=SDC= Q32: Phrase of passion (and music)

22 views
Skip to first unread message

Jerry Friedman

unread,
Sep 3, 2012, 12:48:22 PM9/3/12
to
"Like a green tangerine
Like a green tangerine
A colorless green tangerine."

What happened here?

--
Jerry Friedman, T. O. Panelist

Snidely

unread,
Sep 3, 2012, 2:42:43 PM9/3/12
to
Jerry Friedman scribbled something on Monday the 9/3/2012:
> "Like a green tangerine
> Like a green tangerine
> A colorless green tangerine."
>
> What happened here?

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-JDUnZv1N0>

/dps

--
Who, me? And what lacuna?


Snidely

unread,
Sep 3, 2012, 2:52:11 PM9/3/12
to
Snidely wrote on 9/3/2012 :
> Jerry Friedman scribbled something on Monday the 9/3/2012:
>> "Like a green tangerine
>> Like a green tangerine
>> A colorless green tangerine."
>>
>> What happened here?
>
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-JDUnZv1N0>

Or maybe <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uvErudqk4E>
(both SFW)

Snidely

unread,
Sep 3, 2012, 2:55:14 PM9/3/12
to
on 9/3/2012, Snidely supposed :
> Snidely wrote on 9/3/2012 :
>> Jerry Friedman scribbled something on Monday the 9/3/2012:
>>> "Like a green tangerine
>>> Like a green tangerine
>>> A colorless green tangerine."
>>>
>>> What happened here?
>>
>> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-JDUnZv1N0>
>
> Or maybe <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uvErudqk4E>
> (both SFW)

ObAUE: there is a reference in the later to star uh-niece. Am I the
only one here who would substitute ann-iss?

Jerry Friedman

unread,
Sep 3, 2012, 3:30:54 PM9/3/12
to
Nope. I've heard /@'nis/ a couple of times recently, though.

--
Jerry Friedman

Snidely

unread,
Sep 3, 2012, 4:14:27 PM9/3/12
to
Jerry Friedman explained on 9/3/2012 :
> On Sep 3, 12:55ï¿œpm, Snidely <snidely....@gmail.com> wrote:
>> on 9/3/2012, Snidely supposed :
>>
>>> Snidely wrote on 9/3/2012 :
>>>> Jerry Friedman ï¿œscribbled something on Monday the 9/3/2012:
>>>>> "Like a green tangerine
>>>>> Like a green tangerine
>>>>> A colorless green tangerine."
>>
>>>>> What happened here?
>>
>>>> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-JDUnZv1N0>
>>> Or maybe <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uvErudqk4E>
>>> (both SFW)
>>
>> ObAUE: ï¿œthere is a reference in the later to star uh-niece. ï¿œAm I the
>> only one here who would substitute ann-iss?
>
> Nope. I've heard /@'nis/ a couple of times recently, though.

My pronounciation would be /&n/ /Is/, perhaps with a shorter /s/ than
in the "less" example?

msh210

unread,
Sep 6, 2012, 5:40:45 PM9/6/12
to
On Sept. 3d, Jerry Friedman Totally Officially asked:
> "Like a green tangerine
> Like a green tangerine
> A colorless green tangerine."
>
> What happened here?

More specifically, what's the original of that mistranslation?

Michael Hamm
TO Explicator

Guy Barry

unread,
Sep 7, 2012, 2:33:50 PM9/7/12
to
On Sep 3, 5:48 pm, Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com> wrote:
> "Like a green tangerine
> Like a green tangerine
> A colorless green tangerine."
>
> What happened here?

Is it a mondegreen?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIAzQ6M2Bow

Jerry Friedman

unread,
Sep 7, 2012, 2:50:29 PM9/7/12
to
It's definitely a mistranslation, which we translated back into
English.

--
Jerry Friedman, T. O. hinter

Liz

unread,
Sep 7, 2012, 4:14:10 PM9/7/12
to

"msh210" <msh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sept. 3d, Jerry Friedman Totally Officially asked:
>> "Like a green tangerine
>> Like a green tangerine
>> A colorless green tangerine."
>>
>> What happened here?
>
> More specifically, what's the original of that mistranslation?

Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.


Frank S

unread,
Sep 7, 2012, 5:34:20 PM9/7/12
to

"Liz" <l...@after.eight> wrote in message
news:DvSdnYLSSeIEyNfN...@giganews.com...
From what I've learned about green tangerines, perhaps we should be on the
trail of odorless ones?

