Comment on We can all be a slut sometimes
Lumidaub@feddit.org 2 days ago
That’s why in German, if someone’s room is a mess or they didn’t put a lot of effort into their work, you can call them “slutty”, even if it’s a child, and nobody bats an eye.
It’s interesting that the translation can change as soon as the noun is used as an adjective.
“Schlampe” = slut, always an insult (if not some kind of dirty talk).
“Schlampig” = sloppy or slutty, depending on the context.
In German, only the adjective has a dual meaning: “not neat, untidy, messy, or poorly made/done without proper care.”
If one wants to apply the other meanings of the adjective back to the noun, however, one must alter the word, so that “Schlampe” becomes “Schlamperei,” which in turn is the result of actions that can be described by the adjective: The product of sloppy work is “Schlamperei.”
German really is a bitch…
monkdervierte@lemmy.zip@lemmy.zip 2 days ago
“What a sloppy person” hmm.
zikzak025@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Context always helps, I’d say.
In English, you can say “dirty person” and “dirty child”, but then “dirty boy” and “dirty girl” have sexual connotation behind them. No change in any word function, just how it’s paired.
Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Oh now I see where šlampast and šlamparija come from.