When my husband was young (and probably still today), Italians played a verbal game in which you made up a name for a fictional somebody of a particular nation. The name had to sound authentic to the nationality chosen, and, of course, it had to be funny.
For example:
Il famoso tuffatore giapponese: Sezoki Maspinto.
The famous Japanese high diver: [Se so chi m’ha spinto] – If I know [knew] who pushed me!
La famosa prostituta greca: Mika Teladogratis.
The famous Greek prostitute: I’m certainly not going to give it to you free! (Mica = not a chance, no way.)
La famosa prostituta del Far West: Calatemi Jeans.
The famous prostitute of the [American] West: Take down my jeans. (A pun on Calamity Jane.)
Il famoso motociclista giapponese: Tofuzo Lamoto.
The famous Japanese motorcyclist: T’ho fuso la moto – I melted your motorcycle [engine].
Il famoso investigatore rumeno: Ora Lipescu.
The famous Rumanian investigator: Now I’ll catch them (li pesco – literally "I’ll fish them").
La famosa prostituta russa: Vagina Seminova.
The famous Russian prostitute: Semi-New Vagina.
Il famoso tuffatore arabo: Momeyet.
The famous Arab diver: Mo’ me getto – (in Roman dialect) – Now I’ll throw myself [in].
Il famoso spedizioniere cinese: C’hon Furgon Cin.
The famous Chinese courier: C’ho un furgoncino = I have a little van!
Got one to add? Aggiungete i vostri!
Beh, ci sarebbe la più famosa riserva della nazionale di calcio giapponese: Yokopoko Mayoko :-))
You translate. IGH!
Il famoso giornalaio cinese: Cion Kiosko.
La cuoca russa: Galina Cocimilova.
La pasticcera: Galina Sbatilova.
Il portiere rumeno: Saracinescu.
Il ministro delle poste USA: Frank O’Boll.
Sua moglie Cartoline.
This is in Milanese: Korean diver: Kim Atra Giò (Chi m’ha trà a giò, who pulled me down). His trainer: Soon Sta Mi (Sunt stà a mì: i was me).
I used to know many, many more, now I forgot them.
One of the most famous one… the great goalkeeper from Romania: Saracinescu (saracinesca = roll-up shutter)
I have a vague memory about a little book being offered free with a superalcolic beverage bottle with a long list of them… but is a very vague one, maybe i’m even wrong.
Ciao!
That’s cute! Brings to mind the famous American law firm, Dewey Cheatham & Howe.
Il nuotatore tedesco: Otto Vask (sounds like: otto vasche, eight laps)
Il campione di salto in lungo cinese: Chin Chan Pai (sounds like: c’inciampai, I tripped on it)
Reminds me of an anecdote, about a Scottish football commentator, reporting live on a Scotland-Romania game. You can hear him in the off, hurriedly asking his colleague “who’s Romania’s number 9?” and then loud and clear in the mike: “And Fakshudanu got the ball!!!”
Gay Italiano: Gustavo La Mazza.
Lo so che il nome dovrebbe essere straniero, ma questo era troppo divertente.
La più famosa danzatrice russa: Ciolanka Sbilenka!
The famous russian dancer: I have a lopsided haunch! (ciò [=ho] l’anca sbilenca!)
Hahah. Sounds just like an american law firm alright. Nice poem.