This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
Aug 4, 2010 15:52
13 yrs ago
Italian term
United Kingdom
Expert user of SDL Trados Studio
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Italian to English
Gondone
May offend
Italian to English
Other
Slang
Thanks for all the suggestions. Unfortunately the suggestions were too varied and inevitably (given the nature of the term) lacking in documentary support for me to choose a best answer. Thanks again.
Appears a couple of times in a series of emails featuring quite a few colloquial terms and expletives. Have previously raised query in another forum and determined that it is probably a Genovese usage, it literally means "condom" (like "goldone") and it might be used as a friendly epithet for someone who has done a stupid thing or someone who is sly, sneaky or cunning.
Sentence for context:
"Gondone gli hai parlato tu ????? Non dirmi di no .." As the text is badly punctuated throughout, it may be that there should be a "!" after the term "gondone"
For further context the e-mail in question is forwarding a report about a situation that would not have pleased the writer of the email.
Can anyone suggest a good term in English that captures the register of the source? I may just put "Idiot" but that certainly doesn't follow the "cunning" suggestion.
Thanks.
Sentence for context:
"Gondone gli hai parlato tu ????? Non dirmi di no .." As the text is badly punctuated throughout, it may be that there should be a "!" after the term "gondone"
For further context the e-mail in question is forwarding a report about a situation that would not have pleased the writer of the email.
Can anyone suggest a good term in English that captures the register of the source? I may just put "Idiot" but that certainly doesn't follow the "cunning" suggestion.
Thanks.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | dickhead/asshole |
dandamesh
|
| 4 | Bad dog |
Cedric Randolph
|
| 4 | Pillock |
Colin Ryan (X)
|
| 4 | shithead / goof |
Michael Korovkin
|
| 3 | You jerk |
cynthiatesser
|
| 3 | You bastard, tell me you didn't tell him |
Being Earnest
|
Change log
Aug 11, 2010 12:48: Malcolm Rowe changed "Field (write-in)" from "(none)" to "Thanks for all the suggestions. Unfortunately the suggestions were too varied and inevitably (given the nature of the term) lacking in documentary support for me to choose a best answer. Thanks again."
Proposed translations
+2
28 mins
dickhead/asshole
Declined
Your description of the term is perfect. Mr. Goldoni was the name of a manufacturer of condoms. Well, the envelope means the content...
This might be a simple synonym of No.5 or, more specifically, refer to No.4, but I am note sure of English use, in Italian it would work
5. Cazzo! (KAHTZ-soh)
cazzo
This is the other question I’d get from the occasional (bolder) students – “How do you say ‘fuck’ in Italian?” This is the answer – “cazzo” – although it literally is a colorful term for “penis” (see below), and this one you do hear.
4. Testa di cazzo! (TES-tah dee KAHTZ-soh)
Testa di cazzo
Sometimes translating things literally is what makes these swear words amusing to me – but sometimes it works out quite well, and that’s the case with this little gem. Instead of calling someone a “dickhead,” in Italian you’d call them a “head of dick,” or a “testa di cazzo.” Which, really, is the same thing, right? This is also a general way of calling someone an “asshole,” but the Italian “testa di cazzo” has a bit more spice and so isn’t language you’ll want to use in polite company. “Cazzo” has lots of uses in Italian, like “culo” (see #3).
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Note added at 36 mins (2010-08-04 16:28:26 GMT)
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http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dickhead
This might be a simple synonym of No.5 or, more specifically, refer to No.4, but I am note sure of English use, in Italian it would work
5. Cazzo! (KAHTZ-soh)
cazzo
This is the other question I’d get from the occasional (bolder) students – “How do you say ‘fuck’ in Italian?” This is the answer – “cazzo” – although it literally is a colorful term for “penis” (see below), and this one you do hear.
4. Testa di cazzo! (TES-tah dee KAHTZ-soh)
Testa di cazzo
Sometimes translating things literally is what makes these swear words amusing to me – but sometimes it works out quite well, and that’s the case with this little gem. Instead of calling someone a “dickhead,” in Italian you’d call them a “head of dick,” or a “testa di cazzo.” Which, really, is the same thing, right? This is also a general way of calling someone an “asshole,” but the Italian “testa di cazzo” has a bit more spice and so isn’t language you’ll want to use in polite company. “Cazzo” has lots of uses in Italian, like “culo” (see #3).
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Note added at 36 mins (2010-08-04 16:28:26 GMT)
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http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dickhead
38 mins
Cedric Randolph
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
&
English
Italy
Reliable, punctual and accurate
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK) , Italian
Works in: Italian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Bad dog
Declined
Bad dog, you or You bad dog or just Bad dog - I believe that my esteemed colleagues have taken the scurrility issue a little overboard. There is no need to be vulgar as this term covers both the sly and sneaky part and the friendly epithet without offending either readers or the idea intended in the text, which is as untranslatable as any I have heard in recent times.
58 mins
cynthiatesser
Italy
Italy
Native in Italian
Italy
Knowledge makes the difference
Native in: Italian (Variant: Standard-Italy)
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, Italian
You jerk
Declined
-
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Note added at 1 hr (2010-08-04 16:52:28 GMT)
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also
You motherfucker
if you need something "stronger"
It also depends on whether the translation is addressed to UK or US readers
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Note added at 1 hr (2010-08-04 16:52:28 GMT)
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also
You motherfucker
if you need something "stronger"
It also depends on whether the translation is addressed to UK or US readers
15 hrs
Pillock
Declined
Oh, you pillock, tell me you didn't... etc. etc.
NB. Pillock is UK Eng, I don't know if a US reader would get the nuances of "idiot" plus "moron".
NB. Pillock is UK Eng, I don't know if a US reader would get the nuances of "idiot" plus "moron".
4 mins
You bastard, tell me you didn't tell him
Declined
or you didn'rt tell her. It's not my cup of tea so hope it helps
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Note added at 21 hrs (2010-08-05 13:23:18 GMT)
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Gondone gli hai parlato tu ????? Non dirmi di no .." are you the one that told him - this is what I means. Mine has been out into slang to make it a bit more natural. Everyone has their own opinion of course
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 hrs (2010-08-05 13:23:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Gondone gli hai parlato tu ????? Non dirmi di no .." are you the one that told him - this is what I means. Mine has been out into slang to make it a bit more natural. Everyone has their own opinion of course
Note from asker:
| Aside from the merits of "you bastard", I think you've got the second part of the sentence the wrong way round. I think it's "have you spoken to him? Don't tell me you haven't!" |
2 days 9 hrs
Michael Korovkin
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Italy
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, Italian to Russian, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
shithead / goof
Declined
Paradoxically, in today's north-american street culture, "shithead" is less offensive than "goof" – one of them thar fightin' words...
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