Spanish:
English: Why are you dancing like you’re killing roaches?
collected: Corona Plaza, Queens (04-30-2016)
origin: Something you say to someone who can’t dance. Originally heard this from his grandmother in Ecuador.
043016002
Spanish:
English: If you don’t steal, you won’t succeed in life
collected: Corona Plaza, Queens (04-30-2016)
origin: Something he heard growing up in Mexico City (D.F.). Commonly used among friends, when someone asks to borrow something.
043016001
Spanish:
English: The hunger is united with the need to eat
collected: Corona Plaza, Queens (04-30-2016)
origin: She is Colombian and was often told this by her grandparents. It is a common saying in her family, used by her grandparents, parents, herself, and now her children. It is a way of insulting two people who are very compatible.
042816009
Spanish: huevón
English: literally “egg” but means “sloth”
collected: Ridgewood, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: common way to call someone lazy, meaning “sloth” – which is very insulting because sloth is one of the seven deadly sins. Commonly used in his family, which is half Ecuadorian and half Colombian.
042816008
Göttscheabarisch (German dialect):
English: you drunk devil
collected: Ridgewood, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: Heard this growing up from friends and family in the Gottscheer community in Ridgewood, Queens
042816007
Göttscheabarisch (German dialect): Du lump
English: you lazy rascal
collected: Ridgewood, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: A way to call someone lazy. Heard this growing up from friends and family in the Gottscheer community in Ridgewood, Queens
042816006
Göttscheabarisch (German dialect):
English: literally translates to “you can like me,” but is used as a friendly way to say “go fuck yourself”
collected: Ridgewood, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: heard this growing up from friends and family in the Gottscheer community in Ridgewood, Queens
042816005
Greek:
English: Hey how you doing brick? How’s everything man? I love you too brick!
collected: Astoria, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: very common Greek saying, said to someone who is in their own world and acting totally outside of their environment.
042816004
French:
English: Your mama is so ugly, she has to wear makeup to go on the radio.
collected: Astoria, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: heard it from the movie “Down to Earth” with Chris Rock. He is from Paris, and originally heard this joke in French.
042816003
English: The best part of you dripped down your mother’s leg
collected: Astoria, Queens (04-28-2016)
origin: heard it (read it) while playing World of Warcraft – one player typed it to another in Battlegrounds. He also remembers hearing it from a friend in Junior High in Jackson Heights, Queens.