16:30:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
You shut up about bagpipes. They are majestic-er then a unicorn orgy.
anschelsc · 7 points · Posted at 18:58:19 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I was thinking this recently about "doorbell".
[deleted] · 8 points · Posted at 07:37:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Naming hands left and right is way lazier.
"Why should we call these?"
"Well this is the one I use for everything, so it's the right hand"
"What do call the other one?"
"Who cares, it's the only one left."
Treecko160 · 1 points · Posted at 15:39:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
That's why we call it left? I thought there was some other reason, my life is a lie.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 07:24:13 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mhm, my comment is undeniable proof
MrChappyGames · 1 points · Posted at 13:03:27 on August 9, 2015 · (Permalink)
So the left hands of left handed people are right hands, and the right hands are left hands. Ambidextrous people have two righr hands
Ninjasquirtle4 · 3 points · Posted at 21:40:53 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Freezer as well.
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 23:16:48 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Pets. I like to pet them.
KylleDK · 3 points · Posted at 23:53:41 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
In Denmark, a lizard is called "firben", meaning "four legs"
onerolling · 3 points · Posted at 00:10:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
There is also the word "sidewalk".
brittanylove420 · 3 points · Posted at 00:41:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No no, toothbrush.
_lame_ · 3 points · Posted at 02:17:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Dishwasher
[deleted] · 3 points · Posted at 02:28:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Bluebird.
joeydekoning · 3 points · Posted at 05:05:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Dutch word for vacuum cleaner is "stofzuiger," or, directly translated, "stuff sucker."
sufidancer · 2 points · Posted at 21:15:54 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Have you ever heard of Big bone lick Arkansas? What was going through their mind when they named that place?
FilecakeAbroad · 1 points · Posted at 06:40:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The fine folks of "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta" would also like an answer.
thatikey · 1 points · Posted at 10:15:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
( ͡• ͜ʖ ͡•)
aquamyfina · 2 points · Posted at 00:40:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Shorts
Tim589 · 2 points · Posted at 01:05:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Walkie-talkie
tanooki_mario · 2 points · Posted at 02:02:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In Korean, fish is 'water meat'. Asian languages are so literal >.<
Projectile_Muffin · 2 points · Posted at 02:10:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fly.
Mentioned_Videos · 2 points · Posted at 02:37:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Videos in this thread:
Watch Playlist ▶
I'm a bot working hard to help Redditors find related videos to watch.
Info | Chrome Extension
eddieeddiebakerbaker · 2 points · Posted at 02:47:13 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
what about "plant"
lowennaharris · 2 points · Posted at 03:05:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Steering wheel
elyasafmunk · 2 points · Posted at 03:48:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Highchair...
jb4nay · 2 points · Posted at 04:10:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Shotgun is pretty bad too
DownvoteCommaSplices · 1 points · Posted at 08:51:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's a gun that shoots shot. Pretty logical
Pototatato · 2 points · Posted at 05:19:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Scarecrow Underwear
MWPoser · 2 points · Posted at 05:20:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What will we call this new machine that washes clothes?
BigBreakfast · 2 points · Posted at 05:49:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nope. Funniest and laziest both belong to "manhole" I'm afraid
evolveleven · 2 points · Posted at 06:24:13 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
False.
Moon.
Our moon is named Moon, ridiculous.
Aaaamirite?
triobot · 2 points · Posted at 07:27:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
A beast in the wild? Wildebeest
addison92 · 2 points · Posted at 07:41:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Here's a few more
Milkshake Poop scoop Eye drops
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 07:50:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Are you me? Because I had the exact same thought about the exact same word earlier today.
[deleted] · 2 points · Posted at 07:50:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In German, the literal translation for a lighter is "fire stuff".
Heisenbaker · 2 points · Posted at 10:22:23 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Literal translation of Finnish words for objects are similar to this... They call fridge freezers "Ice closets"
ifiwazatreeyouwldknw · 2 points · Posted at 11:52:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think the fruit "orange" is probably a little bit lazier.
fletchindubai · 2 points · Posted at 13:21:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Here in Dubai they had a nationwide competition to give a name to the big fountain near the Burj Khalifia. There were hundreds of entries.
The winning entry was "The Dubai Fountain".
yeezul · 2 points · Posted at 16:51:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Woa! That board is awesome. It allows you to cut your tomatoes without ruinning your table. What do you call it?"
"I dunno. Cutting board I guess."
