# In culo ai lupi



## maxper

Scusate so che è un pò volgare ma in Italia si dice quando si vuole indicare un posto davvero sperduto...

La frase precisa è:

"Ci credo che quella casa costa poco, è in culo ai lupi!"

La mia proposta di traduzione sarebbe
"I believe that house is quite cheap, it's in the ass of the wolves!"

C'è un'espressione analoga in Inglese? Deve rendere il concetto di luogo sperduto, ma con un che di grassoccio, informale, al limite volgare come l'espressione italiana.

Grazie


----------



## k_georgiadis

The only one that comes to mind right now is "the house is in the middle of nowhere."


----------



## TimLA

Puoi dire:
...far far away.
...in no man's land.
...in the middle of the desert.

Molto volgare:
...out in east bumfuck.


----------



## london calling

k_georgiadis said:


> The only one that comes to mind right now is "the house is in the middle of nowhere."


 
Yes, or "in the back of beyond", or "out in the sticks".

I can't think of anything vulgar or funny at the moment, but I promise I'll have a think! (And in the meantime the others will come up with something better, I'm sure!)

EDIT: Tim, I've just added your last one to my list of funny things Americans say...that's HILARIOUS!!!!!!!


----------



## k_georgiadis

I just thought of another one: *out in the boondocks*. I agree with you _london calling_, Tim's offering is absolutely hilarious.


----------



## downfromtheglen

TimLA said:


> Puoi dire:
> 
> Molto volgare:
> ...out in east bumfuck.



I grew up in New England and this was, and still is, a popular saying!  Sadly, it was the first expression that came to mind!


----------



## furs

Out in the boondocks is also often shortened to 'out in the boonies'. But I believe the expression refers more to an urban environment. 'In the middle of nowhere' suggests (to me at least) a desert or something like that. The Italian expression in question implies a faraway place, difficult to reach (such as a house on the top of a mountain, for example), and I doubt a common expression in English that translates that precisely exists.


----------



## k_georgiadis

I disagree that boondocks (or boonies) refers exclusively to an urban setting. HERE is the definition from Answers.com.


----------



## london calling

furs said:


> Out in the boondocks is also often shortened to 'out in the boonies'. But I believe the expression refers more to an urban environment. 'In the middle of nowhere' suggests (to me at least) a desert or something like that. The Italian expression in question implies a faraway place, difficult to reach (such as a house on the top of a mountain, for example), and I doubt a common expression in English that translates that precisely exists.


Yes, "out in the sticks"  tends to mean "out in the country", i.e. not in a town or city, but "in the back of beyond" I think translates the idea of a place which is difficult to reach because, if you think about it, it makes no sense whatosoever , as "beyond" (oltre) is not a place at all, so how could you live in the back of it? (dietro l'oltre?!!) 

But I still love Tim's expression  and again, I think it does give the idea of faraway, simply because it doesn't exist as a place!


----------



## maxper

Thank everybody!

As far as Tim's last expression... what bumfuck stands for???

One never stops learning


----------



## london calling

maxper said:


> Thanks everybody!
> 
> As for Tim's last expression... what does bumfuck stand for???


 An interesting question, because bum in BE = _culo_, which isn't what it normally means in AE! However, if it's from New England, maybe it IS the British meaning!

fuck = fottere....fai tu!


----------



## TimLA

maxper said:


> Thank everybody!
> As far as Tim's last expression... what bumfuck stands for???
> One never stops learning


 
Yep...we're very flexible in English.

I'm not really sure what the word stands for - certainly it could mean what LC says, but I've always thought that the "bum" was for "bad" and thus it meant east "bad sex".

But it may have been chosen just because it sounds funny "bum" and vulgar...


----------



## downfromtheglen

I hope I don't get banned for writing this!

 bumfuck:

bum: culo
fuck: well, come on!


----------



## anglomania1

london calling said:


> Yes, or "in the back of beyond", or "out in the sticks".
> 
> I can't think of anything vulgar or funny at the moment, but I promise I'll have a think! (And in the meantime the others will come up with something better, I'm sure!)
> 
> EDIT: Tim, I've just added your last one to my list of funny things Americans say...that's HILARIOUS!!!!!!!


 
Hello LC, 
there must be something funny we say in BE? I can't think of anything either, except for the very unfunny "godforsaken place" -  which may be changing the meaning a bit (it means very desolate, horrible kind of place). But, never fear, I shan't give up!!!
Anglo


----------



## maxper

TimLA said:


> Yep...we're very flexible in English.
> 
> I'm not really sure what the word stands for - certainly it could mean what LC says, but I've always thought that the "bum" was for "bad" and thus it meant east "bad sex".
> 
> But it may have been chosen just because it sounds funny "bum" and vulgar...



This is definitely the best translation for "in culo ai lupi"! 

