Interjections in foreign languages S/D

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What are your favourite/most commonly used interjections in English and other languages? What's the French for 'boo'? Is there a Japanese equivalent of 'eugh'? How do you say 'eek' in German? Do you know any interjections in other languages that have no English equivalent?

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 26 January 2004 09:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Some of my favourites: Oy! (Yiddish for, I suppose, 'jeez!'), Bof! (French for 'who gives a shit?'), Eheu! (Latin for 'alas!')

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 26 January 2004 09:57 (twenty-two years ago)

In 'The Sopranos' they're always saying 'marone!' (phonetically). What does it mean!?!

― Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 26 January 2004 09:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I use the Aklo "neblod zin" all the time.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 26 January 2004 09:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Neblod Zin is great! What's the appropriate context?

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 26 January 2004 10:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Neblod Zin looks like someone's name backwards! That is, of course, if your name is Niz Bolden.

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Monday, 26 January 2004 11:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I like how they call for cats in other languages. In French it's "minou, minou, minou!"

― Jonathan Z., Monday, 26 January 2004 11:53 (twenty-two years ago)

In Japan, they use "ka!" instead of "click!"

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 26 January 2004 11:55 (twenty-two years ago)

[er, Neblod Zin is an exclamation in a language made-up by HP Lovecraft; by mentioning it I revealed that I am sad]

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 26 January 2004 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Hélas! It's the accent that really makes it.

― cis (cis), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Marrone/Marron = Mary

― Leee Majors (Leee), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Interjections in made-up languages are the best ones.
In Klingon, 'baQa'' is a rather fierce sounding general invective, and 'nuqjatlh?' means 'Huh?' I didn't know those, I just looked them up on The Klingon Language Institute website. I may be a language geek, but I'm no trekkie.

Cis! I'd forgotten Hélas! - that's classic. You can expect a reply to your email from October any day now...I'm making you a CD too.

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Sacré Bleu! Espèce de crève faim!
Gadzooks! (actual Assiniboia Cree word for "what the hell?")

― Huck Hurts (Horace Mann), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:45 (twenty-two years ago)

What language is "hein"?

― Leee Majors (Leee), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

prego! = italian for pretty much anything you want it to mean. It's kinda like 'go ahead' or 'no problem.' Also they say 'pronto' to answer the phone.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

"hein"?

looks German.

― Huck Hurts (Horace Mann), Monday, 26 January 2004 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

prego also = having my baby!

― Huck Hurts (Horace Mann), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:00 (twenty-two years ago)

'Hein' is German, I think. Can't quite recall what it means, though - 'no way!', perhaps, or it's like a 'hmm?'

Japanese is great for random onomatopoeia - chyaa~! - although too much fangirl exposure has left me twitching at every 'wai!wai! kakko ii!'

Cathy - oooh, fantastic. :)

― cis (cis), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

CHO
very common, mild explanation expressing impatience, vexation or disappointment.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

"Maron" in Italian is kind of like the verbal equivalent of rolling your eyes into the back of your head or slapping your forehead with your hand. As in "fucking hell" or "here we go AGAIN" or as an exclamation of stress. I "maron" a lot.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

'Hein' is French. It's very much like the English 'Eh?'

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

My research also informs me that the Spanish '¡Ay caramba!' can be accurately translated by the English "Oh Crumps!" The Spanish has been over-popularised by Bart Simpson, but the English is clearly ace.

― Cathy (Cathy), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I have long been a fan of the all-purpose Slavic "Jezis Maria !" to express shock, surprise, exasperation in a "fuckin' hell !" kind of way.

Japanese: "Yada !" = I don't like it - better than the omnipresent Kawaii ! and Kakoii ! exclamations so beloved of the dear Shibuya-kei hordes. See also "Baka !" = That's/You're stupid.

― darren (darren), Monday, 26 January 2004 21:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I often let fly with "va fangul!" (my spelling is prolly way off) which is an Italian "get fucked".

Also, "KAWWAAIIII!", that Japanese phrase for "cute" you hear girls shrieking a lot.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 26 January 2004 21:51 (twenty-two years ago)

i like "zut," the french equivalent of "rats." my crazy czech grandmother would frequent scream "jesus-maria-joseph," so i have a fondness for that as well. i can't pronounce it nearly as impressively as she did, though: yayzhismareeuhyosef, with an extended first syllable and an upswinging endnote of hysterical disbelief.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 26 January 2004 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I always thought "gadzooks" was a corruption of "God's Hooks" no?

― dog latin (dog latin), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

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