Zephinol · 2 points · Posted at 17:12:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ehh I think living room is worse.
safec · 2 points · Posted at 18:11:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In Sweden we call it fire city
safec · 2 points · Posted at 18:11:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In Sweden we call it fire city
dukedd15 · 2 points · Posted at 17:27:41 on August 9, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't forget about the walkie talkie
sergiusalceanu · 2 points · Posted at 20:54:17 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
or bedroom
Yung_Rufio · 1 points · Posted at 21:37:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Crosswalk has to be up there. "Where you walk to cross"
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 23:20:21 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about living room
Moshing_Munchkins · 1 points · Posted at 23:26:10 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Light bulb seems fairly lazy to me
DavidChristen · 1 points · Posted at 23:38:11 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Bedroom, bathroom, pomegranate. They're all the laziest named nouns.
galazam_jones · 1 points · Posted at 02:54:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I also like pineapple
KingOfTheJerks · 1 points · Posted at 23:58:20 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Simple, effective use of language isn't lazy at all.
evilyogurt · 1 points · Posted at 23:59:38 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
walkie talkie
ishouldnthavejoined · 1 points · Posted at 00:01:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Automobile
Sir_Randolph_Gooch · 1 points · Posted at 00:03:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Bedroom is pretty straight and to the point too.
DarthTJ · 1 points · Posted at 00:08:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Light bulb
speedcore840 · 1 points · Posted at 00:32:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
hmm... shower thoughts.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 00:46:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Actually, we do that kinda stuff all the time. I'd guess 60-70% of German nouns are made like that! and the cool thing is, if you don't have a word for something! you just take a few other words and put them together.
Some examples: Vacuum cleaner - Staub|sauger -"dust sucker" Food allergy - Nahrungsmittel|unverträglichkeit - foodstuffs intolerance"
Yorikor · 1 points · Posted at 03:10:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Food allergy is Lebensmittelallergie. Lebensmittel being Leben - life, and mittel - means.
lucythesmallercat · 1 points · Posted at 00:53:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
My German friend once asked "what's the name for that thing that you put the hot water in, it's rubber, and it stays hot? Like if you're sick?" Me: "uhh ... it's a hot water bottle." She was displeased.
TristikNZ · 1 points · Posted at 00:54:04 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Cave men weren't very creative with their names. Ug: Where put fire? Da: points at a place in cave ( fire place )
Tkent91 · 1 points · Posted at 01:08:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Showerthoughts is probably the laziest name for a subreddit ever.
therightclique · 1 points · Posted at 01:16:39 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Given that fire is one of the oldest pieces of technology we learned to harness, it makes sense that it would have a very simple name, without modern euphemism.
HeadlessAgnu · 1 points · Posted at 01:25:24 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange
Justsomeguyonredditt · 1 points · Posted at 01:28:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Toothbrush
MisterBuzz · 1 points · Posted at 01:35:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
My vote goes to "sleeping bag".
stalkedinlancaster · 1 points · Posted at 02:17:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Groundhog.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 02:19:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
more lazy than Living room, Family Room, Bath room or bed room?
LastSecondAwesome · 1 points · Posted at 02:25:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sorry, that honor goes to the "flashbang." You'll never guess what it does.
0lsalt · 1 points · Posted at 02:27:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about calling the fruit an orange.... It's just it's color.
angry_baconbits · 1 points · Posted at 02:34:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Reminds me of Jim Gaffigan's bit on how slippers got their name.
fuckheadnonsense · 1 points · Posted at 02:36:13 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
saw a boat name fireplace this weekend
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 02:39:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Come hang in Australia. We got a Great Sandy Desert, exactly what you'd expect a desert to be. There's a much smaller one in Victoria called the Little Desert. Mountain range called the Blue Mountains. Off shoot of the Great Dividing Ranges which divides the interior from the East coast. There's also some Snowy Mountains in the area, get's a bit of snow.
Someone found a reef off the coast, a big one. Made a barrier. Called the Great Barrier Reef. We got a Northern Territory up in the North. The Capital Territory in Australia is called the A.C.T. The Australian Capital Territory.
VanWildest · 1 points · Posted at 02:53:36 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Toothbrush is a strong candidate.
Adrian_W_ · 1 points · Posted at 02:57:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oranges. Who the fuck names a fruit a colour? Or a colour after a fruit?
DROP_STAR_FROM_USERS · 1 points · Posted at 02:59:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
A lot of German words are like that. Marktplatz, campingplatz, flugplatz...
