h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

slime-ball

he's a star..........not very bright and a bit distant!!!!

a few of the ichy ones come to mind

nit

louse

He's so tight he wouldn't give you the steam off a jobby.


May your next shite be a hedgehog!



(there's no tone to lower.)

OUCH !

he's off his rocker

he's gone bananas

he´s as nutty as squirrel poo

I love this classic .....

May the fleas of a thousand camels make their home in your bed roll.

'May your swag be full of lively itches.'

(Okay I made that one up ).

And keeping with the Aussie theme, I've heard a few interviews with Aussie cricketers and commentators during the present Ashes series who repeatedly describe something as being "very ordinary." I'm getting the impression that for certain behaviour by the crowd or cricketing skills to be described as 'ordinary', is a big insult.

Hmmm - in German, "ordinär" means "vulgar" - so maybe it's being used in that sense?

'ordinary' is a bit like 'adequate' or 'nice'.

It's certainly not a compliment and it's not *quite* an insult either. It's just a statement pointing out the lack of anything worth commenting on all that much. No spark, no outstanding skill being shown etc.

Yes Mal I think there maybe a connection as the booing of Oz's captain was described as 'ordinary', but its developed into something else as well because someone's bowling was also described as 'ordinary' which was about someone who wasn't bowling too well in terms of effectiveness in the match. Maybe Feisor can tell us more. I rather like it as a phrase actually and can see it catching on here.

Oh I think its very much an insult in Aussie parlance, from the contexts I keep hearing Aussies repeatedly using it.

Same roots, same thing, in both English and German - if a highbrow lady describes a competitor as "I think she´s rather common" it rings the same bell as when one would say "du bist gemein =you are mean"

Also, it fits with that dry humour.

Oh, you know. She was... Ordinary.

(she was nothing special)

I've heard this term used in equestrian sports plenty

and if you want to be really nasty about a girl's looks..... well, she's... she's...she's kind hearted

yeah, 'funny' 'got a good heart' 'got a good personality' 'bubbly' 'got lovely hair'...

Hrmph.

and people think they are being kind!