Comments on Bad Hebrew Tattoos: Greater Things Go Greatly Wrong

This Hebrew Tattoo example shows the folly of some...

2010-02-23T12:36:45.691+02:00

This Hebrew Tattoo example shows the folly of someone who doesn't really know Hebrew trying to translate a complicated thought or concept ("greater things") into a nice short pithy Hebrew phrase for a tattoo. There are lots of ways it *could* be translated, but the "correct" one needs a thorough understanding of what you mean, of Modern Hebrew culture, etc. Why bother?

actually, without the dagesh in the bet it turns i...

2010-02-07T09:14:41.516+02:00

actually, without the dagesh in the bet it turns into a V. unless i'm forgetting anything, i don't think that's even a word.
AND the bet almost looks like kaf :)

I think that דברים גדולים יותר is too cumbersome a...

2010-02-06T18:53:22.798+02:00

I think that דברים גדולים יותר is too cumbersome as a phrase and as a tattoo.
Actually in this case, Google Translate gives a very interesting suggestion: דברים רבתי (just like Greater London is לונדון רבתי).

This tattoo is really bad, by the way. It looks as if someone shoved the person's hand into a giant, nasty typing machine.

"dvarin gdolim yoter" is more like.. &qu...

2010-02-06T17:51:02.648+02:00

"dvarin gdolim yoter" is more like.. "bigger stuff". I'd hate to think anyone would get that in hebrew & think it's a good tattoo to have. & I don't know why you write the same thing over & over it's not like people read this blog & THEN go to a translator to get their tattoo.

anyway I think they should stick a "yud" in there & have the tatt say: "riba natan.." ("given jam").. cos hey who doesn't love jam?

And here I thought the guy was a Breslov chassid.....

2010-02-05T12:10:45.620+02:00

And here I thought the guy was a Breslov chassid...Raba Natan was the talmid of Rebbe Nachman of Breslev.

A wrong-direction 'Wild Nate'? I often won...

2010-02-05T02:25:48.336+02:00

A wrong-direction 'Wild Nate'? I often wonder what victims do when they learn they've been victimized. In this case, a trash can is handy in the background, large enough for at least the arm, cut up into pieces. Or if he's more desparate: The liner bag does say "This bag is not a hat", but he can always claim not to be big on *any* language. Oy. Poor guy. Long-sleeved shirts for you, buddy.

The best way to thank your buddy for something you...

2010-02-04T23:51:45.994+02:00

The best way to thank your buddy for something you are em.. really(!!) thankfull for is of course tatooing "thank you" on your arm. This is obviously the case here, it says "thank you nathan" or "Toda raba Nathan", but we just can't see the word "Toda"