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 03:02:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"Orange"
"Fly"
CreamyJalapenoSauce · 1 points · Posted at 03:22:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange
RobinBankss · 1 points · Posted at 03:32:07 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ballcock assembly
PiketheGSP · 1 points · Posted at 03:33:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Waterfall is pretty bad too.
AlaxisXeon · 1 points · Posted at 03:48:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
It's just as bad as bookshelf
Miamime · 1 points · Posted at 03:50:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I haven't decided if "reddit" is clever or lazy.
atinyasianwoman · 1 points · Posted at 03:53:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Toaster...
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 03:55:06 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Onomatapoeia is the name for the brunt of 'lazy' words
Natural_Born_Baller · 1 points · Posted at 04:07:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Newfoundland
Wetjunglecock · 1 points · Posted at 04:15:51 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Nope. Butthole.
TingPing42 · 1 points · Posted at 04:16:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
White bread
pm-me-uranus · 1 points · Posted at 04:34:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Fly
PeachyPunches · 1 points · Posted at 04:42:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or maybe "Chinaman"
stigmaboy · 1 points · Posted at 04:52:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"What should we call the side path people walk on"
"Uhhhh, side....walk..."
MoO_wItH_mE · 1 points · Posted at 05:12:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Windshield is just as lazy
sppeeennnnyyyyy · 1 points · Posted at 05:16:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
My good friend the Orange(fruit) would beg to differ
Ebriate · 1 points · Posted at 05:35:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The bathroom.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 05:42:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Toaster has to be an honorable mention in the lazy name catagory. Because where else would we make our toast?
butsuon · 1 points · Posted at 06:06:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Someone's never heard any German.
rybelke · 1 points · Posted at 07:06:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Ya, like "die Glühbirne" (glüh - incandescent, die Birne - pear)
Edit: Oh wait... The lightbulb...
notsew93 · 1 points · Posted at 06:09:14 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sidewalk
nolanater5711 · 1 points · Posted at 06:12:35 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Mailbox
funnystuff97 · 1 points · Posted at 06:18:25 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I always thought it was flashbang.
Flash. Bang. The second half isn't even so much a description, more like an onomatopoeia.
They should call the other one "Shrapnelbang."
pikaras · 1 points · Posted at 06:22:46 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
New York, New England, New Jersey, Newfoundland, New Chitose, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Wales, New Chester, New Durham, New Wiltshire, New Norfolk, New Cambridge, Cambridge (because New Cambridge was already taken in America), New Hertford... Just off the top of my head
2-1-5 · 1 points · Posted at 06:46:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The big black open area in the sky with all the stars.
Space. Way to go humans!
OzzyGeelv99 · 1 points · Posted at 06:58:03 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange.
hellslave · 1 points · Posted at 07:20:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Except the color came second.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 07:29:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
icebox
DualityOfLife · 1 points · Posted at 07:36:55 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Reminded me of this comic.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 07:37:40 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sidewalk is one that for whatever reason didn't hit me until later in life.
Forgot_my_shit · 1 points · Posted at 07:55:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I think the word "place" is lazy. Just sounds lazy... hence making it the most lazy. unlike all those German words which have a harder accent
ram5ayG · 1 points · Posted at 08:04:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
door step and sidewalk
CorporalClegg25 · 1 points · Posted at 08:20:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sidewalk
Tjingus · 1 points · Posted at 08:22:27 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Window is the lazy-fied version of the term wind hole .. I rate that's probably lazier.
PERKSOF · 1 points · Posted at 08:23:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Waterfall!
UncleChael · 1 points · Posted at 08:37:00 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Arkansas....this here is are(our) Kansas
julioh33 · 1 points · Posted at 08:41:17 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
TIL the only original words are made up names. eg shanaynay etc.
reptileseat · 1 points · Posted at 08:45:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
like pancake?
lankylurch · 1 points · Posted at 08:46:19 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about sidewalk?
csmark · 1 points · Posted at 08:48:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What do you do on that? You sit. We'll call it a seat then! Good day! Wait! You can lay back and recline on this one. Any ideas what we should call it? Hmm...how about "recliner?"
kirabokv · 1 points · Posted at 08:59:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Outside
PopTartS2000 · 1 points · Posted at 09:14:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Once while playing pictionary, I blurted out "airplane landing field." "Runway" was correctly said by the other players, who didn't even need to see their partners' drawings after what I said.
taylorHAZE · 3 points · Posted at 10:17:12 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I was playing pictionary in HS with my gf and her family. I drew a bat, and a man. And nobody got it <_<
2nd roto, I get Alfred Hitchcock. So I drew fettucini alfredo, a vehicle hitch, and a cock. And still nobody got it and it definitely took away some of the brownie points I had earned earlier <_<
flickerkuu · 1 points · Posted at 09:15:32 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about "theme park".
