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eldin raigmore
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Joined: 03 May 2007
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Location: SouthEast Michigan
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 Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject: TC: His/Her elevator doesn't go all the way to the top floor |
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Elevator doesn't go all the way to the top floor.
Doesn't have both oars in the water.
A few bricks shy of a full load.
Half a bubble off plumb.
The lights are on, but nobody's home.
Not playing with a full deck.
Couldn't pour rain out of a boot with the instructions printed on the heel.
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Tolkien_Freak
Joined: 26 Jul 2007
Posts: 1231
Location: in front of my computer. always.
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| Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Essentially, you're asking for euphemisms for 'crazy', right? |
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Hemicomputer
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 610
Location: Calgary, Alberta
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| Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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I believe these would be more like euphemisms for "stupid."
Ones for "crazy" would be stuff like "off his/her rocker" etc. |
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eldin raigmore
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Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 1621
Location: SouthEast Michigan
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| Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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These are all "slangish" (if that's the word I want) for "stupid", but some are also for "crazy" (especially, e.g., "not playing with a full deck" and "doesn't have both oars in the water"). There may be others that are mostly for "crazy", some of which can also be for "stupid".
Do your own thing! (if you want)
More "crazy" stuff:
Bats in the belfry.
Bees in the bonnet.
Two stops beyond Barking.
| for instance, this site wrote: | There are huge numbers of euphemisms for going insane, but some refer more to a person's level of intelligence. For instance the phrase, "the lights are on but nobody’s home," more likely suggests that a person has mental deficits rather than a person who is insane. Similarly the following phrases may suggest low IQ rather than insanity:
A few bricks short of a load
Five cans short of a six-pack
Not firing on all cylinders
An olive short of a pizza
Four quarters short of a dollar
For actual euphemisms that refer to insanity, there are many to choose from. A person who is crazy may be labeled
nuts,
kooky,
loony,
an oddball,
a space cadet,
mad,
a basket case,
a wreck,
potty
or loopy.
These last two are more familiar in the UK than in the US. In addition to one or two word descriptions, there are many phrases expressing general nuttiness. These include:
Has a screw loose
Is Bugged Out
Should be in the Bughouse
Mad as hatter
Mad as a monkey on a trike
Lost his/her marbles
Belongs in the booby hatch |
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Hemicomputer
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 610
Location: Calgary, Alberta
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| Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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| So, should we try to translate these phrases or come up with equivalent idioms/euphemisms in our conlangs? |
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eldin raigmore
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Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 1621
Location: SouthEast Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:48 am Post subject: |
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| Hemicomputer wrote: | | So, should we try to translate these phrases or come up with equivalent idioms/euphemisms in our conlangs? |
The latter. If they're different, explain them, if you can (unless you don't think an explanation is necessary).
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Aeetlrcreejl
Joined: 08 Jun 2007
Posts: 839
Location: Over yonder
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| Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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Ranto: "Inenisenna nikamtho adepulaon."
If he/she gets hungry, he/she bites his/her water.
If you need an explanation, you bite your water.
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Iwocwá ĵọṭãsák.
/iwotSwa_H d`Z`Ot`~asa_Hk/
[iocwa_H d`Z`Ot`_h~a_Hk] |
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killerken
Joined: 30 Sep 2008
Posts: 134
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:05 am Post subject: |
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Here's one in English that was missed:
The lights are on, but nobody's home.
I'll try to think up something clever to add to my conlang.
PS:
That's good, Aeetlrcreejl!
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Invent: Fidhaas
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dusepo
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 129
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| Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 10:46 am Post subject: |
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First off, the word in retafon for stupid is "pelōs". Now here are some idioms:
dak fas en-yeset kam palano!
You do less than a plant! (more suitable for lazyness than stupidity I guess)
dak ŋebores sakapet kon-ten!
You were born with the brain of a dog!
dak qapas fele-qōraq-ten!
You have a brain of many hours! (like saying you are a bit slow)
dak en-asēs!
You never think!
ŋō ŋakōs dak-pelōs!
I give up on your stupidity!
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eldin raigmore
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Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 1621
Location: SouthEast Michigan
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| Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Good ones!
Thanks to all contributors so far.
(and, thanks in advance to those who have only lurked up 'til now but probably will contribute eventually.)
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achemel
Joined: 29 Mar 2009
Posts: 556
Location: up for debate
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't posted any languages yet, but as I plan to I'd like to add a couple of my own idioms. 
The language is Hemnälg, by the way.
He's crazy = he's left the caravan, he's drinking dry wine
gåfral limebeg – lappäng påjda bylta
To bite off more than you can chew - he's taken a rake to the desert
rhel fy gylv emskëc
Not sure if this is the sort of thing you're looking for, but I had a couple for crazy, and I liked the last one. |
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eldin raigmore
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Joined: 03 May 2007
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Location: SouthEast Michigan
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| Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| achemel wrote: | To bite off more than you can chew - he's taken a rake to the desert
rhel fy gylv emskëc |
"He's taken a rake to the desert" is a great way to say "he's bitten off more than he can chew"!
It should probably be its own TC, though; or get added to the "Things to Translate" thread.
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achemel
Joined: 29 Mar 2009
Posts: 556
Location: up for debate
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 3:12 am Post subject: |
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A-HA! I must've skipped over this one somehow when I was looking for idioms and things, despite the very obvious subject title.  (^_^) Oops.
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I have some small knowledge of:
English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French
I would like to learn:
Italian, Norwegian, Gaelic
Main conlangs:
ddamachel, tadvaradcel, ra cel, lashel, hemnalg, nomah |
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