# Words that are innocent in one language but embarrassing in another language **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515 "2005-09-01T00:26:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/21 "2005-09-01T12:33:32Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Well, if we’re getting into nitpicking, male seahorses can get pregnant. Comedian Jim Gaffagin has a good skit about that. > [@Jim Gaffagin](#): > > So the male seahorse has the babies? Why don’t the just call that the female seahorse? > You just know a researcher was out in the ocean and goes, > “That one there’s the male.” > And his assistant is like, > “But it’s having babies!” > “…With seahorses the male has the babies. You’re fired.” ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/22 "2005-09-01T13:12:43Z")
Peter. A perfectly respectable name, in English. In French _peter_ is the infitive of the verb _to fart_. ---
**Author:** ![Bimble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@Bimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bimble)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/23 "2005-09-01T13:26:49Z")
My Dutch surname means something very VERY rude in the North of England… ☹ Put it this way, if I ever wanted a “job” as a porn star, I’d have a name all lined up and ready to go. Just pity my brother: his name’s Richard which invariably gets shortened to “Dick” at the best of times. (What WERE my parents THINKING!!! :eek: … and no, i’m not going to tell you what it is… 😃 ---
**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:** [September 1, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/24 "2005-09-01T13:27:04Z")
Well, there’s always the soft drink **Pschitt** , which is French onomatopeia for the sound made by escaping carbonation when you open it, but in English … [http://www.bpmlegal.com/wpschitt.html](http://www.bpmlegal.com/wpschitt.html) ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/25 "2005-09-01T15:55:57Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > Peter. A perfectly respectable name, in English. > > In French _peter_ is the infitive of the verb _to fart_. Add to that “pet” is the French word for fart. Makes the idea of petting a pet…hehehee. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/26 "2005-09-01T15:56:31Z")
Do they sell the soft drink Sierra Mist in Germany? If I remember my high school German, Mist = manure. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/27 "2005-09-01T16:45:37Z")
Old ethnic joke: “I’ve been eating French dehydrated food all week. When I go to the bathroom, all I can do is Pierre.” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/28 "2005-09-01T17:01:22Z")
For awhile, I was using a smattering of French words (since that’s all I know) here and there in my English with my housemates. It was after I said, “Well, I’m going to go up and take a _douche_ [shower]” that I cut that habit right out. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/29 "2005-09-01T17:22:23Z")
More German: Lobster = Hummer. (may be Austrian dialect) There is an upscale resteraunt in Vienna called “Hummer Bar” Probably the most expensive meal I’ve ever eaten. City Hall = Rathouse…where the rats live! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/30 "2005-09-01T17:29:30Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > English German > > Fart - Fahrt (Trip) Habe Eine Gute Fahrt. Have a good trip. > > Gift - Gift ( phoenetically) poison. The wine bottle has dust on it…oh…it must have been gift wine." (german relations giggle as it was indeed a present and indeed not all that good.) \ I have a whole roll of wrapping paper with the word gift written all over it in lots of different and sparkly colors. I reserve it for wrapping presents to my german friends=) ---
**Author:** ![Ultraviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@Ultraviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ultraviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/31 "2005-09-01T20:04:35Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Claiming that one “roots” for a specific team could be rather embarrassing in Australia. There is a clothing company in Canada called “Roots” that puts its logo on most of its clothes. Their shirts were popular when I was in high school. The visiting wrestling team from New Zealand got quite a laugh from everyone wearing shirts with ROOTS on them in big letters. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/32 "2005-09-01T20:08:16Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Claiming that one “roots” for a specific team could be rather embarrassing in Australia. Can we get a translation for those of us who haven’t bought our Yankee/Aussie phrase book? Please? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/33 "2005-09-01T20:48:39Z")
“Pu pu platter.” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/34 "2005-09-01T23:08:58Z")
> [@Kiminy](#): > > The word _phoque_ (pronounced something like /fuk/) in French simply refers to a seal (the animal). Definitely a different meaning than the English word with a close pronunciation. Does that mean that fans of recording artist Seal are phoque-heads? During a family trip to Germany when I was about nine, I kept giggling about how all the banks had “Sparkasse” written in big glowing letters on them. I’m slightly more mature now. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/35 "2005-09-01T23:10:17Z")
Another variation on the German trip. _Bootfahrt_ (Boat trip) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/36 "2005-09-01T23:47:56Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > Can we get a translation for those of us who haven’t bought our Yankee/Aussie phrase book? Please? In the Australian/New Zealand vernacular “roots” = “have sexual intercourse”. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515/37 "2005-09-01T23:51:37Z")
Wasn’t there a tennis player with a last name that had to be pronounced very carefully, otherwise it came out as Fuck Her Over? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-are-innocent-in-one-language-but-embarrassing-in-another-language/319515.md?page=1)