Thread: Эллочка людоедка

This is really for a native russian speaker, who still lives in the country. I'm not sure if anyone else would know about this, because it's a cultural thing.

But anyway, kalinka_vinnie and I were thinking, when is the phrase "у вас вся спина белая" typically used? I heard it was used when someone tries to make a joke that isnt really funny.

Any elaboration on that?

Thanks in advance!

Never heard this phrase outside the Devnadsat Stoolyev context. It's not used by normal people.

Normal people?

Всё, что удалось найти http://www.kcn.ru/tat_ru/universitet/fi ... php?sod=16

"Что касается выражения У тебя вся спина белая, оно, скорее всего, в шутливой форме передает неловкую ситуацию, в которую попал собеседник:
"Эрнст Павлович связал свои вещи в большой узел, завернул сапоги в газету и повернулся к дверям.
-У тебя вся спина белая, - сказала Эллочка граммофонным голосом" [Ильф : 1977: 171]."

Sometimes people joke that way on the April Fool's day. (or joke about how they joke that way ). Of course it became a trite joke.

Yeah, and I remember seeing a picture in some newspaper very long time ago that illustrates it as a joke. A white man in Africa says to a native passing by: "You've got your back white". And the latter was looking shocked.

Originally Posted by scotcher

Normal people?

I made an explicit reference to that book by Ilf & Petrov, it is clear to anyone who has read it. I did not use the phrase the way the originator of this thread was asking about. My explanation still stands.

I really think it's about time you took another self-imposed sabatical Vendingmachine, at least until you start taking your medication again. Not only have you gone back to trying to turn every single thread into a fight (again), but this time you've even lost your sense of humour.

Welcome back to my ignore list.

Thanks for the cordial welcome, scotcher. As a matter of fact I'm very surprised to hear that there was a time when I wasn't on your ignore list. (Though in your case it should really be called the "iggerance list" - it's a list of names of people whose logic and wit you can't and won't understand)

And no, I'm not trying to turn every single thread into a fight, I'm just trying to be objective and call a spade a spade.