German Germany

den Teufel an die Wand malen

Idiom USED Frequently BY Older people

(to paint the devil on the wal) • When we assume the worst of a situation before anything has even happened. It can be discouraged to say - don't anticipate awful things or they will happen.

“Du solltest nicht immer den Teufel an die Wand malen, nur weil du ein schlechtes Gefühl hast—oft kommt alles doch anders als befürchtet.”

“You shouldn’t always paint the devil on the wall just because you have a bad feeling—often everything turns out differently than feared.”

English Queensland, Australia

port

Word USED On Occasion BY Older people from Queensland

A suitcase or a school bag or case (short for portmanteau)

"He put his shoes in his port, but carried his computer with him."

Welsh Wales

dros ben llestri

Idiom USED Very frequently BY lots of people, maybe more by older people

(gone over the crockery) • when someone has an over-the-top reaction to a situation or is really upset and beside one's self.

"Y tro ‘ma, mae o ‘di mynd dros ben llestri yn wir."

"This time he’s really gone over the crockery!"

Norwegian Norway

attpåklatt

Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Older people, adults

(noun) • A child who is the youngest of their siblings and born many years later. There might be an 8 year gap between the "attpåklatt" and their siblings

"Søstera mi er ni år yngre enn meg" "Så hun er en attpåklatt da"

"My sister is nine years younger than me" "So, she's an attpåklatt then"

English United Kingdom

on your uppers

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People, Older People

To be very poor, to the extent the soles of one's shoes have worn away, and one is walking around on the upper part of the shoes.

"He's fallen on hard times, he's on his uppers."

Turkish Turkey

sarı çizmeli Mehmet ağa

Reference USED Frequently BY Usually by older people (age 25+)

(the ağa Mehmet with the yellow boots) • Used for someone who is unknown where he/she lives or where he/she is from. Mehmet is a Turkish name and ağa is an old title that can be translated to landlord/landholder or someone who owns land and/or money.

"İsim yok, bu ne? Sarı çizmeli Mehmet ağa."

"He doesn't have a name, what is this/ what in the world? Is he The ağa Mehmet with the yellow boots?"

Dutch Netherlands

oh gunst

Interjection USED On Occasion BY older people

(oh favor) • Used as a posh interjection as something along the lines of "Oh dear".

"Oh gunst, wat heeft ze een mooie jurk aan!"

"Oh dear, look at that beautiful dress she is wearing"