Inselaffen - has anyone heard this before?
Nick Worley
translate as "island monkeys" or (I suppose) "island oafs", is a humorous
derogatory term used for the Brits.
Have any Germans here heard that before or do you reckon that the people who
told me this just thought it up on the spot?
It's pretty funny either way!
Thanks
Nick
Harlan Messinger
<nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote:
See http://www.inselaffen.de/. (You might want to avoid the "Sex"
link. Try "Fehrnsehn" [sic] instead.)
--
Harlan Messinger
Remove the first dot from my e-mail address.
Veuillez ôter le premier point de mon adresse de courriel.
Dave Devine
<nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote:
Hi Nick,
It's a fairly common expression. Another is "Kalkeimer".
Dave
--
There's a fine line between stupid and clever.
Laura E. Czeschick
> "Nick Worley"
> <nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
>> A couple of German people have told me that Inselaffen, which could
>> translate as "island monkeys" or (I suppose) "island oafs", is a
>> humorous derogatory term used for the Brits.
>> Have any Germans here heard that before or do you reckon that the
>> people who told me this just thought it up on the spot?
>> It's pretty funny either way!
Hi Nick,
when I saw the word in your header I had no idea that it was supposed to
mean "Brits". Never heard it before except in the context of ethological
research about *real* island monkeys' behaviour. Had somebody used the term
in a conversation about GB, I would have guessed the meaning, of course. But
I don't think this usage is very common.
> See http://www.inselaffen.de/. (You might want to avoid the "Sex"
> link. Try "Fehrnsehn" [sic] instead.)
Harlan, I took a short look at your link - uhm, looks like a private site of
two half-baked teenagers to me. Neither funny nor intelligent, just a waste
of time. Even if "Fehrnsehn" could be meant as an intentional misspelling
(Northern German dialect?), the total amount of spelling mistakes is
impressive.
Laura
Bettina Price
Oh, yeah. When I went back home to my parents the one time, the guy who has
the house in front of theirs said to me "Und du lebst jetzt bei den
Inselaffen? Was willste denn da?".
Bettina
Ian Dawson
<nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> schrieb im
Newsbeitrag news:biou57$bmhas$1...@ID-90070.news.uni-berlin.de...
"Inselaffen" I've heard many a time here in Germany.
My favourite is "Klippenpisser". The first time I heard it the image of
squalling, blue-bellied Belgae pissing on the Roman ships from the safety of
cliff tops cracked me up so much that I could hardly rejoin for laughing. I
can't vouch for the currency, though.
Both terms were applied to me, jocularly. And in a pub.
--
Ian Dawson
There are no Roman fives in my e-mail address
Meine E-Mail-Adresse enthaelt keine roemischen Fuenfen
"Das Entfachen von offenem Feuer in diesen Raeumlichkeiten ist laut
HVV-Beschluss untersagt."
(Fernsehraum, Staatsstudentenwohnheim I, Bochum)
Harlan Messinger
>
>> See http://www.inselaffen.de/. (You might want to avoid the "Sex"
>> link. Try "Fehrnsehn" [sic] instead.)
>
>Harlan, I took a short look at your link - uhm, looks like a private site of
>two half-baked teenagers to me. Neither funny nor intelligent, just a waste
>of time. Even if "Fehrnsehn" could be meant as an intentional misspelling
>(Northern German dialect?), the total amount of spelling mistakes is
>impressive.
It's absolutely awful. I just meant that what little content they've
added so far (except under "Sex") seems to have to do with things
perceived to be English--Teletubbies, Bear in the Big Blue House,
McDonalds--the latter two being American, though.
Evertjan.
> "Laura E. Czeschick" <Laura.C...@t-online.de> wrote:
>>
>>> See http://www.inselaffen.de/. (You might want to avoid the "Sex"
>>> link. Try "Fehrnsehn" [sic] instead.)
>>
>>Harlan, I took a short look at your link - uhm, looks like a private
>>site of two half-baked teenagers to me. Neither funny nor intelligent,
>>just a waste of time. Even if "Fehrnsehn" could be meant as an
>>intentional misspelling (Northern German dialect?), the total amount
>>of spelling mistakes is impressive.