--
Frank ess


CDB

unread,
Sep 8, 2012, 8:26:19 AM9/8/12
to
The other language is probably French. Un verre de mandarin (an
aperitif) sans couleur?


Iain Archer

unread,
Sep 8, 2012, 3:15:36 PM9/8/12
to
CDB wrote on Sat, 8 Sep 2012
I was thinking along the lines of "inexperienced", but mandarins usually
aren't.
--
Iain Archer

Jerry Friedman

unread,
Sep 10, 2012, 11:54:57 AM9/10/12
to
On Sep 8, 1:23 pm, Iain Archer <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> CDB wrote on Sat, 8 Sep 2012
>
>
>
> >On 07/09/2012 2:50 PM, Jerry Friedman wrote:
> >> On Sep 7, 12:33 pm, Guy Barry <guy.ba...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> >>> On Sep 3, 5:48 pm, Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com> wrote:
>
> >>>> "Like agreen tangerine
> >>>> Like agreen tangerine
> >>>> A colorlessgreen tangerine."
>
> >>>> What happened here?
>
> >>> Is it a mondegreen?
>
> >>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIAzQ6M2Bow
>
> >> It's definitely a mistranslation, which we translated back into
> >> English.
>
> >The other language is probably French.  Un verre de mandarin (an
> >aperitif) sans couleur?
>
> I was thinking along the lines of "inexperienced", but mandarins usually
> aren't.

In fact, sometimes they're overexperienced.

Vinny Burgoo

unread,
Sep 10, 2012, 5:11:39 PM9/10/12
to
Zhi Shi can mean 'unripe bitter orange'. Zhi can mean wisdom. Therefore
the grasshopper ...

Oh, wrong question.

--
VB

R H Draney

unread,
Sep 10, 2012, 5:21:26 PM9/10/12
to
Jerry Friedman filted:
>
>On Sep 8, 1:23=A0pm, Iain Archer <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>> CDB wrote on Sat, 8 Sep 2012
>>
>>
>>
>> >On 07/09/2012 2:50 PM, Jerry Friedman wrote:
>> >> On Sep 7, 12:33 pm, Guy Barry <guy.ba...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>> >>> On Sep 3, 5:48 pm, Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com> wrote:
>>
>> >>>> "Like agreen tangerine
>> >>>> Like agreen tangerine
>> >>>> A colorlessgreen tangerine."
>>
>> >>>> What happened here?
>>
>> >>> Is it a mondegreen?
>>
>> >>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DoIAzQ6M2Bow
>>
>> >> It's definitely a mistranslation, which we translated back into
>> >> English.
>>
>> >The other language is probably French. =A0Un verre de mandarin (an
>> >aperitif) sans couleur?
>>
>> I was thinking along the lines of "inexperienced", but mandarins usually
>> aren't.
>
>In fact, sometimes they're overexperienced.

Aha!...

"Like a jaded mandarin,
Like a jaded mandarin,
A faded, jaded mandarin."

It's a taunt Judas uses to address Jesus in "Jesus Christ, Superstar" right
before he gets booted out of the Last Supper....r


--
Me? Sarcastic?
Yeah, right.

Jerry Friedman

unread,
Sep 10, 2012, 5:31:39 PM9/10/12
to
On Sep 10, 3:21 pm, R H Draney <dadoc...@spamcop.net> wrote:
> Jerry Friedman filted:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Sep 8, 1:23=A0pm, Iain Archer <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> >> CDB wrote on Sat, 8 Sep 2012
>
> >> >On 07/09/2012 2:50 PM, Jerry Friedman wrote:
> >> >> On Sep 7, 12:33 pm, Guy Barry <guy.ba...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> >> >>> On Sep 3, 5:48 pm, Jerry Friedman <je...@totally-official.com> wrote:
>
> >> >>>> "Like agreen tangerine
> >> >>>> Like agreen tangerine
> >> >>>> A colorlessgreen tangerine."
>
> >> >>>> What happened here?
>
> >> >>> Is it a mondegreen?
>
> >> >>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DoIAzQ6M2Bow
>
> >> >> It's definitely a mistranslation, which we translated back into
> >> >> English.
>
> >> >The other language is probably French. =A0Un verre de mandarin (an
> >> >aperitif) sans couleur?
>
> >> I was thinking along the lines of "inexperienced", but mandarins usually
> >> aren't.
>
> >In fact, sometimes they're overexperienced.
>
> Aha!...
>
> "Like a jaded mandarin,
>  Like a jaded mandarin,
>  A faded, jaded mandarin."

