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Customs and culture

gnat's cock - who knows that expression?

Topic		gnat's cock - who knows that expression?
Comment		Ich hab vor einiger Zeit eine Anfrage gestellt, bei der ich durch den Fadentitel fast 100% sichergestellt habe, dass diejenigen, die ich eigentlich anfragen wollte, sich nicht angesprochen fühlen. Der Faden hat inzwischen eine nette Eigendynamik entwickelt, aber trotzdem möchte ich die eigentliche Anfrage nochmal posten. Hier der Link zum Originalfaden: related discussion: Muggaseggele international - #48 Und hier die damalige Anfrage: Ich bin heute auf eine sehr überraschende und witzige Verbindung zwischen Schwäbisch und Englisch gestoßen. Im Schwäbischen gibt es das "Muggaseggele" als kleinste denkbare Maßeinheit. Ich lese gerade einen Roman, der im Mittelalter spielt, und in dem zwei Ritter sich streiten, weil ihr Herr in einem Turnier fast gefangen genommen worden wäre. Der eine sagt zum anderen: "Where were you when your lord was within a gnat's cock of being taken for ransom?" Ich dachte, ich seh nicht recht! Das Muggaseggele auf englisch! Eine kurze Recherche ergab auch einen entsprechenden Eintrag im Urban Dictionary: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?ter... Meine Frage an English Native Speakers: Ist dieser Ausdruck bekannt/geläufig? Vermutlich wirkt er auf englisch ordinärer als das (recht harmlos empfundene) schwäbische Muggaseggele.
Author		Goldammer (428405)	10 Jul 13, 11:52

#1	Author	hbberlin (420040)	10 Jul 13, 12:25
Comment		I can't say that it's a standard expression, but it's meaning is obvious and it is rather humorous. I definitely wouldn't use it in formal speech, though (or in polite company).

#2	Author	Goldammer (428405)	10 Jul 13, 14:25
Comment		Nobody would use "Muggaseggele" in formal speech either! :-D Did you know it or only guess the meaning because it is quite obvious, if I may ask?

#3	Author	BryceS (858421)	10 Jul 13, 14:44
Comment		A gnat is a very small animal. There is also the term "gnat's piss" for very weak beer.

#4	Author	wupper (354075)	10 Jul 13, 19:03
Comment		That's interesting, BryceS, but it doesn't answer the question Goldammer asked...

#5	Author	SD3 (451227)	10 Jul 13, 19:17
Comment		Don't we normally refer to gnats as insects rather than animals? Anyway, I think I've heard of a gnat's cock, but I couldn't say where. I haven't heard it recently, and I don't use it myself.

#6	Author	dude (253248)	10 Jul 13, 19:21
Comment		I can't say I've heard or read "gnat's cock" frequently, but I've heard it before. These types of metaphor are fairly common, and different body parts are used at different times or maybe in different circles, I suppose. For whatever reason, one such metaphor I used to hear a lot a couple of decades ago was "red cunt hair" (I apologize, but that's just what it was), as in: "damn, that dart just missed me by a red ..." I haven't heard that in a while, and I never was able to find out why it had to be red, but anyway, there it was.

#7	Author	Stravinsky (637051)	10 Jul 13, 19:57
Comment		Don't we normally refer to gnats as insects rather than animals? (#5) related discussion: "animal, plants and insects"

#8	Author	laalaa (238508)	10 Jul 13, 22:10
Comment		more commonly used "within/by a gnat's whisker" A well-known variation is from the "Pick Up Song" game in "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" where a very slight deviation from the original tempo is classified as a "gnat's crotchet".

#9	Author	Me (GB) (745809)	23 Jul 13, 15:58
Comment		I'm familiar with it (GB). My dad used to say it quite a lot - and knee-high to a grasshopper

#10	Author	Goldammer (428405)	23 Jul 13, 16:10
Comment		I like "knee-high to a grasshopper", but can't really think of a context in which to use it. Could you make up an example for us?

#11	Author	KinkyAfro (587241)	23 Jul 13, 17:56
Comment		#9: I'm familiar with it (GB). My dad used to say it quite a lot - and knee-high to a grasshopper Could you fill out your language profile, please? I got you confused with this user: related discussion: Der User unter mir ... XXVI - #99

#12	Author	dude (253248)	23 Jul 13, 18:09
Comment		For example: a boy's grandfather hasn't seen his grandson in a few years. He says, "My goodness, son, how you've grown! Seems just yesterday you were knee-high to a grasshopper, and now look at you! How tall are you?"

#13	Author	Bama Torsten (293280)	23 Jul 13, 18:31
Comment		@ #6 dude: Dazu paßt ja perfect das "um Sackhaaresbreite" an das ich mich aus meiner fernen Jugend zu erinnern glaube.

#14	Author	Amy-MiMi (236989)	23 Jul 13, 18:32
Comment		I've never heard or read, that I know of, "gnat's cock" but would understand it without trouble in the quote in #0. Knee high to a grasshopper is only used to describe small children, I believe, as in the example given by dude in #12. The phrase strikes me as familiar, like something I would have heard adults using in a humorous way when I was a kid. I suppose I might say it myself.

#15	Author	dude (253248)	23 Jul 13, 18:38
Comment		#13: Ja, jetzt wo du's sagst, an die Sackhaaresbreite kann ich mich auch noch erinnern. :-)

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