Category Archives: Durham Janks

Janks collected in Durham, North Carolina on September 3, 2018 as part of the exhibition “Janks Archive: Research Triangle” at LUMP, Raleigh.

090318-008

German: Du bist Sockenbügler
English: You iron your socks
Collected: Durham, NC (9-3-2018)
Origin: Common German expression. Literally “you iron your socks” and is a way to call someone uptight and anal. Originally from Rhode Island, but lived in Berlin, and is a German language teacher.

090318-007

German: Hast du einen Vogel
English: Do you have a bird?
Collected: Durham, NC (9-3-2018)
Origin: Common German expression, literally translates to “do you have a bird?” and means “You’re such a fuck up.” Originally from Rhode Island, but lived in Berlin, and is a German language teacher.

090318-005

German: Er hat nicht alle Tassen im Schrank
English: He doesn’t have all of his cups in the cupboard
Collected: Durham, NC (9-3-2018)
Origin: Common German expression, indicating someone is missing something, mentally. Originally from Rhode Island, but lived in Berlin, and is a German language teacher.

090318-004

German: Spinnst du?
English: Are you spinning?
collected: Durham, NC (9-3-2018)
origin: Common German expression. Literally translates to “are you spinning?” and references a spider spinning a web. Said to someone who is acting crazy, running around in circles, etc. Originally from Rhode Island, but lived in Berlin, and is a German language teacher.

090318-003

Spanish: Andate a la verga
English: Go to where the dicks are.
collected: Durham, NC (9-3-2018)
origin: An expression from Quito, Ecuador. Directly translates to “Go to where the dicks are” and means “go to hell.”

090318-001

English: You’re so cheap that when you die you’re gonna walk towards the light just to turn it off.
collected: Durham, NC (9-3-2018)
origin: Salt Lake City, Utah. A put-down directed at her husband, said by her mother, accusing him of being cheap.