Safe Word

POSTED BY: jaynecobbtheheroofcanton
UPDATED: Thursday, April 21, 2011 21:46
VIEWED: 41641
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JAYNECOBBTHEHEROOFCANTON

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 4:29 PM

What did Simon say to River in the Maidenhead in the movie. It sounded vaguely Latin, but I can't be sure, I don't know much of it. It didn't sound quite Chinese either, but again I could be wrong.

ZELADIOUS

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 8:10 PM

Don't know if this is true, but on The Signal podcast during a Fantasy Firefly (#8) section, they say it is Russian and means

"That's laughter for chickens"

If you don't listen to the Signal, Fantasy Firefly is fake stories from the verse. So I do not know if this is the actual translation, but it does seem plausible.

“Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm”

JAYNECOBBTHEHEROOFCANTON

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 8:13 PM

Thanks for the answer.

"So you're the browncoats, eh?"

PIFFLE101

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 8:32 PM

Eta Kooram Nah Smech = That's Laughing for Chickens.

I knew Joss would get chickens in the movie somehow...

-------------------------------------------------

Because Dancers are tough,mean...Chicas!! -Summer Glau

ZELADIOUS

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 8:42 PM

Did some more research and this is what wikipedia says no the "Serenity (film)" page under trivia,

Quote:
The safeword phrase that Simon uses to shut River down, "Eta kuram na smekh", is a Russian expression ("??? ????? ?? ????"). Literally, it means, "That's for chickens to laugh at"; colloquially, it means, "That's ridiculous." [12] Normally, the phrase would be used to disparage something (for example, a payment) as insufficient or absurd.

“Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm”

JAYNECOBBTHEHEROOFCANTON

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 6:33 PM

Thanks, guys.

"So you're the browncoats, eh."

GRIZWALD

Thursday, February 2, 2006 9:45 PM

Quote:
I knew Joss would get chickens in the movie somehow...

Joss likes CHICKENS?? Man, there are just more and more things to like about him every day!

me just wuvs chickens

KANESKI

Thursday, February 2, 2006 10:34 PM

Didn't even realise the phrase was russian until I read it here. I guess russian is a real pain for english-speakers to even pronounce.

HEB

Thursday, February 2, 2006 10:52 PM

Just a further response on this topic:

My Russian friend translated it as:

"literally it's "it's for a laugh for chicken"
it sort of means "it's ridiculous" "

...................
Well, my sister's a ship... we had a
complicated childhood
.................
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

ASARIAN

Thursday, February 2, 2006 11:06 PM

Lemme just see if this works:

Это курам на смех

EDIT: I guess I have a new tagline, then. :)

"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam.

LOSTNO1FAN

Thursday, February 9, 2006 9:35 PM

Man, Joss is a genius. That is so great! I had no idea that was german!

"Smells like crotch"

ASARIAN

Friday, February 10, 2006 2:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by lostno1fan:

I had no idea that was german!

That's because it isn't. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

RUMFINATOR

Friday, February 10, 2006 3:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by asarian:
Quote:
Originally posted by lostno1fan:

I had no idea that was german!

That's because it isn't. :)

--
"Mei-mei, everything I have is right here." -- Simon Tam

What?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MISSTRESSAHARA

Friday, February 10, 2006 2:05 PM

Check, they just said it was Russian kiddies, did you not read the posts? And Grizwald, where in the hell did you get that icon? Me jealous now.

If I'm a bitch, then life just got interesting

IMALEAF

Friday, February 10, 2006 2:16 PM

It is Russian for "That's ridiculous"

~~River: Bible's broken. Contradictions, false logics. Doesn't make sense.~~

BRIGHIT

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 12:37 PM

Yup, I'm Russian and I can truthfully say it means exactly that.

SPACEANJL

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 1:21 PM

There was something like this on the Firefly DVD commentary - Joss and Tim, I think...

"As Chekov says, if you carry a loaded chicken onto the stage, you must be prepared to fire it."

"Chekov? Wasn't he the Russian guy?..."

SpaceAnJL

IMSHINYCAPTAINN

Thursday, May 25, 2006 10:29 PM

Oh, Chekhov.

FREELANCERTEX

Sunday, September 9, 2007 9:29 PM

"Это курам на смех"

That makes so much more sense. Without the spelling I was like "what did he say?" Wow....he totally murdered the pronunciation of that phrase. Totally murdered. *ears hurt*

__________________________
Have you ever wondered why in a dream you can touch a falling sky?
Or fly to the heavens that watch over you?

"I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar."

A man is least himself when he speaks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will show you his true self.

You can't take the sky from me...

CRUITHNE3753

Sunday, September 9, 2007 10:06 PM

Actually, if you apply some pronounciation rules - pronounce E as "yeah", roll your Rs, hard Hs (like the ch in "loch") and avoid using the articles ("a" and "the"), this is a quick and cheesy way of doing a Russian accent. Try it.

CRUITHNE3753

Sunday, September 9, 2007 10:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by grizwald:
me just wuvs chickens

I find myself thinking about the episode of South Park in which Officer Barbrady learns to read...

FREELANCERTEX

Monday, September 10, 2007 10:33 PM

I know, I took Russian for a spell, that's why I said he murdered it :P lol. Thanks though ;)

__________________________
Have you ever wondered why in a dream you can touch a falling sky?
Or fly to the heavens that watch over you?

"I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar."

A man is least himself when he speaks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will show you his true self.

You can't take the sky from me...

JOHNAG68

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 3:00 PM

lol. I remember trying to make sense of it (from what it sounded like Simon said) in Latin anyways!

To me, it sounded something like:

"Educ Orum Nosmet."

which, while somewhat bad Latin, would be translated something like the following into English:

"Lead us ourselves out of the mouth!"

or possibly

"Lead (it) out of the mouth ourself!"

being an Imperative statement in either case.

Doesnt really make much sense, but I thought it was interesting... glad I found this thread to clear it up!

ZZETTA13

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 3:15 PM

Related subject I guess………borrowed from the mind of the Whedon

New expletive I’ve been getting some mileage from out at work “ Joss- Tam -It!!”. Used mainly at those times when things go wrong. Of course you should see the looks I get from fellow employees wondering if they heard me right……lol

Just my way of cussing without cussing, cuz we as browncoats all know that, that may sound even ruttin worse than a regular cussword it’s own gorram self!

ZBP

CLJOHNSTON108

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 5:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by grizwald:
Quote:
I knew Joss would get chickens in the movie somehow...

Joss likes CHICKENS?? Man, there are just more and more things to like about him every day!

me just wuvs chickens

On one of Joss' commentary tracks, he makes fun of David Boreanaz for being afraid of them. I think David's phobia was first outed during an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Unfortunately, I can't find the clip on YouTube anymore, but I found this...
http://bones.otavo.tv/bones-david-boreanaz-faces-his-fears

BARDOFSHADOW

Thursday, April 21, 2011 9:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by heb:
My Russian friend translated it as:

"literally it's "it's for a laugh for chicken"
it sort of means "it's ridiculous" "

Funny enough, in German we have a phrase "Da lachen doch die Huehner!", in an extremely loose translation: "That makes Chickens laugh" (Huehner being Chickens and lachen is laughing.) It also means that something is absurd or ridiculous enough to make chickens laugh.

Its A Strange World, Charlie Brown