May you live in interesting times
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it has been asserted in some websites (catering mainly to expats IIRC) that Singaporean Chinese sometimes use the phrase 'may you live in interesting times' as a sort of a swear word...well, it is supposed to be negative anyway.
However, I cannot seem to remember any such phrase in chinese of any of the other dialects!
Anyone knows?
Edit: Fook me! Google came up with the answer in record time. Sorry for this then.
Supposedly it is an American creation and there is no such phrase used by the chinese. Phew - So my knowledge of chinese isn't that shallow then. -
is that the translation for knnbccb?
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Nope. I believe that translates to...well you know what it translates to. Certainly not May you live in interesting times!Originally posted by FireIce:is that the translation for knnbccb? -
Hmm okie - It isn't confirmed that it is an american creation just that the earliest reference to it is by an American Author in the 1950s.
(from book)"For centuries the Chinese used an ancient curse: "May you live in interesting times!" It isn't a curse any more. It's a blessing. We're scientific and civilized. We've got so many rights and liberties and freedoms that one can yearn for chains for the sheer pleasure of busting them and shaking them off. Reckon life would be more livable if there were any chains left to bust."
http://hawk.fab2.albany.edu/sidebar/sidebar.htm
So now the question is, did Russell (the author) simply invent the curse in telling the story, or was he perhaps a devotee of Jung, in whose writings he might have found a still-earlier reference? Stay tuned.
The qn still stands! -
americans like to make up random bullshit what.
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ok. i still dunno what the fuck it means.
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May you live long long
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are you angry now? because all your post contains at least 1 vulgarity.Originally posted by digicharat:ok. i still dunno what the fuck it means. 