>
> It's absolutely awful. I just meant that what little content they've
> added so far (except under "Sex") seems to have to do with things
> perceived to be English--Teletubbies, Bear in the Big Blue House,
> McDonalds--the latter two being American, though.
This thread has a typo, please go to:
;-)
--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Please change the x'es to dots in my emailaddress)
Stayka deyAvemta
Yeah, I also heard it before :-) It is a bit derogatory, true,
but actually it is meant way more humorous than as an actual
insult.
Clear Ether!
Stayka
--
Stayka's WoD Stuff at http://stayka.keyspace.de/sqhome/wod/
(Characters, online campaigns, my Frankfurt citybook, fun and more)
Richard Loebner
from "Bettina Price" <bettina...@pappnase.demon.co.uk> contains
these words:
> snip <
> Oh, yeah. When I went back home to my parents the one time, the guy who has
> the house in front of theirs said to me "Und du lebst jetzt bei den
> Inselaffen? Was willste denn da?".
~~~~~~~~~~~~
.. und was hast du ihm erwiedert?
--
Richard,
Crowthorne Berkshire UK
Nick Worley
news:biq2sc$j0$1...@a1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de...
> Nick Worley
<nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> : A couple of German people have told me that Inselaffen, which could
> : translate as "island monkeys" or (I suppose) "island oafs", is a
humorous
> : derogatory term used for the Brits.
> : Have any Germans here heard that before or do you reckon that the people
who
> : told me this just thought it up on the spot?
> : It's pretty funny either way!
>
> Yeah, I also heard it before :-) It is a bit derogatory, true,
> but actually it is meant way more humorous than as an actual
> insult.
It certainly didn't come across as malicious to me, but rather humorous.
And in any case, "Ich bin stolz ein Inselaffe zu sein"! :o)
(Or as a German friend of mine used to say "Ich bin stolz ein Staubkörnchen
im All zu sein").
Regards
Nick
Nick Worley
<nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote in
message news:biqfjn$bqmjj$1...@ID-90070.news.uni-berlin.de...
> "Stayka deyAvemta" <sta...@saint-seiya.de> wrote in message
> news:biq2sc$j0$1...@a1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de...
> > Nick Worley
> <nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote:
> > : A couple of German people have told me that Inselaffen, which could
> > : translate as "island monkeys" or (I suppose) "island oafs", is a
> humorous
> > : derogatory term used for the Brits.
> > : Have any Germans here heard that before or do you reckon that the
people
> who
> > : told me this just thought it up on the spot?
> > : It's pretty funny either way!
> >
> > Yeah, I also heard it before :-) It is a bit derogatory, true,
> > but actually it is meant way more humorous than as an actual
> > insult.
>
> It certainly didn't come across as malicious to me, but rather humorous.
> And in any case, "Ich bin stolz ein Inselaffe zu sein"! :o)
Ooops, shouldn't I have written "Ich bin stolz *darauf* ein Inselaffe zu
sein" or can you say both? i.e. with or without "darauf"?
Thanks
Nick
Bettina Price
> "Nick Worley"
> <nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com>
> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:biou57$bmhas$1...@ID-90070.news.uni-berlin.de...
>> A couple of German people have told me that Inselaffen, which could
>> translate as "island monkeys" or (I suppose) "island oafs", is a
>> humorous derogatory term used for the Brits.
>> Have any Germans here heard that before or do you reckon that the
>> people who told me this just thought it up on the spot?
>> It's pretty funny either way!
>> Thanks
>> Nick
>>
>>
>
> "Inselaffen" I've heard many a time here in Germany.
>
> My favourite is "Klippenpisser". The first time I heard it the image
> of squalling, blue-bellied Belgae pissing on the Roman ships from the
> safety of cliff tops cracked me up so much that I could hardly rejoin
> for laughing. I can't vouch for the currency, though.
Mwaa-hah-hah! I haven't heard that one before.
> Both terms were applied to me, jocularly. And in a pub.
What? Us Germany making funny jokes like? That you can laugh at?
