I Never Knew There Was a Word for It - Adam Jacot De Boinod [55]
You beautiful creature
In other languages the comparison with animals may be even more direct. In Arabic, a beautiful woman is spoken of as having yoon al ghrazaali, the eyes of the gazelle. Similar metaphorical expressions abound:
miyulesa (Sinhala, Sri Lanka) a woman with eyes like a deer’s
omïrïghlïgh (Khakas, Siberia) a person having a beautiful bearing in the same way that a horse has a strong chest
kati-keharī (Hindi) having the waist of an elegant lion (used of an attractive woman)
And what do women want?
The men of the Wodaabe (a nomadic tribe of Central and East Africa) perform the yaake, a competition of charm and personality judged by young women. Performing the yaake, a man who can hold one eye still and roll the other is considered particularly alluring by the judges.
karlakarl (Swedish) a real man
bellone (Italian) a hunk who’s rather too pleased with himself
tarzan (Hebrew) a dandy
armoire à glace (French) a great hulking brute (literally, a wardrobe of ice cream)
Double Valentine
In Japan, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on two different dates: 14 February, when girls are allowed to express their love to boys by presenting chocolate; and 14 March, known as White Day, when the male has to return the gift he received. Chocolates given sincerely on these days are honmei-choko, true-feeling chocolates. However, women are also obliged to give chocolates to all the men in their lives, meaning large numbers of co-workers, bosses, etc. These are known as giri-choko, obligatory chocolates.
My Japanese prints
The Hindi language has sandesh-kā vya, describing a poetic form where the lover sends his message of love and yearning to his beloved through clouds or birds. The Mailu language of Papua New Guinea has oriori, a boy’s song to attract a girl. Aspiring Western Romeos often prefer a more basic approach:
war dein Vater ein Dieb? Weil er die Sterne vom Himmel gestohlen hat um sie dir in die Augen zu setzen (German) Was your father a thief ? Because he stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes
scusa, baci gli sconosciuti? No? Allora, mi presento … (Italian) Excuse me, do you kiss strangers? No? Well, let me introduce myself …
venez voir mes estampes japonaises (French) Why don’t you come up and see my Japanese prints
Hit by a basket
Not all approaches are necessarily welcome:
echar(le) los perros a alguien (Latin American Spanish) to flirt with, make a pass at someone (literally, to set the dogs on someone)
oshi no itte (Japanese) to pursue someone aggressively; to not take no for an answer (literally, pushing and pushing alone)
dostat košem (Czech) to flirt with or hit on somebody who isn’t interested and turns you down (literally, to be hit by a basket)
dikupu (Setswana, Botswana) stubs or stumps of hands or legs (said teasingly by women to a man who shows no interest in them)
Octopussy
And there are some guys who just don’t get the message at all:
atracador (Latin American Spanish) a person who feels up a woman; someone whose sexual advances are heavy-handed and unwelcome (literally, mugger)
ozhappu edukkaradhu (Tamil) an act of sexual harassment perpetrated against female passengers in a crowded bus or train
el pulpo (Spanish) someone who is ‘all hands’, who likes to touch women inappropriately (literally, octopus)
Gooseberry
However well or badly it’s going, in matters of romance, two’s company, but three is very definitely a crowd:
tocar el violin (Chilean Spanish) a person who uncomfortably accompanies an amorous couple (literally, to play the violin)
segurando a vela (Portuguese) to be the third wheel on a date (literally, holding the candle)
False friends
sleep (Afrikaans) girlfriend or boyfriend
titì (Tagalog, Philippines) penis
poluzzione (Italian) semen
Puff (German) brothel
spunk (Scots) a spark of fire
bite (French) penis
chain