Thank You TIM!


----------



## aidyonline

in Ireland we would use a vulgaro phrase that seems similar:

"in the arsehole of nowhere"

ie in the middle of nowhere


----------



## maxper

Aidy! This is definitely the best translation! Thank you... I think everyone would understand it!


----------



## Hermocrates

aidyonline said:


> in Ireland we would use a vulgaro phrase that seems similar:
> 
> "in the arsehole of nowhere"
> 
> ie in the middle of nowhere



ARGH! You beat me to it.  I love that expression.

Rye


----------



## pandinorombante

I add a similar expression which is a bit softer: "un posto dimenticato da Dio"..

"A place forgotten by God"??  

In my opinion, this option I suggested is rather equivalent to "in culo ai lupi" because this expression doesn't sound vulgar to me although there's the word "culo"


----------



## Hermocrates

pandinorombante said:


> I add a similar expression which is a bit softer: "un posto dimenticato da Dio"..
> 
> "A place forgotten by God"??



Better: "a godforsaken place" 


Rye


----------



## anglomania1

ryenart said:


> Better: "a godforsaken place"
> 
> 
> Rye


 
See post number 14
anglo


----------



## raisetheflavour

maxper said:


> Scusate so che è un pò volgare ma in Italia si dice quando si vuole indicare un posto davvero sperduto...
> 
> La frase precisa è:
> 
> "Ci credo che quella casa costa poco, è in culo ai lupi!"
> 
> La mia proposta di traduzione sarebbe
> "I believe that house is quite cheap, it's in the ass of the wolves!"
> 
> C'è un'espressione analoga in Inglese? Deve rendere il concetto di luogo sperduto, ma con un che di grassoccio, informale, al limite volgare come l'espressione italiana.
> 
> Grazie


 In inglese ci saranno tanti significati per dire in culo ai lupi. Ma io non ho mai sentito quell'espressione in italiano. Ho sempre sentito dire in culo alla luna.


----------



## Azazel81

Io invece ho sempre sentito dire "in culo ai lupi"...


----------



## raisetheflavour

Azazel81 said:


> Io invece ho sempre sentito dire "in culo ai lupi"...


 
Forse a Milano o al nord. A Roma si dice  in culo alla luna


----------



## nikis

Io ho sempre sentito e sempre usato  (e sono di Roma):  "in culo ai lupi" o "in culo al mondo" oppure più simpaticamente..."una liana dopo tarzan"....


----------



## raisetheflavour

Io sono nata e cresciuta a Roma e ho sentito dire in c... alla luna o anche in c...al mondo. Ma mai sentito dire in c... ai lupi.


----------



## pandinorombante

Anch'io ho sempre sentito "in culo ai lupi" oppure "in culo al mondo" ma mai "una liana dopo tarzan".. buono a sapersi, grazie Nikis.

Anyway, I realised by myself that "in culo ai lupi"/"in culo al mondo" has a slightly different meaning from "posto dimenticato da Dio" (a godforsaken place) because the former means just that the place is really far but doesn't necessarily implies that it's also horrible as "a godforsaken place"/"posto dimenticato da Dio" would suggest.

Who agrees with me?


----------



## Azazel81

pandinorombante said:


> Anch'io ho sempre sentito "in culo ai lupi" oppure "in culo al mondo" ma mai "una liana dopo tarzan".. buono a sapersi, grazie Nikis.
> 
> Anyway, I realised by myself that "in culo ai lupi"/"in culo al mondo" has a slightly different meaning from "posto dimenticato da Dio" (a godforsaken place) because the former means just that the place is really far but doesn't necessarily implies imply that it's also horrible as "a godforsaken place"/"posto dimenticato da Dio" would suggest.
> 
> Who agrees with me?


 
Well, I wouldn't say horrible, but something close to it, and except for that little mistake (which I already corrected  ) I'm right there with you.

Plus, "in culo ai lupi" is very common and not only in Lombardia, a bit more than "in culo al mondo". I have to admit I've never heard "una liana dopo tarzan" but I find it funny .. I like it. Coming from Rome I suppose it's spelled like " 'na liana dopo tarzan", right? 

"Un posto dimenticato da Dio" conveys the idea that besides being far, the mentioned place is also in ruin or anyway abandoned.. something along these lines.


----------



## TimLA

pandinorombante said:


> Anch'io ho sempre sentito "in culo ai lupi" oppure "in culo al mondo" ma mai "una liana dopo tarzan".. buono a sapersi, grazie Nikis.
> 
> Anyway, I realised by myself that "in culo ai lupi"/"in culo al mondo" has a slightly different meaning from "posto dimenticato da Dio" (a godforsaken place) because the former means just that the place is really far but doesn't necessarily implies that it's also horrible as "a godforsaken place"/"posto dimenticato da Dio" would suggest.
> 
> Who agrees with me?