<snip>
>"Das Entfachen von offenem Feuer in diesen Raeumlichkeiten ist laut
>HVV-Beschluss untersagt."
>(Fernsehraum, Staatsstudentenwohnheim I, Bochum)
I'd find that funny if I hadn't lived in a Wohnheim for a long time and knew
that it could end up being entirely necessary to make people aware of this
fact.
Bettina
Bettina Price
> "Nick Worley"
> <nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote
> in message news:biqfjn$bqmjj$1...@ID-90070.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
> zu sein" or can you say both? i.e. with or without "darauf"?
Both are fine, but both lack a comma.
Bettina
Bettina Price
I told him that although I could not claim to ever have lain awake at night
thinking "Ooh, I want to move to England", now that I was there it was
rather nice, and that in the long run one place was pretty much like
another.
Bettina
Richard Loebner
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A copout, as we say auf der Affeninsel, gell?
Gruß aus England
Bettina Price
> The message <biqksq$c3g97$1...@ID-138239.news.uni-berlin.de>
> from "Bettina Price" <bettina...@pappnase.demon.co.uk> contains
> these words:
>
>> Richard Loebner wrote:
>>> The message <bipkte$biqlu$1...@ID-138239.news.uni-berlin.de>
>>> from "Bettina Price" <bettina...@pappnase.demon.co.uk> contains
>>> these words:
>>>
>>>> snip <
>>>
>>>> Oh, yeah. When I went back home to my parents the one time, the guy
>>>> who has the house in front of theirs said to me "Und du lebst jetzt
>>>> bei den Inselaffen? Was willste denn da?".
>>>
>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>
>>> .. und was hast du ihm erwiedert?
>
>> I told him that although I could not claim to ever have lain awake
>> at night thinking "Ooh, I want to move to England", now that I was
>> there it was rather nice, and that in the long run one place was
>> pretty much like another.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> A copout, as we say auf der Affeninsel, gell?
>
deeper conversation, too.
Bettina
nyra
>
> Harlan Messinger wrote on 30 aug 2003 in sci.lang.translation:
> > "Laura E. Czeschick" <Laura.C...@t-online.de> wrote:
> >>
> >>> See http://www.inselaffen.de/. (You might want to avoid the "Sex"
> >>> link. Try "Fehrnsehn" [sic] instead.)
> >>
> >>Harlan, I took a short look at your link - uhm, looks like a private
> >>site of two half-baked teenagers to me. Neither funny nor intelligent,
> >>just a waste of time.
Well, yes. Hastily-knocked-together trash.
> >>Even if "Fehrnsehn" could be meant as an
> >>intentional misspelling (Northern German dialect?), the total amount
> >>of spelling mistakes is impressive.
And to think that they somehow managed to operate a computer...
> > It's absolutely awful. I just meant that what little content they've
> > added so far (except under "Sex") seems to have to do with things
> > perceived to be English--Teletubbies, Bear in the Big Blue House,
> > McDonalds--the latter two being American, though.
Oh, the "Sex" area i found somewhat revealing - they consider the
stuff they depicted there perverted, but evidently they took the time
to dig up a nice number of examples. I mean, it's not quite the sort
of thing that gets served on the first web site google finds under the
keyword "England":
www.bankofengland.co.uk
As far as "Inselaffen" is concerned: it's a term of mockery. Usually
used in a purely humorous and inoffensive fashion, but _can_ be used
with the intent to belittle and ridicule.
> <http://www.inselaffen.de/> ?
>
> This thread has a typo, please go to:
>
> <http://www.einschlafen.de/>
Erm, this site does exist. It's some sort of contentless "contact"
page, though.
--
Das Mittel dieser Schrift / Macht, dass dich kein' Kugel trifft.
Asa vitom rahoremarhi ahe menalem renah oremi nasiore ene nahores ore
eldit ita ardes inabe ine nie nei alomade sas ani ita ahe elime arnam
asa locre rahel nei vivet aroseli ditan Veloselas Herodan ebi menises
asa elitira eve harsari erida sacer elachimai nei elerisa.
- H.J.C.v.Grimmelshausen, Simplicissimus Teutsch
Ian Dawson
news:biqkhe$c841v$1...@ID-138239.news.uni-berlin.de...
