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Armenian Insults


gamavor

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Some may argue that such topic title hardly belongs here in the Culture section of the Forum, but I will explain.

 

Ethnic slurs and insults are a dieing breed or at least on decline internationally, but what is more interesting is their emergence and formation rather than their existence.

Ever since we Armenians (for the most part) became Diaspora people, we lived and live among different cultures, sometimes cultures that are very different from our upbringing and early education.

 

Inevitably our cohabitation with neighbors, close and far, invoked certain stereotyping of people. Not per say a slur or insult, but nevertheless a not very polite way to address an individual belonging to different group (ethnic or religious). To make long story short…I don’t know if you guys know but sometimes Armenians from Bulgaria call Bulgarians “ Purt klugh”. I asked long time ago my grandma why, and she told me that when first Armenian emigrants set foot on Bulgarian soil, what have stroked them were the number of people wearing those woolen provincial hats. Hence, “Woolen Head”. Over the time it had bad connotations – meaning someone who is not very bright.

 

The “designated” Armenian term for the Russians was “Soghi klugh”, i.e. Onion head. Truly, if you have Russians around you just observe the shape and the form (especially the male population) of their heads. They look like Onion heads. Another theory says that the term Onion head comes from the shape of the Russian Orthodox Churches.

Another Armenian term for Russians was “Tsugudogh”, literally Fisheater. As if we never eat fish. But the amount of fish that the Russians eat obviously stroke the accords. :D

 

For a complete list of modern ethnic slurs check this site:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_slurs

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Yeah, I'm aware of few. "Chorny", "Armiashka", "Xachik", ... I guess that is it. Ours are much more "poetic"! :) We hit where it hurts most. We use as a general insult "Turk". ;) I'm currious what Armenians call Arabs, Jews and Georgians.
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Yeah, I'm aware of few. "Chorny", "Armiashka", "Xachik", ... I guess that is it. Ours are much more "poetic"! :) We hit where it hurts most. We use as a general insult "Turk". ;) I'm currious what Armenians call Arabs, Jews and Georgians.

 

to a lot of armenians, belonging to certain ethnicities is already an insult... why aggravate the pain by adding extra wordings to it...

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(I feel guilty responding to this :D )

 

Purti klukh

 

Interesting, because a number of Armenian shepards especialy in the Eastern kavars wore a very pointy wool hat, but it is nontheless intriguing that the headwear is what struck the Bulgarian-Armenians at first.

 

 

I also couldn't help but think (I'm sorry guys :P ) "pube-head" when I read this...

 

 

The “designated” Armenian term for the Russians was “Soghi klugh”, i.e. Onion head. Truly, if you have Russians around you just observe the shape and the form (especially the male population) of their heads.

 

:lol2:

 

 

We hit where it hurts most. We use as a general insult "Turk". I'm currious what Armenians call Arabs, Jews and Georgians

 

You hit pretty close gams: I have heard my family use "sptkatz Tajik" (whitened Turk) for a Georgian, which basically says they are Russianized Christian Turks. Ouch, huh?

 

For Arabs, Iran's Armenians use "bobik" (naked) like the Persians do, and for all Muslims it could be "kekhtz" (phony).

 

Ok guys, a little game. Guess the folloeing insults:

 

-Lobi

 

-Dzook

Edited by Zartonk
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