Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

Hi guys,

Quite new on this forum, I like to lurk around on non-poker topics.

As you can see I can speak english (hi luckyjimm) but unfortunately just a little american (hi everyone else), so here are a few questions which will give me a better understanding of this forum and, of course, enjoy a sweeter life in this world of madness.

1. Please explain the concept of Fraternity to someone whose culture about american universities can be sumed up in three words : "Bret Easton Ellis".

2. What exactly is a douchebag ? In the Urban Dictionary, I saw "wanker". Litteraly, this would mean a lazy, boring guy. Am I getting close to it ?

3. When someone says something is gay in a situation which is a priori non-gay, what does it mean ? I don't see any translation for this one, as we don't use the expression in french. Not that I want to be politically correct, this is not the point.

Any help will be appreciated.

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

1)Fraternity is pretty much a "club" of males at a University. They're supposed to be a brotherhood type thing where everyone is a friend and they do good in the community and school. Pretty much the reason nown for a fraternity though is a social group that parties. The female equivilant is Sorority.

2)A douchebag is someone you don't like, pretty much because you don't like the way they act (usually someone who is different from you). Douchebag is a pretty loose word that is thrown around a lot and there's no solid definition as to who exactly is a douchebag. I'm sure if you knew what a douchebag is, you'd call President Bush a douchebag since I don't think he's too well liked for his actions in France.

3)Saying something is gay is similar to calling someone a douchebag. It's a slam on that particular thing as you not liking it, you not understanding it, you thinking it's "stupid", whatever. The word f-a-g is also used in the same context at times.

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

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2. What exactly is a douchebag ?

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French people. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

1. Fraternity. I was in one. It's a group of guys who typically live together in a house. Greek fraternities all have secret "rituals" that are practiced in closed meetings. Stereotypes that people apply to fraternities include racism, homophobia, misogyny, and alcohol abuse. Like most stereotypes these ideas exist for a reason but don't apply to all members of the class.

2. For me, a douchebag isn't just someone I don't like, it's an arrogant/offensive person I don't like. A guy driving too slow in the left lane is a dumbass, but a guy who cuts me off is a douchebag.

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

Thx people, it's clearer this way, I didn't know the difference between fraternity and sorority.

RoundGuy, this one was a cheap shot [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

You can still call our president a *douchebag*, I won't mind.

PS : for rewarding I may answer to any question about France. If anyone ever cares.

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

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PS : for rewarding I may answer to any question about France. If anyone ever cares.

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What is your favorite kind of cheese? Wine?

Why do you hate freedom? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

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RoundGuy, this one was a cheap shot [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]


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All in good fun, my friend, all in good fun.

I like the French, but why don't the French like Americans?

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

The French don't like anybody, do they?

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

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All in good fun, my friend, all in good fun.

I like the French, but why don't the French like Americans?

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No probs, I don't master this forum's smileys system.

I wouldn't say that. Around me, I don't believe anyone has anything to say against americans. I mean we spend our nights watching NBA, TV series and playing HE.

French people don't like your president and believe to have a more social-friendly system, our conservative party is more liberal (in the american way) than your democratic party.

People who say they don't like americans take the ones who get an Extreme Relooking as standard americans.

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What is your favorite kind of cheese? Wine?

Why do you hate freedom? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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I don't really like cheese.
Bordeaux.

War is peace. Freedom is slavery.

Re: Vocabulary - Help foreigners get the best of your forum
 

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What is your favorite kind of cheese? Wine?



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I don't really like cheese.
Bordeaux.


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Isn't that an exilable offense over there?