Finnish sayings etc what mean somethin different.

[TERI]

Hymy pylly! What does that mean?

[kalmisto]

Hymy pylly! What does that mean?

It should be "hymypylly".

hymy : http://www.websters-online-dictionary.o ... ation/hymy

pylly : http://www.websters-online-dictionary.o ... tion/pylly

I do not know what "hymypylly" means but my guess is :

1.beautiful buttocks

2. a person who has beautiful buttocks

I am a Finn but I do not live in Finland and that explains why I do not know what the word means.

[Rabs]

great thread... 'bumped'

Hymy pylly! What does that mean?

there's a program also on TV of this title *hymypylly* every friday which i believe where you've got this idiom from. literally, it means laughs from bottom (?). what can be english tranlation--- laugh outs?

[Jukka Aho]

Hymy pylly! What does that mean?

You mean Hymy pyllyyn.[1] The origin of this expression lies in the FDF (Finnish Defense Forces) slang. Imagine a group of fresh conscripts standing still in formation in front of their commanding NCO. According to the military rules and regulations they should contain themselves in that situation and maintain a blank expression on their faces, but some of the guys just can’t keep a straight face and start smiling or laughing silently (for whatever reason – perhaps because they’re tired or there has been something funny going on a moment before etc.) Their drill sergeant notices this and yells Mikä naurattaa? Muodossa ei naureta. Imekää se hymy perseeseen![2] at them.

And now a tamer version of that expression is the title of a national TV game show where the contestants try to keep a straight face while they’re in the middle of a live-action skit... It’s a bit strange considering the basic idea behind that expression remains offensive despite them changing the word perse to a more childish equivalent, but that’s modern TV for you... I guess.

_____
[1] “[put] smile to the butt”
[2] “What’s so funny(, soldier)? There’s no laughing in formation. Suck that smile [from your face] into [your] ass!”

[kalmisto]

>> You mean Hymy pyllyyn.[1] The origin of this expression lies in the FDF (Finnish Defense Forces) slang.... <<

Without your explanation I would have understood "Hymy pyllyyn" to mean "make your buttocks smile!". In other words it would not have made any kind of sense to me. I am sure that many Finns ( maybe most ) who watch the show do not understand what "hymy pyllyyn" means.

[Pursuivant]

"Suck that smile from your face so deep it goes into your arse"... yeah, havent heard *that* one in 20 years...

[Jukka Aho]

Without your explanation I would have understood "Hymy pyllyyn" to mean "make your buttocks smile!". In other words it would not have made any kind of sense to me. I am sure that many Finns ( maybe most ) who watch the show do not understand what "hymy pyllyyn" means.

Considering about 61% of each generation, both genders included, does not go to the army, you’re probably right, but I think the true meaning and origin of that phrase has been discussed in many Finnish families by now. (The show started in last October.)

I recall my own mother was a bit baffled about it at first and kept asking what on earth it is supposed to mean and why would they choose something like that for their catchphrase (the contestants need to say it aloud and the host keeps repeating it, too)... so I had to explain it to her. In her opinion, both the original expression and the toned-down variant are stupid...

[TERI]

OK, thanks! http://www.tracetech.net/ gives the translation for "pylly" - "arse". But I guess I get the point now. Basecally it´s a nonsense-talk?

[Jukka Aho]

OK, thanks! http://www.tracetech.net/ gives the translation for "pylly" - "arse".

pylly = bottom, bum, butt
perse = ass/arse

The former is acceptable in polite company (and as kid-talk), the latter necessarily isn’t.

But I guess I get the point now. Basecally it´s a nonsense-talk?

I’d call it “colorful expression” or “figure of speech”, although it has generally not been used outside the FDF drills... until now.

But I guess it depends on your viewpoint. Taking an example from the English language, when you have “butterflies in the stomach” do you really have actual honest-to-god butterflies in your stomach or is that expression “nonsense” too?

[kalmisto]

OK, thanks! http://www.tracetech.net/ gives the translation for "pylly" - "arse". But I guess I get the point now. Basecally it´s a nonsense-talk?

I would not call it nonsense talk because the expression has a clear meaning: Take that smile off your face and put it where no-one can see it ! In other words : Push it up your ass ! That is the meaning of the original vulgar army expression.

"Hymy pyllyyn" is used to mean "Hide your smile in your butt ( where no-one can see it ) ! In other words : Do your best not to smile !

[kalmisto]

toinen jalka haudassa = one foot in the grave
toinen = one of the two, the other, the second

We do not say "yksi jalka haudassa".
yksi = one

There is a new Finnish movie called "Toinen jalka haudasta" .
haudasta = from the grave

Synopsis in English here :
http://www.ses.fi/en/film.asp?id=925

It is a story of a man who believes that he is dying ( he has one foot in the grave ) but then he finds out that he is not and thus he gets his foot back from the grave. I have not seen the movie but that is how I understand the movie title.

Trailer here : http://www.toinenjalkahaudasta.fi

I just noticed that in English there is the expression "one foot from the grave". ( "She looks one foot from the grave." )
In that expression the word "foot" means, of course, a very short distance.

[TERI]

But I guess it depends on your viewpoint. Taking an example from the English language, when you have “butterflies in the stomach” do you really have actual honest-to-god butterflies in your stomach or is that expression “nonsense” too?

[/quote]

I got the impression from the earlier posts. If you have to explain to a finn what this expression means then I would call it a bit of a nonsense. If you say "butterflies in your stomach", I get the point. But then again - sayings come and go and may change in between.

[jessy]

I read there is a good finnish saying about weather: There is no bad weather, only badly dressed people.

Would anyone tell me how is this saying written in finnish language?

[sammy]

I read there is a good finnish saying about weather: There is no bad weather, only badly dressed people.

Would anyone tell me how is this saying written in finnish language?

"Ei ole huonoa säätä, on vain huonoa pukeutumista"

I had to Google that to be honest (besides I always thought it was Norwegian originally?)

A more "Finnish" version would go

There is no bad weather, only depressed people

[Jukka Aho]

"Ei ole huonoa säätä, on vain huonoa pukeutumista"
I had to Google that to be honest (besides I always thought it was Norwegian originally?)

For what it’s worth, I’ve never heard that saying before.