# The stupidest thing I have ever heard an American in Europe say. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 27, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687 "2001-05-27T15:48:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/141 "2001-06-07T14:40:00Z")
Ah…can someone tell me what does “Sig Heil”(or the correct spelling) means? ---
**Author:** ![Aghris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@Aghris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aghris)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/142 "2001-06-07T14:47:53Z")
I was used during the Second World War, meaning 'give hail (to Hitler). It is a detestable thing to say in a former concentration camp and although I’m not a violent man, I would knock the guy who muttered it unconcious on the spot. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/143 "2001-06-07T14:52:32Z")
Correct spellling: “Sieg Heil”. It’s a Nazi greeting. Enough said. S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![Aghris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@Aghris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aghris)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/144 "2001-06-07T14:52:32Z")
Well… obviously I’m not so old that I could have been used during that time. What I meant was ‘It was used’, but I guess you understood that, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/145 "2001-06-07T15:10:56Z")
happylittlevegemite - then you should really get a kick out of a local plumbing company: Roto-rooter ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/146 "2001-06-07T15:13:31Z")
I write: > [@](#): > > Correct spellling Ironic, isn’t it ? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/147 "2001-06-07T16:18:09Z")
Another thread? _“The Dumbest Thing You’ve Ever Seen a Dane Post on a Message Board”_. 😃 On that note: happy 1000+, Spiny. You’re one of the few posters of whom I think their posts have all been worth reading. ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2001, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687/148 "2001-06-07T16:36:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*It might have been helpful if you’d explained in advance that “rooting” is Australian slang for “shagging”, 'cause I’ll bet not one American in one hundred knows that. \*\* Hugh Jackman was on the (US TV) Tonight Show this week and told some joke that absolutely bombed. The host and audience just stared at him , until he explained “rooting”. Almost no one (myself included) got it. Even “shagging” is new here (maybe since the Powers movies). I know of a group of US baseball coaches who were giving some international clinics a few years ago, and did not understand why the Aussies cracked up when they were asked to go shag some flies (a standard outfield drill). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-stupidest-thing-i-have-ever-heard-an-american-in-europe-say/66687.md?page=7)