Home for Irish Setter Lovers Around the World
You lucky dog!
I'm thinking about some paradox. We all love dogs and know that they are wonderful creatures, our best friends...
But in our languages (I mean first of all mine) there are plenty of phrases, also idiomatic expressions, proverbs with a dog in very negative context or meaning. Linquists say that languages change slower than a world around us. A houndred years ago our attitude to dogs was more like objects. The life of the dogs was definitely tougher, they were first of all functional, working. And in the lanquage is recorded this time.
In Polish still there is a lot of negative expressions with a dog. Some are similar to English: "to lead a dog's life", "you dirty dog!", "to treat somebody like a dog", "to go to the dogs", "dog in the manger". Poor dog is involved as a subject in many others. We use him to bad-mouth somebody ("wieszać na kimś psy"), to lie through one's teeth ("łgać jak pies"), to serve faithfully ("służyć jak pies"), to call inedible mushrooms, foul weather....We even call cop a dog - "pies". Dog is used as a part of many curses too.
I went through English vocabulary and found a lot of bad phrases. And only few fine, f.e "dog days" - I like it!
How is in your languages, your tradition, your culture. Do you have more positive expressions with a dog.
Maybe we should create new phrases, new expressions to voice our care, enthusiasm and love for dogs. As James has said: Life is better with a setter! What next...
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kimberly Simmons on
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James I've heard of the "bees knees" and the "cats meow" but never THAT! LOL
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Permalink Reply by Anna Kazimierowicz on
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James, that's OK. And the top of the best !
It has reminded me that my friend's thesis' topic was the lanquage of young people. She made a huge research. She wrote it last year so it's hot. I have to ask her, maybe she found something with a dog! Fine track:-)
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Permalink Reply by rob winemaker on
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James, Back in the day, I remember that 'hair of the dog' stuff. Got bit by that too many times. Got a good muzzle on it now.
Here's a couple of more- oddly, your feet are sometimes called 'your dogs' and the hip hop crowd sometimes will address someone as 'dog'. think American Idol.
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Permalink Reply by James Doran on
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Yes Rob, once bitten and all that! And another one that will give you a laugh, that i've heard used among the modern/urban young males.'' As as happy as a dog with two dicks!'' (no explaination required i think, and apologies to anyone offended) Obviously used to describe ones or someone elses state of happiness!
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Uh oh, we better get the gals in another room for a minute but I think the country version of that one would be 'like a two peckered billy goat'
ok, you ladies can come back in now
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...............and....we're back to "Who Let The Dogs Out?"..............!!! lol
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Classical drift, usual in discussions on this forum:-)!
But I'm back...
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Thanks Malkie, this is the title of the film, but as I remember this afternoon they got in serious trouble, so again: dog's life:-(
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I don't know if this has been mentioned but Airforce combat are "dog fights".
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Permalink Reply by Rhonda Fisher on
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In Australia we love to cheer for the underdog. The team or person not expected to win.
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Good one Rhonda! We love the under dog too!
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Fantastic expressions Kimberly and Rhonda:-)
I like underdogs too. In Polish this is a black horse.
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