Rigby_Danger_Flex · 1 points · Posted at 09:27:34 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
After you say it to yourself a couple times the truth of this really sinks in.
s1apshot · 1 points · Posted at 09:30:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about calling the tool the "poker"
taylorHAZE · 1 points · Posted at 10:19:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about icemaker. Or shoe-string. Or bookkeeper. Or desktop. Or laptop. Or speaker. Speaker is definitely really lazy.
BloodSync · 1 points · Posted at 10:34:08 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about the colour orange, they just took the name from the fruit.
etray · 1 points · Posted at 10:36:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Machine that washes... Hmm.... What shall we call it? I know! Washing Machine!
humanpowertool · 1 points · Posted at 10:39:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about teacher
dissidentrhetoric · 1 points · Posted at 10:45:44 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or every word in german.
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 10:52:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Light bulb has to be up there too
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 10:54:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't forget about the car-hole out front.
uniquelyok · 1 points · Posted at 11:00:42 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Waterfall
shirosbutthole · 1 points · Posted at 11:12:48 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
zug is zug because der zieher sounds silly
cjs0131 · 1 points · Posted at 11:20:35 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Oh yeah? What about grapes? they saw that they were grapes and just called them grapes..?!?!
hesiiii · 1 points · Posted at 11:38:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
You forgot the word "thing"
btao · 1 points · Posted at 11:39:31 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'd guess most names came that way from their original languages. Orange-orange for example. What about ancient languages where the words were pictures of the thing. In time the word just gets flair to sound cool, masking the simplicity of the original.
alasaurus_rex · 1 points · Posted at 11:42:35 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
"what should we call our site" "well alot of people will say they read it online so BOOM Reddit!"
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 12:08:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange.
captainmagictrousers · 1 points · Posted at 12:18:29 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I always thought "workplace" was a pretty lazy word. It sounds like something a bad liar would come up with.
"Steve, I heard you got a new job!"
"Yeah... at the... um... work... place. It's a big building, lots of computers. You've probably never been there. It's in Canada."
Whisker-biscuitt · 1 points · Posted at 12:25:09 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Coffee maker
honorman81 · 1 points · Posted at 12:26:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Where you see laziness, I see efficiency
joojookazoo · 1 points · Posted at 12:54:18 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
what about a lazy susan
minime4vt · 1 points · Posted at 12:54:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange.
DJShamykins · 1 points · Posted at 13:14:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Dishwasher
MrButtsack · 1 points · Posted at 13:15:21 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Except for fly
Sailingspace · 1 points · Posted at 13:21:26 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Hearth?
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 13:29:53 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'd think 'footrest' was the laziest of them.
Knoal · 1 points · Posted at 13:30:57 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Describes exactly what it is/does. The Germans would approve.
InfinitelyAbysmal · 1 points · Posted at 13:32:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Washer. Dryer.
Jammer13542 · 1 points · Posted at 13:38:54 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Add lightbulb in there
1joserod · 1 points · Posted at 13:42:01 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
the skin flap that covers your eyes?....anyone?, anyone?
kjmaag · 1 points · Posted at 13:57:59 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Bam.
http://youtu.be/0lwpS5M7hgA
ThaRudistMonk · 1 points · Posted at 14:03:30 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Inventor: "Its a series of moving pictures put together to simulate motion. What should we call it?"
5 year old son: "Movies!"
goose_duck · 1 points · Posted at 14:13:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
In my home town there's a small island located quite centrally. The actual name for it translates to "The Island".
swdgame · 1 points · Posted at 14:21:22 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Portland
titanicx · 1 points · Posted at 14:30:05 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange.
iNinjaSpeed · 1 points · Posted at 14:42:47 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about Hairdryer?
MoreCowbellllll · 1 points · Posted at 14:57:02 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Yep... It's my buddies top Tweet:
http://favstar.fm/users/QwertyJones3
More_of_a_dog_person · 1 points · Posted at 15:16:28 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I knew this sounded familiar
https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/1ri5xo/fireplace_isnt_a_very_creative_word/
Questhook · 1 points · Posted at 15:20:11 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
The Rocky Mountains.
grumbleycakes · 1 points · Posted at 15:39:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Foodstuffs
BuzzWeedle · 1 points · Posted at 15:48:43 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
No, slippers is. "Hey, what do you call the thing that you slip on your feet" "Uhhhh.... s-slippers?"
squat_bench_press · 1 points · Posted at 16:05:20 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I feel the same for people named Christian
Xacto01 · 1 points · Posted at 16:05:58 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Kitchen = foodplace
Bathroom = poopplace
PorkNails · 1 points · Posted at 16:28:16 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Buttplug
Drudicta · 1 points · Posted at 17:27:33 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Sometimes it's called a "hearth"
muffinpoots · 1 points · Posted at 17:28:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Chinaman is the laziest racial slur.
