Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Italian term or phrase:
“Mamma, li Turchi!”
English translation:
"My gosh, zee germans'r coming!"
Added to glossary by
Traducendo Co. Ltd
Oct 14, 2008 05:06
15 yrs ago
Italian term
“Mamma, li Turchi!”
Non-PRO
May offend
Italian to English
Other
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Idioms
Greetings,
In order to render this into English, there is a crucial point which I have not yet been able to understand. Here it is:
Is this cry used only in situations where a threat from Muslims/Turks is perceived, or can it be used for any threatening situation under the sun? For example, if a child is playing on a railway line and sees a fast train approaching, might he say, "“Mamma, li Turchi!”?
Many thanks,
Simon
In order to render this into English, there is a crucial point which I have not yet been able to understand. Here it is:
Is this cry used only in situations where a threat from Muslims/Turks is perceived, or can it be used for any threatening situation under the sun? For example, if a child is playing on a railway line and sees a fast train approaching, might he say, "“Mamma, li Turchi!”?
Many thanks,
Simon
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | "My gosh, zee germans'r coming!" |
Traducendo Co. Ltd
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| 4 | Mamma, the bogey man's coming! |
Tom in London
|
| 3 | ‘Mother the Turks are coming’ |
Silvia Nigretto
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| 4 -2 | Mamma li Turchi |
Shera Lyn Parpia
|
References
| Explanation |
Silvia Nigretto
|
Change log
Oct 16, 2008 12:53: Traducendo Co. Ltd Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
4 hrs
Traducendo Co. Ltd
Malta
Malta
Native in Italian
Malta
SPECIALISTS in oenology, sports, and law
Native in: Italian (Variants: Standard-Italy, Roman / Romanesco, Neapolitan) 
, Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Argentine, Mexican)
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, German to Maltese, and 44 more.
Selected
"My gosh, zee germans'r coming!"
lo ammetto, senza contesto l'ho un po' tirata. ma avete presente il film Snatch di Guy Ritchie con Brad Pitt??? beh, li il protgonista (che tra l'altro si chiama Il Turco) per prender in girop il collega gli dice sempre che ha paura dei teteschi. Nella versione inglese sono i ZEE GERMANS. magari vedendo se si adatta al testo, si può mettere qualcosa così.
tanto mamma li turchi è un esclamazione che mette in mezzo uno spauracchio come i turchi nel XVII secolo. perchè non mettere i teteschi che sono stati lo spauracchio del XX?
è un'idea!
tanto mamma li turchi è un esclamazione che mette in mezzo uno spauracchio come i turchi nel XVII secolo. perchè non mettere i teteschi che sono stati lo spauracchio del XX?
è un'idea!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "many thanks excellent"
1 hr
Silvia Nigretto
Native in Italian
Automotive Translator since 1996
Native in: Italian 
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, Italian to English, and 1 more.
‘Mother the Turks are coming’
This is a purely Italian expression!
Here it is something else I have found on the "work of an unknown Italian artist":
"...in the melodramatic style characteristic of certain genres of Italian drama, ‘Mamma li Turchi’ (‘Mother the Turks are coming’)."
http://marranci.wordpress.com/2007/12/25/“mamma-li-turchi”-italy-and-the-saladin-syndrome/
Here it is something else I have found on the "work of an unknown Italian artist":
"...in the melodramatic style characteristic of certain genres of Italian drama, ‘Mamma li Turchi’ (‘Mother the Turks are coming’)."
http://marranci.wordpress.com/2007/12/25/“mamma-li-turchi”-italy-and-the-saladin-syndrome/
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Traducendo Co. Ltd
: ma dai!!!!!!!!!! no! hai ragione, ma una cosa è dare una refereza, un'altra è mettere qualcosa di incomprensibile per l'altra cultura
3 hrs
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Penso che ne sappiano poco ma se si traduce un testo italiano in un'altra lingua che ha dei riferimenti all'Italia dobbiamo mantenerli... Ecco perché le virgolette e la mia precisazione//Sta poi al traduttore inserire una nota-eventualmente!
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-2
1 hr
Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Italy
Native in English
Works in field
Italy
translating meaning, not just words
Native in: English
Works in: English to Italian, Italian to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Mamma li Turchi
I think that this tends to be used in xenophobic contexts, not just any situation under the sun as you say.
see here
http://www.arcojournal.unipa.it/pdf/gattuso_5_7_04.pdf
bottom of page 2 where it says it is used in the sense of scaring people about anyone who is different, in general.
see here
http://www.arcojournal.unipa.it/pdf/gattuso_5_7_04.pdf
bottom of page 2 where it says it is used in the sense of scaring people about anyone who is different, in general.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Julius Iannitti
: it isn't used with a xenophobic meaning. In Italy we quite use this expression when scared about something n general and it comes from past time when the Turks (or better the Moorish) where coming to Italy to invade our country.
36 mins
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see the link.. and it seems that in recent times it is used more and more specifically when referring to muslims, whatever the general meaning may be. Just look at the links on the internet!
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| disagree |
Traducendo Co. Ltd
: absolutely not xenophobic, it refers at the turks invasion of XVII century, when turks arrived up to Wien, near Italy. hand it has remaines
2 hrs
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actually I believe it originated with the Moorish invasion of Sicily, much before the XVII century! maybe you don't use it with a xenophobic meaning but plenty of others do! - see http://www.buco1996.splinder.com/post/17792796
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2 hrs
Tom in London
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Architecture, design, technical, etc.
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Italian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
48
Mamma, the bogey man's coming!
In this day and age I don't think we need to offend our Turkish friends.
Reference comments
57 mins
Silvia Nigretto
Native in Italian
Automotive Translator since 1996
Native in: Italian
Works in: English to Italian, French to Italian, Italian to English, and 1 more.
Reference:
Explanation
Hi Simon!
Please a look at this ref which clairly explains the origins of this "cry":
http://www.arcojournal.unipa.it/pdf/gattuso_5_7_04.pdf
(unfortunately I cannot copy it - you'll find a sentences starting with L'esclamazione riportata nel titolo...)
Please a look at this ref which clairly explains the origins of this "cry":
http://www.arcojournal.unipa.it/pdf/gattuso_5_7_04.pdf
(unfortunately I cannot copy it - you'll find a sentences starting with L'esclamazione riportata nel titolo...)
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