Friday, September 08, 2006

czaisz?

This one goes out to Skippo in memory of one hot summer, IRC and Polish trivia, which forced me to research Polish slang. In the course of my research I stumbled across a list of interesting slang expressions compiled by the students of the IV C class at an unnamed "Liceum" in Poland. Wielkie dzięki, whoever and wherever you are now.
And the rest of you, please find the most interesting items - grouped into semantic categories - and their translations below. Some are accompanied by a literal translation, some are pretty self explanatory.

Ya know what I'm sayin'?
cegła = a cellphone (lit.: a brick)
czaić = to understand (lit.: ?)
czeski film = a difficult subject, gibberish (lit.: a Czech movie. For a detailed explanation, see this article on Polish wiki.)
lać wodę = to lie (lit.: to pour water)
wczesany v temat = well versed in the subject (lit.: combed in into the subject)

Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll
błotko = coffee (lit.: small mud)
bit = music (perhaps from English "beat"?)
dokarmiać raka = to smoke (lit. to feed the crayfish < rak = 1. crayfish; 2. cancer)
pomarańczowe szaleństwo = cigarette filter (lit.: orange craziness)
pościelówa = slow music (lit.: bed music)
ślimak = a (french) kiss (lit.: snail. You can probably guess why...)
turboptyś = cheap apple wine (lit.: ... I'm not sure. But I'm sure noone missed the "turbo" part.)
twix = to insert two fingers into one's/someone's mouth to induce vomitting (most likely based on the popular candy.)
wbijać harpuna = to come uninvited to a party (lit.: to throw a harpoon)
wytwórnia czekoladek = bathroom, loo (lit.: chocolate factory)
zbetonić się = to get drunk (lit.: to make oneself turn to concrete)
zerować = to down a drink in one go (lit.: to zero)

Chicks and dudes

dzban = a person of inferior intelligence (lit.: jug)
klient = a person (lit.: client)
pasztet = a fat girl (lit.: pâté)
pokemon = a strangely looking person
tapeta = a girl with too much make-up (lit.: wallpaper)

The powers that be
antyki = parents (lit.: antiques - as in "antique furniture". Might also be translated as "the ancients".)
buda = school (lit.: shack)
matriks = mother
pokój zwierzeń = teacher's lounge (lit.: animal house)
paszcza lwa = teacher's lounge (lit.: lion's mouth)
pingwin = a nun
smerfy = cops (lit.: Smurfs, based on the sky-blue police cars in Poland)
strażnik Teksasu = school janitor (lit.: Texas Ranger. Not this one. That one.)

That's hot!
bij na jajo! = beat it! (lit.: hit the egg!)
jazda = something good (lit.: a ride)
kat = a boring conversation (lit.: executioner?)
masa = something good
myk = a good idea
nowa trawa = yes (lit.: new grass)