• samus12345@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    5 hours ago

    What’s the Czech word that’s being use for the “issss?” Since “cactus” ends with an “s” sound in both English and Czech, the joke might translate directly.

    • ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      3 hours ago

      I’m Czech. The Czech version of the joke is indeed no funnier than the English translation (unless you count the bit of variety in the degassing sounds) and it’s a preschool classic. Here is the most common version (they’re all basically the same anyway) and a literal translation:

      Letí dva balónky po poušti. Jeden říká: „Pozor, kaktusssss!“ — „Kde ho vidíšššššš?“

      Two balloons are flying across a desert. One says: “Watch out, a cactusssss!” — “Where do you see it? shhhhh…”

      I think your colleagues had a very dark or offensive joke, as these are common in Czechia. Not wanting to get into trouble, they quickly replied with the first one that came into their mind and then made up excuses for laughing so hard.