Guantanamo_spray · 1 points · Posted at 21:58:50 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
I'd say "moviegoer" is up there too.
deadbeat95 · 1 points · Posted at 23:02:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Candle holder
cptkaiser · 1 points · Posted at 01:47:50 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
Toaster
Hart33 · 1 points · Posted at 04:29:13 on August 6, 2015 · (Permalink)
In Australia we called shops that sell packages alcoholic drinks "bottleshops".
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 19:34:31 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
So are spinners. Most literal name for an object.
Wombat_H · 2 points · Posted at 21:02:53 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
What's a spinner?
ishouldnthavejoined · 2 points · Posted at 23:58:29 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
a very petite woman
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 21:04:41 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Those rims that keep spinning when you stop the car.
chilejon · 1 points · Posted at 19:21:59 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Don't for get "Fly".
B3AnDaDDy69 · 1 points · Posted at 20:11:33 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Let's not forget about pencil holder
JustHereToCreep · 1 points · Posted at 14:43:51 on October 1, 2015 · (Permalink)
Not as lazy as this repost
🎙️ TheSlyGuy1 · 0 points · Posted at 14:53:36 on October 1, 2015 · (Permalink)
This was posted more than a month ago, what are you talking about
JustHereToCreep · 1 points · Posted at 14:59:00 on October 1, 2015 · (Permalink)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/2ova17/fireplace_is_actually_a_really_lazy_name_for_what/?ref=search_posts just search "fireplace" there's tons of the same thing
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 15:55:31 on October 1, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
JustHereToCreep · 1 points · Posted at 16:30:40 on October 1, 2015 · (Permalink)
Honestly I didn't realize it was a month old at first, it was on my front page...
ProbableWalrus · 0 points · Posted at 18:39:45 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Lawn Chair ... Desk Lamp the list goes on!
GoldenGateKeeper · 0 points · Posted at 19:17:07 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Whoever named it, lost the chance to call it Satan's Box
LLment · 0 points · Posted at 19:25:57 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Or the Fly as the laziest insect name.
"What's that insect called, Jim?"
Jim rustling thru his papers gestures with his hand "I don't know..um..what's it doing?"
"Just flying around"
"Fly..perfect"
aquintana · 0 points · Posted at 19:29:04 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I don't know, shower is pretty lazy too.
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 19:46:39 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
I collect these. "Afternoon" is my favorite, but I like "watchman" and "tugboat" as well.
bearcam · 0 points · Posted at 19:49:32 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
water fountain?
W_I_Water · 0 points · Posted at 19:54:05 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
What about "Earth"?
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 19:56:55 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
"greenplace" from the new madmax is super lazy too.
Lerossa · 0 points · Posted at 23:21:51 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange.
Your move.
beanamonster · 1 points · Posted at 23:38:30 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
The color was named after the fruit.
Jet beams. Steel fuel.
[deleted] · 0 points · Posted at 01:03:10 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
SayceGards · 1 points · Posted at 01:41:41 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
someone's jealous!
[deleted] · 1 points · Posted at 01:51:52 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
[deleted]
SayceGards · 1 points · Posted at 02:53:49 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Right.
bubonis · 0 points · Posted at 02:14:56 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Orange.
spamtech · 0 points · Posted at 03:54:53 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
If you've ever done it doggy style, you realize where "love handles" comes from.
shurdi3 · 0 points · Posted at 07:49:37 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Krankenwagen....
JuliusSkeezer · 0 points · Posted at 15:40:45 on August 5, 2015 · (Permalink)
Have you heard the racial slur chinaman?
DoctorX6969 · -1 points · Posted at 18:38:24 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
How about the sloth. it's not even trying to make up for it's lack of motivation or the fact that its name is one of the 7 deadly sins...SLOTH! I mean even "laziness" looks cooler wit the Z and double S thing going on....sloth.
TheAmazingDoc · -2 points · Posted at 22:25:20 on August 4, 2015 · (Permalink)
And then theres minecraft.What are the main things you do in minecraft.Mine and craft.