circus!

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GeneD

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When someone behaves in a pretty ridiculous fashion, we Russians might exclaim "Circus!" or "What a circus!" having in mind certain behaviour associated with the behaviour rather than the place itself. Are there expressions in English conveying the idea? I think I've heard somewhere "clown" used in this way, but I'm not sure.
 
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emsr2d2

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"What a clown!" would work, but not just "Clown!" on its own.
 

TheParser

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Are there expressions in English conveying the idea?



NOT A TEACHER

Hello, Gene:

When you get some extra time, I suggest that you google "Bozo the Clown." He was a fictional character created in the United States during the 1940s.

I do not know how many younger people today know that word, but if you call someone a "bozo," you are implying that s/he is stupid or foolish. Something like a "jerk."

I went to the "Books" section of Google (where thousands of books have been digitalized for us) and found many, many examples. Here is just one that may give you the flavor of its use:

"You bozo, I offered to help you and took you in to save your stupid skin, and look what you've done."

Source: John R. Erickson, The Case of the Vampire Cat (1998), page 80.


Best wishes
 

GeneD

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Thanks, Parser. I like the word "bozo" especially because there was a character carrying this name. Interestingly enough, the word may be even older than the character of Bozo the Clown. I looked it up in a couple of dictionaries, and this dictionary says that the origin is unknown and the usage of it was even in the 1920s. I got curious and looked at the Ngram graphics and it looks that in the 20s the word only revived, but existed even in the 1800s!
 

GeneD

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I wanted to correct a mistake in the 1 post, but the "Edit" button mysteriously disappeared. Is it a new policy of the forum? I can't remember I had such a problem in the past...
 

Rover_KE

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You now have only 24 hours to edit your posts.

There's nothing to stop you re-sending a post with the necessary changes made, and a brief note to say that you have done so.
 

probus

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I believe "doofus" is a currently popular slang word for this athough, at my advanced age, I won't be surprised to learn that doofus has already faded from use or changed its meaning. Online dictionaries say a doofus is a stupid person, but I think it tends to be used when a person is displaying his stupidity in his behaviour.
 

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I agree 'bozo' is less common, but it's still in use. It's a useful euphemism when you want to avoid more inflammatory terms like 'moron' or 'idiot'. I file it under my "child-safe-vocabulary-I-can-utter-in-the-presence-of-young-ears" mental file. It's handy in situations when you want to call somebody a 'dumbass', but there are children listening.:lol:

You could refer to a situation as a 'circus', meaning it's somewhat chaotic or noisy, or something that has devolved from a controlled or important situation into an uncontrolled or showboat situation. This carries a disparaging connotation.

If I walked into a classroom of screaming kids, I might say ' What a circus!" Sometimes you'll hear various political situations or events referred to having 'turned into a circus'.

Also, we have a 'dog and pony show' - something done elaborately as a kind of promotional event - especially if it's overly theatrical or deliberately overdone. Usually though, this was a deliberate action right from the start, whereas something that has turned into a circus started out as legitimate, but has spun out of control.
 

probus

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To describe a chaotic situation "what a circus" is fine but "what a zoo" is more common around here (Canada).
 

GeneD

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I agree 'bozo' is less common, but it's still in use. It's a useful euphemism when you want to avoid more inflammatory terms like 'moron' or 'idiot'. I file it under my "child-safe-vocabulary-I-can-utter-in-the-presence-of-young-ears" mental file. It's handy in situations when you want to call somebody a 'dumbass', but there are children listening.:lol:
For some reason, it didn't occur to me that the word could be used as a euphemism. Thanks for the advice. :-D

You could refer to a situation as a 'circus', meaning it's somewhat chaotic or noisy, or something that has devolved from a controlled or important situation into an uncontrolled or showboat situation. This carries a disparaging connotation.

If I walked into a classroom of screaming kids, I might say ' What a circus!" Sometimes you'll hear various political situations or events referred to having 'turned into a circus'.
That's what I had in mind asking the question, but couldn't explain properly. The expression appears to mean practically the same in Russian and English, which is always pleasant, I must say. :)

Do you think propaganda spreading could be called "dog and pony show"?
 

GeneD

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Do the British and Australians use or, at least, understand the expression "dog and pony show"?
 

GeneD

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Well, now I'm again in doubt whether the Russian "What a circus" means the same as Skej meant. There should necessarily be some element of ridicule, some absurdity of the situation and a certain amount of stupidity in the behaviour. Is there such an element in "What a circus!" or "What a zoo!"?

I've just recalled another interesting Russian expression, which seems to be a kind of attempt to make the "What a circus" expression more precise: The circus has left; the clowns haven't. :)
 
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GeneD

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I might occasionally call the behaviour or situation we are discussing "the theatre of the Absurd". I wonder whether it would work in English.
 

probus

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I think it inappropriate to call propaganda spreading a dog and pony show. The dissemination of propaganda is deadly serious business coordinated by experts in the field. A few scholarly articles on the art of propagandizing can be found online. See for example New Matilda.
 
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probus

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Do the British and Australians use or, at least, understand the expression "dog and pony show"?

I think so. I'm never 100% sure about Australia.
 

probus

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I might occasionally call the behaviour or situation we are discussing "the theatre of the Absurd". I wonder whether it would work in English.

I don't think so. For me, theatre of the absurd is associated with crushing boredom rather than pandemonium. I'm thinking for example of "Waiting for Godot."

There! I have revealed myself to be a philistine.
 
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GeneD

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Thanks for Matilda, probus. Now reading an interesting article there.
 

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Australia? I'll admit I've never actually set foot on it, but I'm still a believer.

Tsk. You Americans will believe anything.

You'll be swearing blind the Earth is round next.
 
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