# Words/phrases/idioms which don't exist in the putative language **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 13, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576 "2007-07-13T00:58:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/1 "2007-07-13T00:58:05Z")
[Or are never used] Somehow I doubt Native American chiefs/medicine men ever said “Many moons ago…”. There a number of alledgedly Italian catchphrases which I doubt any Italian speaker ever uses, such as “Mama Mia!” as an expletive. What are your favorite (or least-) examples? ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/2 "2007-07-13T01:11:02Z")
I’d be surprised to hear a Frenchperson say _Sacre bleu!_ or a German say _Ach du lieber!_ ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/3 "2007-07-13T01:22:38Z")
In fact, I have heard Italians use “Mamma mia!” I’d say, without knowing for sure, that it’s a little corny or old-fashioned but perfectly normal Italian. Maybe like “jeez” or “jeepers” in English (i.e. somewhere in the continuum between the two in terms of corniness). ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/4 "2007-07-13T01:23:49Z")
I had a french guy explain that “Sacre bleu!” was an expression common waaaay back in the 1600s, and hence when Dumas was writing “The Three Musketeers”, it was appropriate for his characters to use it. However, it hasn’t been in common use in France for hundreds of years. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/5 "2007-07-13T01:25:28Z")
I have also heard a German say _Ach, Du shiese!_ (I think). Not _Ach du leiber_, but it similar. Also, English speakers might say “many months ago”. If I’m not mistaken “month” is related to “moon” and therefore the phrase “many months ago” might well mean “many moons ago”. Whether Indians used a similar phrase I’m not sure, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t use the cycle of the moon to help them measure time and I’d further be surprised if no native american language used their word for moon to describe time. ---
**Author:** ![Gengis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@Gengis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gengis)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/6 "2007-07-13T04:23:06Z")
While walking down the street in Paris, I did hear a man say “ooh la la” in the general direction of myself and my friends. I nearly fell over, because I was sure that was just an American cliche of the French. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/7 "2007-07-13T04:35:56Z")
[QUOTE=sjc] I have also heard a German say _Ach, Du shiese!_ (I think). … [/QUOTE] I believe that should be _Ach, Du scheisse!_. Similar to _Merde!_ ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/8 "2007-07-13T09:42:12Z")
The French do not use RSVP (Répondez s’il-vous-plaît) on invitations. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/9 "2007-07-13T10:23:49Z")
An example from German would be **stein** (which means “stone” or “rock” in German). _Ach_ as a free-standing interjection is used by German speakers as often as **alas** by English-speakers, i.e. almost never. _Lederhosen_ are, for some reason, often rendered as Leiderhosen (unfortunately-pants) or as Liederhosen (songs-pants) in English texts. By far the most frequent use of nonexistent German phrases in English has a grammatical reason, though - resulting from the notion that there is one German word that’s the translation of the English word “the”. (usually, it seems, _der_ is assumed, but the definitive article can be _der, die, das, des, dem, den_ depending on gender, number and case) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/10 "2007-07-13T10:34:32Z")
[QUOTE=tschild] _Lederhosen_ are, for some reason, often rendered as Leiderhosen (unfortunately-pants) or as Liederhosen (songs-pants) in English texts. [/QUOTE] This is interesting - I understand German is very sympathetic to the formation of new words by just linking existing ones together - would you say that this means there’s a greater likelihood of spelling errors meaning _something, but the wrong thing_, as opposed to just looking wrongly spelt? ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/11 "2007-07-13T13:02:49Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] This is interesting - I understand German is very sympathetic to the formation of new words by just linking existing ones together - would you say that this means there’s a greater likelihood of spelling errors meaning _something, but the wrong thing_, as opposed to just looking wrongly spelt? [/QUOTE] To some degree, yes - e.g. in [this example](http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/zwiebelfisch/0,1518,grossbild-818474-468897,00.html) from Spiegel Online’s language blooper column Zwiebelfisch. Warnanlage (what the writer intended to write on the junction box) = alarm system Wahnanlage (what the writer did write) = delusional system But it seems easy to hit an existing English word, too - see [this price list](http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/zwiebelfisch/0,1518,grossbild-869890-481830,00.html) of a German stand with bagels on offer. Mistakes in German grammar can also be dangerous. e.g: _Die Leiter_ (noun, f) = the ladder, _Der Leiter_ (noun, m) = the boss, director, supervisor etc. Hence: _Bitte stellen Sie die Leiter an die Wand_ = Please put the ladder against the wall. _Bitte stellen Sie den Leiter an die Wand_ = Please execute the boss by firing squad. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/12 "2007-07-13T13:32:31Z")
[QUOTE=Gengis] While walking down the street in Paris, I did hear a man say “ooh la la” in the general direction of myself and my friends. I nearly fell over, because I was sure that was just an American cliche of the French. Go figure. [/QUOTE] We were taught this in French class, that it’s more “oh la la” as you said, and not the stereotypical “oo la la”. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/13 "2007-07-13T13:54:11Z")
Actually “Oh là là”, and yes it is surprisingly common in spoken French even now. ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/14 "2007-07-13T14:26:36Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] Actually “Oh là là”, and yes it is surprisingly common in spoken French even now. [/QUOTE] But the meaning is different. “Oo-la-la” is typically used in American cartoons and other stereotypes as a catcall or wolf howl, an expression of sexual “appreciation”. The authentic French use, from what I understand, is more along the lines of “Oy vey” or “oh boy” or other mild expression of frustration or surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/15 "2007-07-13T14:29:02Z")
I’ve never been to the UK, but I’ve always presumed that a) Most Brits don’t start a conversation by saying, “I say. . . .” b) Most Brits don’t say 'Pip, Pip, Cheerio!" when departing your company. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/16 "2007-07-13T15:02:33Z")
_Moola_ (or _moolah_) is an English slang word of unknown origin. Although it sounds as if it may be Spanish, it’s not – not only does the phrase “mucho moolah” not exist _en español_, it would more likely be spelled “mucha mula” if it did, as _mula_ is of feminine gender (and already exists as the word for “mule”), and thus takes the feminine forms of adjectives. _Moola_ would be pronounced “moe-oh-la” were it a Spanish word. Also, something that’s inexpensive would not be describved as “el cheapo”, but rather by a form of the word _barato_, as in “el coche barato” (the cheap car). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/17 "2007-07-13T15:14:02Z")
I’ll bet Chinerse people don’t say “Ah! Soooooo,” i was very surprised, on reading the play **Stalag 17** 9and seeing the movie) to find Sergeant Schultz saying “Ach! So!” in the same way (and at the same time) legend would have a Chinese person use it. Apparently, it’s really a german expression. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/18 "2007-07-13T15:45:05Z")
Another phrase that you would think is a cliche, but isn’t. When my family was eating together at a restaurant once, the waitress overfilled my brother’s tea glass and gasped: “Ay Caramba!” When the waitress was out of earshot, my brother and I cracked up. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/19 "2007-07-13T15:50:21Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] I’ll bet Chinerse people don’t say “Ah! Soooooo,” [/QUOTE] No – but that is a common idiom in Japanese, meaning pretty well exactly the same as in English. (A longer form would be “Aa so desu ka?”, meaning, “Is that so?”) ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576/20 "2007-07-13T16:06:08Z")
[QUOTE=tschild] By far the most frequent use of nonexistent German phrases in English has a grammatical reason, though - resulting from the notion that there is one German word that’s the translation of the English word “the”. (usually, it seems, _der_ is assumed, but the definitive article can be _der, die, das, des, dem, den_ depending on gender, number and case) [/QUOTE] I was trying to check when LA Opera would be performing The Ring of the Nibelung and of course had to look it up in german. I regularly get confused with the placement of the der and the des. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-phrases-idioms-which-dont-exist-in-the-putative-language/411576.md?page=2)