What's the funniest English expression

[Jamie (K)]

What English expression made you laugh when you learned it? I'm not asking which expression you had trouble understanding, or which is different from in your language, or anything like that. I just want to know what expression you found downright funny when you first learned it, even if it wasn't a joke.

[NinaZara]

Here's a word I learnt 4 or 5 years ago...asymptote...ka ka ka :lol: believe me, malay students find this word fuuuunnnyyyy. I remembered my professor had to replace it with a malay word "anu" so the students won't laugh everytime she referred to the thing.

[Prezbucky]

"strategery"
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Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Stew.t.]

hi guys

You are giving words here not expressions: My word would be whatyamacallit or thingymabob or Ugymaflip.

My expression would be "that tickles my fancy" or "whatever shakes your tree".
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Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[Prezbucky]

it's a candy bar: Whatchamacallit

http://www.hersheys.com/products/details/watchamacallit.asp

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Here's another good one:

"whatever floats your boat"
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[NinaZara]

Hello Mr.Tunncilff,

Would you mind explaining the meanings of the coiled words?

Thank you in advance,
Nina

p/s: This is the first time I've come across the surname you have, how do I pronounce it? "Toon-kilf"?

[Yankee]

The first time I heard someone say "My bad." I laughed in horror. 8)
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Stew.t.]

please do call me Stew, Nina.
Mr Tunnicliff sounds like my Dad.

The coiled " " apostrophed phrases mean.
tickles my fancy means gets my interest or excites me depending on context.
Ands shakes my tree is like float my boat so I leave that to prezbucky to explain.

Yankee
My bad is almost as naff as "thats is so gay (original meaning of bad)"
_________________
Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[NinaZara]

The "boat" expression does sound funny, I thought I heard it before in some tv shows and I guess it means "whatever agrees with you".

And Stew, "Mr Tunnicliff sounds like my Dad" is very funny. I laughed my heart out when I read it :lol:

[Jamie (K)]

[Jamie (K)]

[Jamie (K)]

Many Americans laugh the first time they learn the German word for "rental car". It's "Mietwagen", and it sounds like the English expression "meat wagon", which is very bad slang for an ambulance.

[Jamie (K)]

[NinaZara]

I think it's the Malay accent that made it funny, with the exaggeration at the third syllable, aseemtottt :lol:

[Prezbucky]

Jamie
ROFL @ "Foamy". That is just waaaaaaaaaaaaay below the belt. Poor kid!

Do you remember the fun we had with "fahrvergnugen" in those old VW ads? That was a blast in junior high and high school.
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.