> What? Us Germany making funny jokes like? That you can laugh at?
>
fortunate enough to know quite a few Germans who appeal to my sense of
humour, which prefers a subtle, ironic analysis of personal shortcomings
that never borders on sarcasm and, although deeply criticising, can never be
construed as insult by the forgiving recipient with insight. It takes a lot
of intuition, tact, and fine judgement to produce this kind of humour, and,
believe it or not, many Germans are quite capable of it, irrespective of
their educational background. A kind of mid-brow wit, if you like. It is a
rare, exquisite treat to see them dismantle wannabes.
I have to admit, though, that the most common kind of humour, in my
experience, is blunt, loud, insistent, shallow and more often than not
appeals more to the baser instincts than to the understanding. This is the
kind of humour that has also been picked up on German independent TV
channels. It can be funny though, if only for the shock effect or absurdity
(for example, a sketch of the Queen Mum before assembled dignitaries
knocking out her clay pipe on the starched white table linen after a
ceremonious banquet).
Applying the term "Inselaffe" is a prerogative of the latter humour
category. Germans of the former would never stoop to such indignity.
--
Ian Dawson
There are no Roman fives in my e-mail address
Meine E-Mail-Adresse enthaelt keine roemischen Fuenfen
"Das Entfachen von offenem Feuer in diesen Raeumlichkeiten ist laut
Martin Möller
as a boring average German I can say:
No, I definitely never heard that before.
(well, on the other hand: my first association that came to me when reading
"Inselaffen" was
Gibraltar, and Gibraltar still belongs to the UK, doesn`t it?... ;-)
Martin
"Nick Worley"
<nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> schrieb im
Newsbeitrag news:biou57$bmhas$1...@ID-90070.news.uni-berlin.de...
John Woodgate
wrote (in <bitcc6$cu1r8$1...@ID-116117.news.uni-berlin.de>) about
'Inselaffen - has anyone heard this before?', on Sat, 30 Aug 2003:
>(well, on the other hand: my first association that came to me when
>reading "Inselaffen" was Gibraltar, and Gibraltar still belongs to the
>UK, doesn`t it?... ;-)
Yes, but the 'apes' are monkeys.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only. http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk
Interested in professional sound reinforcement and distribution? Then go to
http://www.isce.org.uk
PLEASE do NOT copy news posts to me by E-MAIL!
Loekie Ratelkous
"Dave Devine" <david....@arcor.de> schreef in bericht
news:1g0hoov.1czkvu51m61uyaN%david....@arcor.de...
> Nick Worley
> <nick-NOSTALGIA'S-NOT-WHAT-IT-U...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> > A couple of German people have told me that Inselaffen, which could
> > translate as "island monkeys" or (I suppose) "island oafs", is a
humorous
> > derogatory term used for the Brits.
> > Have any Germans here heard that before or do you reckon that the
people who
> > told me this just thought it up on the spot?
> > It's pretty funny either way!
> > Thanks
> > Nick
>
> Hi Nick,
>
I see...
In Holland a Brit in shorts is said to expose his 'melkflessen' (Milk
bottles)
L.
Bettina Price
> "Bettina Price" <bettina...@pappnase.demon.co.uk> schrieb im
> Newsbeitrag news:biqkhe$c841v$1...@ID-138239.news.uni-berlin.de...
>> What? Us Germany making funny jokes like? That you can laugh at?
>>
> Now, now, Bettina, don't be too hard on yourself ;-).
I wasn't. I was being sarcastic.
Bettina
Einde O'Callaghan
> I read in sci.lang.translation that Martin Möller <ne...@webortage.de>
> wrote (in <bitcc6$cu1r8$1...@ID-116117.news.uni-berlin.de>) about
> 'Inselaffen - has anyone heard this before?', on Sat, 30 Aug 2003:
>
>
>>(well, on the other hand: my first association that came to me when
>>reading "Inselaffen" was Gibraltar, and Gibraltar still belongs to the
>>UK, doesn`t it?... ;-)
>
>
> Yes, but the 'apes' are monkeys.
