# tumbleweed / tumbleweed moment



## Alxmrphi

Solo una curiosita, ma non sono riuscito a trovare una parola italiana per tumbleweed, e ho controllato wikipedia e qualche altro dizionario, qualcuno sa la traduzione?

Poi la domanda è, in che modi si può usare la parola per riferire ad un scherzo che non è divertente, a volte quando qualcuno racconta un brutto scherzo direi "Tumbleweed!" - ma non aspetto che si possa dire la stessa cosa in italiano e mi chiedevo quale sono i modi in cui si possa usarla con questo riferimento (bad jokes).

Grazie!


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## Benzene

Ciao *Alex_Murphy!
*
Ho trovato online quale traduzione di "Tumbleweed", "Magnoliopsida" di cui la pianta più consciuta e l'"Amaranto" (Amaranthus).

In Italia è diffusa l'espressione non volgare, "scherzo da prete".

Bye,

Benzene


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## Alxmrphi

Ho cercato delle immagini delle parole blu ma non ho visto un tumbleweed, questo è di cui parlo.

Cosa significa 'scherzo da prete' esattamente? a bad joke?


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## london calling

Evening!

Salsola tragus. And then I found this: rotolacampo.

I'll have to think about the bad jokes question, although of course you're quite right when you say they don't say "salsola" in Italian!

Natives?


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## miri

This thread might be helpful

Solito Ragazzini, Alex:
tumbleweed
(bot., generi Salsola e Amaranthus; negli USA e in Australia) arbusto che si stacca dal suolo e viene trasportato del vento; cespuglio rotolante.


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## Benzene

Ho trovato, guarda qui: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_italian/cinema_film_tv_drama/1116150-tumbleweed.html

"Scherzo da prete" = "bad joke": Si dice "scherzo da prete" quando ci si riferisce ad un'azione scorretta, che una determinata persona non dovrebbe fare. Infatti un prete, per le sue convinzioni religiose e per il voto ad esse, non dovrebbe fare scherzi o agire in modo da danneggiare il prossimo. Allo stesso modo chi agisce in modo sconveniente, si dice che fa uno "scherzo da prete", ossia inopportuno, che non si addice al proprio ruolo.

Bye,

Benzene


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## Alxmrphi

Benzene, I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing.

I mean something you say.... like (finds a bad joke)


What do you call a judge with no thumbs?
Justice Fingers.
Then I might just give a blank look and say "Tumbleweed"..
Well my sense of humour is pretty weird anyway I think this is a good joke, but found it on a bad jokes website.

Here we go, here's one


What do clouds wear under their clothes?
Thunderware.
THAT'S a bad joke, you seemed to be talking about actions and innoportune things in your explanation, which isn't what I was talking about so I just wanted to make sure we are talking about the same thing.


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## miri

When I read your first post and saw "scherzo" I misunderstood. You're talking about barzellette!
The most vulgar comment would be "Fa proprio cagare" 
Otherwise you can say "Penosa!!!" or "Pessima".


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## Alxmrphi

Is *scherzo* wrong??


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## miri

"Scherzo" is "practical joke"; "barzelletta" is just "joke". The former is something you do, the latter is something you say.


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## Alxmrphi

Ah that's why Benzene was talking about something else, I didn't know it was wrong I thought scherzo translated both meanings.


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## fer1975

Alex_Murphy said:


> Benzene, I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing.
> 
> I mean something you say.... like (finds a bad joke)
> 
> 
> What do you call a judge with no thumbs?
> Justice Fingers.
> Then I might just give a blank look and say "Tumbleweed"..
> Well my sense of humour is pretty weird anyway I think this is a good joke, but found it on a bad jokes website.
> 
> Here we go, here's one
> 
> 
> What do clouds wear under their clothes?
> Thunderware.
> THAT'S a bad joke, you seemed to be talking about actions and innoportune things in your explanation, which isn't what I was talking about so I just wanted to make sure we are talking about the same thing.


You can give a blank look and say 'Devo ridere?' Should I laugh?


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## Alxmrphi

Ah ok, ma non qualcosa che c'entra la salsola / il rotolacampo ?


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## miri

Non che io sappia, Alex! Come mai in inglese una freddura è associata a un "tumbleweed"?


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## Alxmrphi

Hmm, non ci ho mai pensato prima, c'è sempre questa associazione...
Ci sono moltissimi esempi nelle programmi inglesi, una barzaletta che non è divertente, poi tumbleweed, sono sopreso che questo ti sembra strano.


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## london calling

Alex_Murphy said:


> Ci sono moltissimi esempi nelle programmi inglesi, una barzaletta che non è divertente, poi tumbleweed, sono sopreso che questo ti sembra strano.


Figurati, sembra strano a me che sono inglese!
Non sto dicendo che non è così, sto dicendo che non mi è mai capitato di sentire "tumbleweed", ma è anche vero che non vedo spesso la TV inglese!


