Idioms / Euphemistic Expressions

[midasthailand]

Todd Daniels, in his response to the thread started by Peace Blondie requesting more intelligent postings, inspired me to start this thread when he used the "not the sharpest knife in the drawer" example.

Do you know any to describe somebody that is not quite the full package?

I'll kick it off with a few:

A sandwich short of a picnic.

There's a village somewhere missing it's idiot

Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

A few cards short of a full deck.

There's a few sheep missing in the top paddock.

The elevator doesn't go to the top floor

I would also really appreciate it if those of you that speak Thai could come up with some Thai equivalent sayings along the same lines, or does that require me to start a thread in the Thai language forum?

Hopefully this thread will get a better reception than a poll about your partner picking their nose.

Edited July 23, 2008 by midasthailand

[Moonrakers]

The lights are on but nobodys home.

The wheel is turning but the hamster is dead.

Edited July 23, 2008 by globalj

[dotcom]

A few bricks short of a load.

[steveromagnino]

A sandwich short of a picnic.

There's a village somewhere missing it's idiot

Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

A few cards short of a full deck.

There's a few sheep missing in the top paddock.

The elevator doesn't go to the top floor

I would also really appreciate it if those of you that speak Thai could come up with some Thai equivalent sayings along the same lines, or does that require me to start a thread in the Thai language forum?

Hopefully this thread will get a better reception than a poll about your partner picking their nose.

mai dtem baht

kon sahm salueng

or course in english we also have the

one can short of a 6 pack

all cans present but missing the little plastic thing to hold them together

[dotcom]

Not the sharpest tack in the box.

[dotcom]

The lights are on but nobody's home.

[midasthailand]

A sandwich short of a picnic.

There's a village somewhere missing it's idiot

Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

A few cards short of a full deck.

There's a few sheep missing in the top paddock.

The elevator doesn't go to the top floor

I would also really appreciate it if those of you that speak Thai could come up with some Thai equivalent sayings along the same lines, or does that require me to start a thread in the Thai language forum?

Hopefully this thread will get a better reception than a poll about your partner picking their nose.

mai dtem baht ...Not the full quid (or Baht in this case)

kon sahm salueng....Not sure what salueng is? a person with three?

If you are clever enough to include Thai, please translate for those unable to. Thanks

or course in english we also have the

one can short of a 6 pack

all cans present but missing the little plastic thing to hold them together

[Mosha]

He's only got one oar in the water

[steveromagnino]

He's only got one oar in the water

mai dtem baht yeah is the same as a few cents short of a dollar, a few pence short of a quid

Salueng is the expression for a quarter, so 3 salueng is like 0.75 baht, i.e. the same meaning.

[AFKAFSinLOS]

Buys her knickers at C&A for the free instructions...

Edited July 23, 2008 by AFKAFSinLOS

[Capantha]

I wish I had a dick as thick.

[Slip]

คนหลังเขา- Kon Lang Khao. Behind the mountain person. Not so much a village idiot as a village full of idiots.

[tuky]

Roo loose in the top paddock

Not quite the full bottle

As thick as a brick.

As slow as a wet weekend.

lost his marbles

[tuky]

You know, I haven't got my head screwed on right,

infact if I had a brain I would be dangerous.

This thread doesn't belong in General but rather Farang Pub.

So, instead of being as useless as tits on a bull I will move it across.

[steveromagnino]

คนหลังเขา- Kon Lang Khao. Behind the mountain person. Not so much a village idiot as a village full of idiots.

actually not so much idiot as behind the times - hicks from the sticks - redneck - that sort of thing.

At least how I use it....

[PeaceBlondie]

If he had brains, he might be dangerous.

[Eman]

Todd Daniels, in his response to the thread started by Peace Blondie requesting more intelligent postings, inspired me to start this thread when he used the "not the sharpest knife in the drawer" example.

Do you know any to describe somebody that is not quite the full package?

I'll kick it off with a few:

A sandwich short of a picnic.

There's a village somewhere missing it's idiot

Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

A few cards short of a full deck.

There's a few sheep missing in the top paddock.

The elevator doesn't go to the top floor

I would also really appreciate it if those of you that speak Thai could come up with some Thai equivalent sayings along the same lines, or does that require me to start a thread in the Thai language forum?

Hopefully this thread will get a better reception than a poll about your partner picking their nose.

A few fries short of a Happy Meal

[Zpete]

Page short of a book.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

If his brains were made of dynamite he wouldn't have enough to blow his nose.

[ade100]

I’ve always loved the phrase: “as think as two short planks” and sometimes wondered why the planks have to be short and why, specifically, two of them. But it always makes me smile whenever I hear it.