In German "Affen" are both apes and monkeys.
Einde
mustermann
> > >>site of two half-baked teenagers to me. Neither funny nor intelligent,
> > >>just a waste of time.
>
> Well, yes. Hastily-knocked-together trash.
Well, try being Scottish in Germany, if you really want to know about
*tedious* racial stereotypes and associated humour. If you want to stoop to
their level I have found that any Hitler joke translated into German pretty
much stops things dead... but be aware, most are probably *criminally*
offensive under Verfassungschutz!
:-)
mustermann
> In Holland a Brit in shorts is said to expose his 'melkflessen' (Milk
> bottles)
U may find the etymology of Yankee interesting...
:-)
mustermann
"Einde O'Callaghan" <einde.oc...@planet-interkom.de> wrote in message
news:biugdm$d38u0$1...@ID-93601.news.uni-berlin.de...
AFAIK:
Primat = monkey
Affe= ape
:-)
> Einde
>
mustermann
>
> Primat = monkey
> Affe= ape
>
> :-)
In any register above "Umgangssprache"
Bettina Price
> AFAIK:
>
> Primat = monkey
> Affe= ape
>
Nope, that's quite wrong. Even in English, apes are primates. In German,
apes/primates are called "Menschenaffen" or "Affen" and monkeys are also
called "Affen". Makes librarian jokes a lot more difficult.
Ook,
Bettina
mustermann
"Bettina Price" <bettina...@pappnase.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bji67p$jbn4g$1...@ID-138239.news.uni-berlin.de...
Lord only knows how I got an A in my Higher Biology??? A clerical error, I
presume. Still, I knew there was some distinction. Common sense really,
since Germans don't have widely different concepts of biology... and the
non-talking varieties aren't indigenous.
Thanks!
:-)
> Ook,
>
> Bettina
>
>
Gary Vellenzer
bettina...@pappnase.demon.co.uk says...
Once, when I was a child, at table after dinner, apropos of something
one of us children said, my uncle exclaimed: You mean that's the
difference between apes and monkeys? Monkeys have tails and apes don't?
I've been speaking English for the last twenty years and of course I
know what's an ape and what's a monkey, but I never realized the why of
it until now.
Before anybody jumps in with a correction, there is an exception to the
rule. "Barbary apes" are monkeys.
Gary
Einde O'Callaghan
>>>>>Harlan, I took a short look at your link - uhm, looks like a private
>>>>>site of two half-baked teenagers to me. Neither funny nor intelligent,
>>>>>just a waste of time.
>>
>>Well, yes. Hastily-knocked-together trash.
>
>
> Well, try being Scottish in Germany, if you really want to know about
> *tedious* racial stereotypes and associated humour.
Although not Scottish, I find the association of Scottishness and
stinginess in German advertising grossly offensive and tedious. I've
even come across a budget shop, what might be called a "pound shop" in
Britain, which is called MäcGeiz and is plastered all over with tartan
decorations just to make sure that people get the point.
Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
Einde O'Callaghan
Regards, Einde O'Callaghan
Nick Worley
news:MPG.19c67456f...@news.CIS.DFN.DE...
> [snip]
> Monkeys have tails and apes don't?
All monkeys have tails.
Dogs have tails.
Therefore dogs are monkeys!
John Woodgate
<einde.oc...@planet-interkom.de> wrote (in <bjihqu$jkn2e$1@ID-
93601.news.uni-berlin.de>) about 'Inselaffen - has anyone heard this
before?', on Mon, 8 Sep 2003:
>
>Although not Scottish, I find the association of Scottishness and
>stinginess in German advertising grossly offensive and tedious.
Why do the Germans pick on the Scots for this, when the Dutch are so
much nearer? (Ducks!) (;-)
Germans who think the Scots are ungenerous should take a holiday in
Scotland, especially north of the Highland Line.
John Woodgate
se.demon.co.uk> wrote (in <bji67p$jbn4g$1...@ID-138239.news.uni-berlin.de>)
about 'Inselaffen - has anyone heard this before?', on Mon, 8 Sep 2003:
him a monkey. But others can be translated by using the specific 'Oran-
utan' (spelling?).