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## Alxmrphi

My jaw has officially dropped to the floor, you've been away for too long, haven't you ever seen Shooting Stars? They used to do it ALL the time, it was on a few weeks ago actually, and Vic told a bad joke and the church bells started and a tumbleweed blew across the floor...

I've just been looking for some examples and there is so much stuff about it, like a tumbleweed video and people commenting "Who told the bad joke?" etc etc.

I am so surprised you didn't know this.

 Here's one of many examples. (title) and here as well, this is exactly what I was talking about !!!



> *No links to video or audio clips without prior authorization by a moderator.*


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## miri

Jo mi consoli!
Io guardo soprattutto film, non programmi comici, ma mi chiedevo come mai questa associazione ...Tipo : "Ma vai a rotolare nel deserto!"


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## Alxmrphi

Urban Dictionary has a reference to it as well:



> Tumbleweed
> Something to say during an uncomfortable silence or awkward pause in conversation. the conversation is so dead that a tumbleweed could be blowing through the people you are hanging out with like a desert.



Tumbleweed moment (wikitionary)


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## london calling

Alex_Murphy said:


> My jaw has officially dropped to the floor, you've been away for too long, haven't you ever seen Shooting Stars? NEVER!!!!! I am so surprised you didn't know this. I don't get British TV down here, only BBC Prime on (Italian) Sky.
> 
> Here's one of many examples. (title) and here as well, this is exactly what I was talking about !!!


God, that was bad...


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## Alxmrphi

Exactly! it was the perfect 'tumbleweed moment'.


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## miri

AHHHHH, now it's clear!


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## Alxmrphi

Which thing made it clear miri? (just curious)


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## miri

The Urban dictionary explanation and the video, of course! I think this is so very British: we'd start whistling and yelling, laughing and cursing!!! Instead you: absolute silence and tumbleweed! VERY interesting


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## You little ripper!

london calling said:


> Figurati, sembra strano a me che sono inglese!
> Non sto dicendo che non è così, sto dicendo che non mi è mai capitato di sentire "tumbleweed", ma è anche vero che non vedo spesso la TV inglese!


I've never heard the expression either!   Are you sure the people who use this expression aren't Martians as well, Alex? 



> You can give a blank look and say 'Devo ridere?' Should I laugh?


Fer, in English we generally say, "Tell me when to laugh". The response to this, "You might need to ask but everyone else will know!"


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## Alxmrphi

I didn't realise it might be a culture difference, but since I now know it is, it is quite interesting.

[Edit] : Charles you haven't either? My world is turning upside down..

Actually, I remember saying "Tumbleweed" when I was in Australia to one of my friends jokes, and he understood and laughed along with me, so some Australians (maybe most) understand it!


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## You little ripper!

> Actually, I remember saying "Tumbleweed" when I was in Australia to one of my friends jokes, and he understood and laughed along with me, so some Australians (maybe most) understand it!


One swallow does not a summer make, Alex! He probably didn't understand your Scouse accent and was just being polite. 

 I'd be interested to know if any other Australian has heard the expression. Maybe some of the younger folk have. Stevo, where are you?


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## Hermocrates

Now, this is really interesting. I don't watch much telly (I'm pretty much a tv-conscious objector, I guess) but I know this expression. Alex, how come we're the only ones who do? 

I think the reference could be to Western films where in a dramatic scene everyone pauses and only a tumbleweed can be seen rolling across the screen. Then for some reason the expression took a humorous or sarcastic connotation (someway similar to the "sweatdrop" of embarrassment in Japanese anime). 

Usually I don't actually utter the word "tumbleweed" but may hiss and imitate the wind, and wiggle my fingers to imitate the tumbleweed motion across the room... 

Incidentally, my brother seems to know an Italian equivalent. In those horror moments of embarrassing silence when nobody responds in any way to a real bad joke, he sometimes whispers "silenzio di tomba..." 

I don't know if he made that up or if that's a common expression in use, though.


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## effeundici

Sometimes you can hear after a bad "barzelletta": "mmmhhh, humour inglese!"


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## Hermocrates

effeundici said:


> Sometimes you can hear after a bad "barzelletta": "mmmhhh, humour inglese!"



Ma di solito si dovrebbe dire solo per le "freddure"...


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## TimLA

ryenart said:


> Now, this is really interesting. I don't watch much telly (I'm pretty much a tv-conscious objector, I guess) but I know this expression. Alex, how come we're the only ones who do?
> 
> I think the reference could be to Western films where in a dramatic scene everyone pauses and only a tumbleweed can be seen rolling across the screen. Then for some reason the expression took a humorous or sarcastic connotation (someway similar to the "sweatdrop" of embarrassment in Japanese anime).
> 
> Usually I don't actually utter the word "tumbleweed" but may hiss and imitate the wind, and wiggle my fingers to imitate the tumbleweed motion across the room...
> 
> Incidentally, my brother seems to know an Italian equivalent. In those horror moments of embarrassing silence when nobody responds in any way to a real bad joke, he sometimes whispers "silenzio di tomba..."
> 
> I don't know if he made that up or if that's a common expression in use, though.


