# Shrink (psychiatrist)



## DreamerX

Hello,

I was wondering if your language had an equivalent for _shrink_, which is a slang term for a mental health professional that is in common use throughout North America. The word is short for _headshrinker_, which refers to the patient’s head being swollen from mental distress and the psychiatrist’s task to “shrink” it. The term originated approximately in the 40s, and although _headshrinker_ is not used very often these days, the short form _shrink_ is widespread. “To go see a shrink” is essentially the same thing as “To go see a psychiatrist.” It can be either neutral or pejorative, depending on who uses it and how it is used.


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## apmoy70

Nothing fancy in Greek I'm afraid, just *«τρελογιατρός»* [treloʝa'tros] (masc. & fem.) --> _crazy-doctor_; I don't think it's pejorative.


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## Geo.

In German one could say a „Seelenklempner“ which translates very literally to a ‘plumber of souls’ (or ‘plumber of psyches’).  

In older UK slang, the word ‘trick cyclist’ — with no intended connection to someone who preforms acrobatic feats on a bicycle — was used to comic effect because it sounds similar to ‘psychiatrist’ if mispronounced by someone who might not know the proper technical term.  

In French « un psy » could have been used, (at least at one time), loosely translated as ‘a (doctor of) psycho(s)’.


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## ThomasK

A great one in Dutch: *zielenknijper *(or at least I like it a lot), i.e., a soul pincher... I wonder whether German could be related but I don't think a _Klempner _pinches (clamps ?)...


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## ilocas2

In Czech a slang term for a psychiatrist is *cvokař* (male) and *cvokařka* (female). From my experience even in the colloquial language _psychiatr, psychiatrička, psycholog, psycholožka, doktor, doktorka_ are more used.


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## ThomasK

But then what does the word *cvokař(ka) *refer to ? is it some kind of metaphor?


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## ilocas2

No, it's derived from *cvok* - nutcase


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## ThomasK

I see, thanks.


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## bibax

*Cvok* (< OCz. cvek [tsvek] < Ger. Zwecke, OHG zwec) means 'stud, tack', in slang: 'nutter, loony'.


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## Radioh

No slang word for these physcians. Psychiatry = tâm thần học; psychiatrist = nhà tâm thần học (lit. house of psychiatry). I don't go to see a doctor very often.


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## AutumnOwl

Swedish have the word _hjärnskrynklare_ (brain wrinkler/rumpler) which can be used to mean both psychiatrists and psychologists. There is also _tokdoktor_ = nut doctor.


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## Saluton

There are no slangish words for those doctors in Russian, and then again, consulting them is not really popular here. Психиатр ('psihiatr'), психотерапевт ('psihoterapevt') and психолог ('psiholog'), that's it.


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## Bostan

Saluton said:


> There are no slangish words for those doctors in Russian (then again, consulting them is not really popular here). Психиатр ('psihiatr') and психотерапевт ('psihoterapevt'), that's it.



That's true, I cannot think of any slang word for "shrink" the only thing form this area that comes to my mind is психушка (Asylum).


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## Anja.Ann

In Italian: 

"Strizzacervelli" meaning he/she who wrings out/squeeze your brain; from the verb "strizzare" (to wring, to squeeze) and plural noun "cervelli" (brains).


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## mataripis

Shrink in Tagalog is ku(h)pis and in bisayan-bikol is kipis.the word is applicable to physical characteristic.but in case of mind disorder it is more correct to use nakulangan/kinulang sa isip.


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## ThomasK

But again we do not have any idea of what these words refer to.  Is it soul-doctor, or ...? What is _a bisayan, a bikol, a kupis/ kipis_, ..., please ?


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## mataripis

ThomasK said:


> But again we do not have any idea of what these words refer to.  Is it soul-doctor, or ...? What is _a bisayan, a bikol, a kupis/ kipis_, ..., please ?


I mean the equivalent in Tagalog of shrink used by psychiatrist is not the shrink of the body but inability of mind to understand which is nakulangan or lacking. The Tagalog of shrink in its first meanin is kupis while in bisaya and bikol it is kipis.the root word I think is pis meaning become small.there is case in tagalog that when heavy object fell to soft smaller thing, the shape flatten and in Tagalog it is napisat.


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## Cilquiestsuens

DreamerX said:


> Hello,
> 
> I was wondering if your language had an equivalent for _shrink_, which is a slang term for a mental health professional that is in common use throughout North America. The word is short for _headshrinker_, which refers to the patient’s head being swollen from mental distress and the psychiatrist’s task to “shrink” it. The term originated approximately in the 40s, and although _headshrinker_ is not used very often these days, the short form _shrink_ is widespread. “To go see a shrink” is essentially the same thing as “To go see a psychiatrist.” It can be either neutral or pejorative, depending on who uses it and how it is used.



The only French slang word I am aware of is *psy* (pronounced _*psee*_), simply a shortened form of _psychologue_ (psychologist) or _psychanalyste_ (psycho-analyst); although the word doesn't convey any different / added meaning, there is a weird energy to it that has always fascinated me; keep in mind that in French the initial *p* is actually pronounced. You ought to listen to someone speaking informal French pronounce it, that's quite funny sometimes...  "_P'tain, tu sais pas, son frère, c'est un psy!_'' The word sounds so funny and so good that no one has ever felt the need for a new one (although French slang loves having different words for everything and is extremely rich).


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## Pribina

Yes, *psihić* (/psixitɕ/). It is just a diminutive of the word _psihijatar_ (_psychiatrist_) but has the meaning and connotations of _shrink_.


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## Sheikh_14

Anja.Ann said:


> In Italian:
> 
> "Strizzacervelli" meaning he/she who wrings out/squeeze your brain; from the verb "strizzare" (to wring, to squeeze) and plural noun "cervelli" (brains).



Is Strizzacervelli a common term for a psychiatrist or does it have derogatory connotations? In other words is it a situation nuetral term or fuel to one's  fire?


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## Anja.Ann

Hello, Sheikh 

It depends on the context, though it is usually used jokingly.


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## DreamerX

mataripis said:


> I mean the equivalent in Tagalog of shrink used by psychiatrist is not the shrink of the body but inability of mind to understand which is nakulangan or lacking. The Tagalog of shrink in its first meanin is kupis while in bisaya and bikol it is kipis.the root word I think is pis meaning become small.there is case in tagalog that when heavy object fell to soft smaller thing, the shape flatten and in Tagalog it is napisat.



I apologize if I have caused confusion in my first post. By _shrink_, I was not referring to any physical or mental disorder. _Shrink_ is what North Americans colloquially call a psychiatrist. The term originates in the imagery of a patient’s head being swollen with the illness that constricts his/her thought processes and clouds his/her judgment. The psychiatrist’s job is to “shrink” the patient’s head by eradicating said illness. The original term was _headshrinker_, but the short form _shrink_ has all but supplanted it by now, and _headshrinker_ can only be heard among the older generation. _Shrink_ (was it confused with _shrinkage_?) is not a disease, but the doctor him-/herself–a physician responsible for treating diseases of the mind, specifically. In your country, what do people call a psychiatrist in an informal setting?


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