 
It works the same in AE.
I'll use an example in Italy.
"Castello di Velona" is "out in the boonies" but it is certainly *not* "godforsaken"!

Cos'è quel "liana" dopo tarzan????


----------



## silverdaizy

TimLA said:


> ...out in east bumfuck.


 
I'm sorry but I just have to add my 2 cents here.  In Canada, well at least in Vancouver, we have a similar saying:

Out in buttfuck nowhere.



> An interesting question, because bum in BE = _culo_, which isn't what it normally means in AE! However, if it's from New England, maybe it IS the British meaning!


 
As far as I'm aware, that's exactly what it means in AE (well apart from a lazy person or someone who lives on the street).  Is there another meaning in AE that I'm unaware of?


----------



## london calling

silverdaizy said:


> As far as I'm aware, that's exactly what it means in AE (well apart from a lazy person or someone who lives on the street). Is there another meaning in AE that I'm unaware of? No, what I meant was that in BE _bum = arse (ass_, to you!): I'd never heard it used by an American/Canadian to mean "ass" before this!


 
That fits in: Canadian English has many similarities with BE (I'm always surprised by what my Candian friends come out with!).


----------



## nikis

TimLA said:


> It works the same in AE.
> I'll use an example in Italy.
> "Castello di Velona" is "out in the boonies" but it is certainly *not* "godforsaken"!
> 
> Cos'è quel "liana" dopo tarzan????


 

E' per dire che è un posto totalmente sperduto. Le liane sono nelle foreste, Tarzan ci si attaccava per spostarsi, per dire che la persona vive vicino a Tarzan ...dà l'idea di quanto sia remoto un posto! 
Ma è molto romanesco!


----------



## lsp

An unpleasant, undesirable place is also described (in AE, or is it just NY?) as the "armpit of xyz," like the "armpit of America," or "the armpit of the world."


----------



## PizzaPaddy

OR the "Arse end of nowhere" - the Irish always have a word for it


----------



## leenico

Another way which I haven't heard in awhile is "he lives out in the dumps." I realize it's not as descriptive as Tims, but I thought I would add it as well.


----------



## giginho

Buongiorno a Tutti!

I give  new life to this old thread just for a question:

In the surroundings here around there's an expression equivalent to: "in culo ai lupi" that is: "*C*ulonia" that is a imaginary city placed at the end of the Universe. So the phrase: "certo che questa casa costa poco, è a Culonia!" means "of course this house is cheap, it's in Culonia city".

Is there something like this in English?

Thank you very much, fellas!


----------



## GavinW

giginho said:


> I give new life to this old thread just for a question:
> 
> There's something like this in English?


 (=> "Is there something like this...?")

I refer you to our learned friend's earlier reply in post 3. A maggior ragione. ;-)


----------



## giginho

GavinW said:


> (=> "Is there something like this...?")
> 
> I refer you to our learned friend's earlier reply in post 3. A maggior ragione. ;-)



In the east bumfuck, you mean? So is possible to capitalize Bumfuck seeing it as an hypothetical city?


----------



## GavinW

giginho said:


> In the east bumfuck, you mean? So is possible to capitalize Bumfuck seeing it as an hypothetical city?



Not only is it possible, it is desirable. In fact, orthography would require capitals throughout the place name: East Bumfuck.
(I've never been there personally, but I hear house prices have fallen dramatically. The bottom's dropped out of the market, you see...)


----------



## giginho

GavinW said:


> Not only is it possible, it is desirable. In fact, orthography would require capitals throughout the place name: East Bumfuck.
> (I've never been there personally, but I hear house prices have fallen dramatically...)



Thank you very much for the explanation (and the correction, of course!!!!).

P.S. I'm gonna invest in properties over there...the prices cannot fall for ever!!!


----------



## Teerex51

GavinW said:


> (I've never been there personally, but I hear house prices have fallen dramatically. _*The bottom's dropped out of the market*_, you see...)



 Slick, very slick, Mr G _(where's that ROFLMAO icon when you need it most?) _


----------



## Ely79

giginho said:


> : "certo che questa casa costa poco, è a Culonia!" means "of course this house is cheap, it's in Culonia city"


I personally use "Inculandia"  
It's surely a neologism... but always easily understood!


----------



## MR1492

GavinW said:


> Not only is it possible, it is desirable. In fact, orthography would require capitals throughout the place name: East Bumfuck.
> (I've never been there personally, but I hear house prices have fallen dramatically. The *bottom's dropped out of the market*, you see...)



Oh my, that is good.  I'm going to steal this one!  Thanks.


----------



## Teerex51

MR1492 said:


> The *bottom's dropped out of the market, you see...*Oh my, that is good.  I'm going to steal this one!  Thanks.



That's Gavin's understated humor at its best...


----------