 
I've never heard it used in that sense either, and I'm looking out my back door right now at many "tumbleweeds" - I'm surrounded by them!

But I understood it immediately, because to me tumbleweeds just "blow by you" and are really not that interesting.
They are boring.


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## You little ripper!

ryenart said:


> Now, this is really interesting. I don't watch much telly (I'm pretty much a tv-conscious objector, I guess) but I know this expression. Alex, how come we're the only ones who do?


Because  according to Wikionary a "tumbleweed moment" is a UK expression. Jo lives in Italy, Tim is American and I'm Australian. I presume it'll catch on here eventually, like most American or English expressions we hear on TV or the big screen.


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## Einstein

As another Italian-based Brit, I don't know the expression either. Well, I know it now.


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## Alxmrphi

It's kind of strange it's listed as a UK expression, when we don't have tumbleweeds here, and they originated from America (like rye's explanation, wild wild west, when there is silence they blow past etc). But I wasn't aware it was just a UK expression so that does explain a bit about why others don't know it.


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## ilcigno

Another American chiming in. Never heard it either!


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## eyeswideopen

ryenart said:


> Usually I don't actually utter the word "tumbleweed" but may hiss and imitate the wind, and wiggle my fingers to imitate the tumbleweed motion across the room...


This is familiar to me! I'd say that in this use 'tumbleweed' has indeed entered italian culture!


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## Alxmrphi

Thanks eyeswideopen, 

I'm glad you said that! It seems it is in a bit of everywhere but only to some people, I'd say generally in the UK it's very well understood (other Brits who posted here have been living abroad for a *long *time)

Everyone I know is aware of it as we're always making bad jokes and referring to it, even seeing videos of tumbleweeds on youtube (when I was searching yesterday) had videos and people commenting "Who told the bad joke?" etc.


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## fer1975

Charles Costante said:


> I've never heard the expression either!  Are you sure the people who use this expression aren't Martians as well, Alex?
> 
> Fer, in English we generally say, "Tell me when to laugh?". The response to this, "You might need to ask but everyone else will know!"


 
Hi Charles, we also say 'Tell me when to laugh' but I think there is a slight difference between 'Should I laugh?' and 'Tell me when to laugh'. I guess the first expression implies that the joke has just been told whilst the second one is still being told, therefore it cannot be a 'tumbleweed moment' as the listener does not know whether the joke is silly or not. Do you agree?


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## You little ripper!

fer1975 said:


> Hi Charles, we also say 'Tell me when to laugh' but I think there is a slight difference between 'Should I laugh?' and 'Tell me when to laugh'. I guess the first expression implies that the joke has just been told whilst the second one is still being told, therefore it cannot be a 'tumbleweed moment' as the listener does not know whether the joke is silly or not. Do you agree?


Fer, I suppose you could say "Tell me when to laugh" when someone who has a reputation for telling bad jokes tells you they are going to tell you one (before hearing it), but we generally say this when the joke has ended because having not found it funny the implication is that there must be more to the joke.


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## Einstein

effeundici said:


> Sometimes you can hear after a bad "barzelletta": "mmmhhh, humour inglese!"


 Sì, anche se l'hai sentita da un napoletano e non è nemmeno traducibile in inglese...


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## janis79

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotolacampo


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## london calling

janis79 said:


> http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotolacampo


L'avevo già detto (post 4).


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## Tunalagatta

To be honest, I don't know if many people would actually comment, "Tumbleweed!" when they heard a bad joke (or I've just never met anyone who does - do contradict me if I am wrong); as has been mentioned, it would usually be a *visual* device, probably on a sketch show or a cartoon. It doesn't have to be after a bad joke, either, but any protracted, often awkward silence, normally after someone says something that falls completely flat on their listeners. I think, "Is there a corresponding non-verbal metaphor in Italian?" is the question (and it's not a linguistic one ). 

 As for a _tumbleweed moment, _it's something like _un_ _silenzio scomodo/imbarazzante/disagevole, _although I'm sure there are some more colourful expressions .


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## robert44

Non credo ci sia una espressione idiomatica in italiano. Per riassumere:
- I 'bad jokes' citati da alexmurphy si definiscono colloquialmente 'battuta scema' (o in maniera più elegante una 'freddura' come già detto)
- Quando uno fa una battuta scema, si risponde con 'devo ridere'?, 'fammi il solletico'! sollevando un gomito, etc....
- Un _'tumbleweed moment_' è un silenzio imbarazzante, l'unica metafora che mi viene in mente è un silenzio '_da ascensore'_


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