In Finnish we have “kissanristiäiset” (literally means a cat’s christening), which means some trivial and meaningless celebration/event.

  • gramie@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    In the Sesotho language of Lesotho, if you say to someone, “I’m not your mother”, it’s a terrible insult.

    Another insult of equal vehemence is, “you are like a cat that jumps across a ravine and scribbles up the other side”.

    People in the village I lived in told me that either of these could result in someone being killed.

      • someguy7734206@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        My wild guess is that “I’m not your mother” could be an explicit denial of sympathy, carrying the implication of “you’re being a whiny bitch”.

      • gramie@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Unfortunately, I have no idea what the origin of these phrases is, or why people there take offense at them.

    • FReddit@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      U.S. here. I find this both interesting and disturbing. I can sort of get the meaning. But scary! I hope you are okay.