Thank you!

> It's a taunt Judas uses to address Jesus in "Jesus Christ, Superstar" right
> before he gets booted out of the Last Supper....r

--

R H Draney

unread,
Sep 11, 2012, 12:51:50 AM9/11/12
to
Jerry Friedman filted:
>
>On Sep 10, 3:21=A0pm, R H Draney <dadoc...@spamcop.net> wrote:
>>
>> "Like a jaded mandarin,
>> =A0Like a jaded mandarin,
>> =A0A faded, jaded mandarin."
>
>Thank you!
>
>> It's a taunt Judas uses to address Jesus in "Jesus Christ, Superstar" rig=
>ht
>> before he gets booted out of the Last Supper....r

I might have known it would take a musical reference to save me going sheepless
this year....r

James Hogg

unread,
Sep 11, 2012, 1:40:39 AM9/11/12
to
I lack your familiarity with the musical. The word "passion" in the slug
made me think about the crucifixion, but I couldn't figure out how "Eli"
became "Like a green tangerine" and "Lama sabachthani" got corrupted
into "A colorless green tangerine".

--
James

Iain Archer

unread,
Sep 11, 2012, 6:51:20 AM9/11/12
to
James Hogg wrote on Tue, 11 Sep 2012
>R H Draney wrote:
>> Jerry Friedman filted:
>>> On Sep 10, 3:21=A0pm, R H Draney <dadoc...@spamcop.net> wrote:
>>>> "Like a jaded mandarin,
>>>> =A0Like a jaded mandarin,
>>>> =A0A faded, jaded mandarin."
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>>> It's a taunt Judas uses to address Jesus in "Jesus Christ,
>>>> Superstar" right before he gets booted out of the Last Supper....r
>>
>> I might have known it would take a musical reference to save me going
>>sheepless this year....r
>
>I lack your familiarity with the musical. The word "passion" in the slug
>made me think about the crucifixion, but I couldn't figure out how "Eli"
>became "Like a green tangerine" and "Lama sabachthani" got corrupted
>into "A colorless green tangerine".
>
It's a dreadful piece of lyric, imo. I suppose I'm reassured that it's
not resonant in everyone's minds.

Was there an actual translation chain that led to the clue, or is it a
notional one?
--
Iain Archer

Jerry Friedman

unread,
Sep 11, 2012, 9:40:16 AM9/11/12
to
On Sep 11, 4:57 am, Iain Archer <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> James Hogg wrote on Tue, 11 Sep 2012>R H Draney wrote:
> >> Jerry Friedman filted:
> >>> On Sep 10, 3:21=A0pm, R H Draney <dadoc...@spamcop.net> wrote:
> >>>> "Like a jaded mandarin,
> >>>> =A0Like a jaded mandarin,
> >>>> =A0A faded, jaded mandarin."
> >>> Thank you!
>
>  >>>> It's a taunt Judas uses to address Jesus in "Jesus Christ,
>  >>>> Superstar" right before he gets booted out of the Last Supper....r

For the second time.

> >> I might have known it would take a musical reference to save me going
> >>sheepless  this year....r
>
> >I lack your familiarity with the musical. The word "passion" in the slug
> >made me think about the crucifixion, but I couldn't figure out how "Eli"
> >became "Like a green tangerine" and "Lama sabachthani" got corrupted
> >into "A colorless green tangerine".
>
> It's a dreadful piece of lyric, imo.

In mine too. That whole section is so brilliant, and suddenly "Jesus
is like a what?" It's even worse as written than you might think from
the version here:

"But the saddest cut of all -
Someone has to turn you in
Like a common criminal, like a wounded animal
A jaded mandarin
A jaded mandarin
Like a jaded, faded, faded, jaded, jaded mandarin"

> I suppose I'm reassured that it's not resonant in everyone's minds.

It's at Wikiquote (with "part" instead of "cut").

> Was there an actual translation chain that led to the clue, or is it a
> notional one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONcpauqDlIo&feature=related

at about 5:18. The mistranslation is discussed, mostly in Spanish, in
the comments, and the uploader says the subtitles are those of the
DVD.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages