Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
Это мы, кошки
English translation:
Nobody here but us chickens! / Just us chickens!
Added to glossary by
The Misha
Jun 18, 2009 17:27
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Russian term
Это мы, кошки
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
"It's us, cats" rings no bell with the US audience - not like it does with us, Russian-borns. It's not mice either, nor cockroaches. What is it then? Any creative ideas? Thanks much.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+5
32 mins
Rachel Douglas
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Excellent English from Russian originals
Native in: English (Variants: British, Australian, US)
Works in: Russian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
384
Selected
Nobody here but us chickens! / Just us chickens!
I think the jokes which generated these two catch-phrases seem to be pretty similar!
Explanation of the "кошки":
Это мы кошки .Обратно ползём.
( Анекдот: Трус, Балбес и Бывалый лезут на стройку, воровать материал. Сторож слышит шорох: " Кто там?" Трус: " Мяу!". Сторож:" Кошки..." Воры покидают стройку. Сторож:" Кто там?" Трус:" Это мы кошки. Обратно ползём...")
Source is in a forum, but sounds plausible:
Нет! Не Малый. Это мы кошки .Обратно ползём.
( Анекдот: Трус, Балбес и Бывалый лезут на стройку, воровать материал. Сторож слышит шорох: " Кто там?" Трус: " Мяу!". Сторож:" Кошки..." Воры покидают стройку. Сторож:" Кто там?" Трус:" Это мы кошки. Обратно ползём...")
As for "Nobody here but us chickens", I seem to remember it in a Smothers Brothers version as "Nobody here but us dead chickens", but an explanation of origin I found is comparable to the Russian joke. Including the punch line becoming well-known, by itself. Here:
"Q: What is the origin of the phrase "just us chickens"?
A: The closest I can come is a reference in the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang. Supposedly "Nobody here but us chickens" was the punchline of a joke about a chicken thief who is surprised in the act by the farmer. (The reference book doesn't go into detail, but I would guess the farmer says something like "Who's there?") Later the punchline alone became a jocular catch-phrase."
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2006/08/just-us-chickens.h...
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Note added at 33 mins (2009-06-18 18:00:57 GMT)
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Sorry, didn't mean to write the Russian joke twice.
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Note added at 38 mins (2009-06-18 18:06:17 GMT)
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Look at this: "Ain't nobody here but us chickens" was a hit song in 1946.
One night farmer Brown,
Was takin' the air,
Locked up the barnyard
With the greatest of care
Down in the henhouse
Somethin' stirred
When he shouted "Who's there?"
This is what he heard:
There ain't nobody here but us chickens
There ain't nobody here at all
So calm yourself,
And stop your fuss
There ain't nobody here but us
We chickens tryin' to sleep,
And you butt in
And hobble, hobble hobble hobble
With your chin
http://www.louisjordan.com/lyrics/AintNobodyHereButUsChicken...
Explanation of the "кошки":
Это мы кошки .Обратно ползём.
( Анекдот: Трус, Балбес и Бывалый лезут на стройку, воровать материал. Сторож слышит шорох: " Кто там?" Трус: " Мяу!". Сторож:" Кошки..." Воры покидают стройку. Сторож:" Кто там?" Трус:" Это мы кошки. Обратно ползём...")
Source is in a forum, but sounds plausible:
Нет! Не Малый. Это мы кошки .Обратно ползём.
( Анекдот: Трус, Балбес и Бывалый лезут на стройку, воровать материал. Сторож слышит шорох: " Кто там?" Трус: " Мяу!". Сторож:" Кошки..." Воры покидают стройку. Сторож:" Кто там?" Трус:" Это мы кошки. Обратно ползём...")
As for "Nobody here but us chickens", I seem to remember it in a Smothers Brothers version as "Nobody here but us dead chickens", but an explanation of origin I found is comparable to the Russian joke. Including the punch line becoming well-known, by itself. Here:
"Q: What is the origin of the phrase "just us chickens"?
A: The closest I can come is a reference in the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang. Supposedly "Nobody here but us chickens" was the punchline of a joke about a chicken thief who is surprised in the act by the farmer. (The reference book doesn't go into detail, but I would guess the farmer says something like "Who's there?") Later the punchline alone became a jocular catch-phrase."
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2006/08/just-us-chickens.h...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2009-06-18 18:00:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry, didn't mean to write the Russian joke twice.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 38 mins (2009-06-18 18:06:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Look at this: "Ain't nobody here but us chickens" was a hit song in 1946.
One night farmer Brown,
Was takin' the air,
Locked up the barnyard
With the greatest of care
Down in the henhouse
Somethin' stirred
When he shouted "Who's there?"
This is what he heard:
There ain't nobody here but us chickens
There ain't nobody here at all
So calm yourself,
And stop your fuss
There ain't nobody here but us
We chickens tryin' to sleep,
And you butt in
And hobble, hobble hobble hobble
With your chin
http://www.louisjordan.com/lyrics/AintNobodyHereButUsChicken...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Susan Welsh
: Amazing research, Rachel!
3 mins
|
|
Check out the Louis Jordan song! But I have a clear voice-image of Tommy Smothers saying "nobody here but us dead chickens".
|
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| agree |
Alexei Shmouratko
20 mins
|
|
Thank you.
|
|
| agree |
Alexandra Goldburt
: Agree with Susan - the research is indeed amazing.
27 mins
|
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Thanks, Alexandra. Actually, the "chickens" phrase simply popped into my head, then all I did was google the two jokes to find out their origins.
|
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| agree |
Tokyo_Moscow
8 hrs
|
|
Thank you.
|
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| agree |
Henry Whittlesey Schroeder
13 hrs
|
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Thanks, Henry.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I take my hat off, Rachel. Of course it's the chickens. Everyone is right about the research too, it's very convincing, but I would have taken your word too - plus the mighty Google. Thanks much. "
23 mins
Mark Berelekhis
United States
United States
Native in Russian
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
Exemplary quality, truly bilingual
Native in: Russian 
, English
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
Related KudoZ points
:
666
tailor to specific instance
Unless you're translating the joke itself. I just don't see it working otherwise. Here are a few ideas:
"Halt! I go there!" (pun)
"It's me: Mario!" (one of the more recognizable lines for anyone who grew up in the 90s).
"Halt! I go there!" (pun)
"It's me: Mario!" (one of the more recognizable lines for anyone who grew up in the 90s).
Note from asker:
| Thanks, Mark, but the chickens! THE CHICKENS! |
35 mins
Ellen Kraus
Austria
Austria
Austria
more than thirty years of experience
Native in: German 
Works in: Greek to German, English to German, Greek to English, and 5 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
It´s just us, guys ! nothing to be upset about
If the persons addressed are boys, otherwise, the guys will have to be replaced by the persons greeted.
35 mins
Shelley Fairweather-Vega
Native in English
Specializes in field
The English you need
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: Russian to English, Uzbek to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
It's only the wind
That's one kind of stock answer in English to the question "what was that noise??" or "who goes there?" like in the joke. I don't know if it will work for you here.
Note from asker:
| My personal thanks to you, this would work well too - in the absence of the formidable chickens that fit the bill here like a glove. |
55 mins
Alexandra Taggart
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Native in Russian
&
English
Specializes in field
Russian Federation
proficient translation
Native in: English , Russian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, English
Related KudoZ points
:
32
Don't wake up, I am Kruger, you are dreaming, I'm your dream...
X
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-06-18 18:50:56 GMT) Post-grading
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That's us, we came to make contact...
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Note added at 1 hr (2009-06-18 18:50:56 GMT) Post-grading
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That's us, we came to make contact...
Discussion
"Have no fear, ...", he says "It's just us, cats". The phrase makes perfect sense in Russian, but the punch line gets lost when you just translate it literally. Or is it my thinking process that is still hopelessly Russian?