[Insight]

One fry short of a happy meal...

[PeaceBlondie]

When God was handing out brains, that guy was hiding behind the door.

[grtaylor]

mai dtem baht ...Not the full quid (or Baht in this case)

kon sahm salueng....Not sure what salueng is? a person with three?

If you are clever enough to include Thai, please translate for those unable to. Thanks

or course in english we also have the

one can short of a 6 pack

all cans present but missing the little plastic thing to hold them together

If my memory is right, in old Thai money a saleung was a quarter of a Tical (Baht) - therefore 25 satang in "modern" Thai money. So it would mean "only 3/4 of a Baht".

G

Edited July 23, 2008 by grtaylor

[pumpuiman]

dumb as a post.

[pumpuiman]

rides the short bus.

[Richie1971]

a couple strokes short of an ejaculation

[eefoo]

About as sharp as a marble.

A few clowns short of a circus.

Not the brightest bulb on the Christmas Tree.

An experiment in Artificial Stupidity.

He only has one oar in the water.

Dumber than a box of hair.

A few peas short of a casserole.

Doesn't have all her cornflakes in one box.

One Fruit Loop shy of a full bowl.

One taco short of a combination plate.

A few feathers short of a whole duck.

All foam, no beer.

The cheese slid off her cracker.

Body by Fisher, brains by Mattel.

Couldn't pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel.

He fell out of the Stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.

An intellect rivaled only by garden tools.

As smart as bait.

Chimney's clogged.

Doesn't have all his dogs on one leash.

Her sewing machine's out of thread.

His antenna doesn't pick up all the channels.

His belt doesn't go through all the loops.

If she had another brain, it would be lonely.

Missing a few buttons on his remote control.

No grain in the silo.

Proof that evolution CAN go in reverse.

Receiver is off the hook.

Several nuts short of a full pouch.

Skylight leaks a little.

Slinky's kinked.

Surfing in Nebraska.

Too much yardage between the goal posts.

24 cents short of a quarter.

[Yknot]

dumb as a post.

Hey pumpuiman, if you think a post is dumb, just ignore it! No reason to reply that it was a dumb post.

There is always the chance that you missinterpeted the post and that YOU are dumb!

[Tod Daniels]

คนหลังเขา- Kon Lang Khao. Behind the mountain person. Not so much a village idiot as a village full of idiots.

actually not so much idiot as behind the times - hicks from the sticks - redneck - that sort of thing.

At least how I use it....

It is always either คนลังเขา quote or more likely คนบ้านนอก (Kon Baan Nok) that I hear when Bangkokian thais refer to their 'country cousins'. It is more used as a term to describe what we in America would call 'hillbillies'.

I have NEVER heard it used to mean a "village full of idiots". Although the disparaging, demeaning tone it is used in is hard to miss within this oh-so status conscious, ever face saving, hierarchal society of diminutive yet ever smiling people.

Moving back ON TOPIC;

His ducks are all in a row, but they don't quack in time.

Half a bubble off..

[Slip]

คนหลังเขา- Kon Lang Khao. Behind the mountain person. Not so much a village idiot as a village full of idiots.

actually not so much idiot as behind the times - hicks from the sticks - redneck - that sort of thing.

At least how I use it....

It is always either คนลังเขา quote or more likely คนบ้านนอก (Kon Baan Nok) that I hear when Bangkokian thais refer to their 'country cousins'. It is more used as a term to describe what we in America would call 'hillbillies'.

I have NEVER heard it used to mean a "village full of idiots". Although the disparaging, demeaning tone it is used in is hard to miss within this oh-so status conscious, ever face saving, hierarchal society of diminutive yet ever smiling people.

I was kind of thinking this as I was typing. It's not so much stupid as unsophisticated. I think you both, Tod-D and SteveG, are quite correct (but then I think there is still an implication that these folk are stupid, if not really in the way the OP meant). The village full of idiots idea was me bastardising really- sorry. I couldn't think of any actual real ones, even in English and I wanted to play too. I don't know any other Thai expressions except something that goes 'Gin, Kii, P.. something or other' and I can't even type that in Thai.

Having said that I had a Kanchanuburi friend whose family were actually rice farmers who used this (behind the mountain) expression far more than I've heard it from HI-SO Bangkokians. I guess the agriculturalists are just as status conscious as the rest of *us.

Anyway, again my apologies, I'll let you all get back on topic.

Wait, got one- 'thick as pig-sh*t'

I'll get my coat...

Edited July 23, 2008 by Slip