To hang noodles on the ears (Russian: вешать лапшу на уши)[lower-alpha 1] is a Russian-language idiomatic expression that means to deceive or fool someone.[1][2] According to journalist Alexander Kleimenov, in both Russian and Ukrainian, it is similar to the English expression to pull somebody's leg,[3][4][5] and author Jag Bhalla agrees.[6]

Etymology

The origin of the phrase is uncertain. One is that the expression contains linguistic similarities to words about stealing and deception and is derived from the Russian thieves' slang "oblaposhit", "to steal", "to deceive", which was allegedly derived from the French word "la poche", "pocket", which sounds "laposh" in Russian. Another is that it derives from criminal jargon where an "ear" was a street informant and a "noodle" was a rope or cloth that could be used to tie someone up.[7]

Valery Smirnov, known for his expertise in Odesan Russian, claims that in Odesa criminal argot "lapsha" means "lie" and mentions other related expressions, such as "to throw lapsha".[8]

Zaur Zugumov, a famous pickpocket,[9] compiled a book of criminal argot in which he lists an expression "двигать лапшу на уши" ("to move lapsha onto ears") which means to tell lies without particular profit, just for entertainment, to make time go faster in detention. He claims that this expression has been in use since the time of Russian Empire.[10]

In verbal usage

William Safire, writing in The New York Times, called Michael Gorbachev's usage of the "earthy Russian saying" the most memorable line spoken surrounding the failed 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt. The new president responded to parliament speaker Anatoly Lukyanov's denial of complicity with, "Don't hang noodles on my ears."[11]

In August and September 1991, The Sydney Morning Herald held a competition, inspired by the Gorbachev quip, for readers to devise their own mysterious and colorful "old Russian sayings",[12] and received "bags of worthy entries".[13]

In 2000, the director of the Stepnogorsk Scientific and Technical Institute for Microbiology admitted that the site was being used for bioweapons research and development and not vaccine production, saying, "we have been hanging noodles on your ears".[14]

In 2009, Jag Bhalla authored a National Geographic compilation of amusing international expressions under the title, "I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms From Around the World",[15] telling NPR he was not able to determine the expression's origin.[6]

As political protest

If you hang these noodles on your ears, you might end up in hot water.[16]

During the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, protesters in Odesa threw pots of spaghetti at the Russian consulate to protest the accuracy of that country's media coverage.[4][5]

In March 2023, Russian politician Mikhail Abdalkin published a photo of himself with noodles on his ears[17] while watching a speech from Vladimir Putin, where the English translation of the caption was, "I fully support. I agree with everything. Great speech. Haven’t heard anything like that in 23 years. Pleasantly surprised.”[18] His actions attracted attention and resulted in a fine of 150,000 roubles (about $2,000 USD) for "discrediting the armed forces".[19][20] Abdalkin, who is appealing the fine, called the noodle-hanging stunt, "Just an ordinary protest" which happened "spontaneously", and was in regard to Russian social policies and not its military actions in Ukraine.[21]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ ru:Лапша is long flat noodles

References

  1. ↑ Fedorov A.I. hang noodles on your ears // Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language . - 3rd ed., Rev. - M. : Astrel: AST, 2008. - S. 69. - 878, [2] p. — ISBN 978-5-17-048988-6
  2. ↑ "Food Speaks in Many Tongues". KQED. 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  3. ↑ "Noodle-hanging idioms and other inscrutables". Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  4. 1 2 Heil, Emily (2022-04-29). "Trump's killer tomatoes and the history of food as protest projectile". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  5. 1 2 Bilow, Rochelle (2014-03-17). "A History of Protest Foods, from Eggs and Tomatoes to Cream Pies". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  6. 1 2 "An Enchanting Tour Through A World Of Idioms". National Public Radio. June 3, 2009.
  7. ↑ Фразеологизм "вешать лапшу на уши": значение и происхождение November 3, 2017
  8. ↑ p. 29
  9. ↑ Любовь Ширижик, «Меня стали звать Зверем» Лучший карманник СССР был виртуозом краж и наводил ужас на врагов
  10. ↑ Zaur Zugumov, Русскоязычный жаргон. Историко-этимологический толковый словарь преступного мира, p. 151
  11. ↑ Safire, William (June 28, 1995). "On Language; When Putsch Comes to Coup". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Clark, Phillip, ed. (August 27, 1991). "No child will live in poverty after 1990". Newspapers.com. The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  13. ↑ Phillip, Clark, ed. (September 13, 1991). "Around my neck, instead. I'll hang myself". Newspapers.com. The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  14. ↑ Dobbs, Michael (September 17, 2000). "U.S. program to defuse Soviet biological weapons program falters". Newspapers.com. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  15. ↑ Liu, Jonathan H. "Review: I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears -- Really!". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  16. ↑ "Pasta hanging from ear puts Russian politician in hot water". Qatar Tribune. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  17. ↑ Shoaib, Alia. "Russian lawmaker who hung noodles on his ears to mock Putin's speech might face punishment". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  18. ↑ Noyce, Eleanor (2023-02-24). "Russian MP who hung noodles on ears during Putin's speech faces punishment". The Independent. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  19. ↑ "Russian politician fined for "noodle ears" stunt during Putin speech". Reuters. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  20. ↑ Times, The Moscow (2023-03-16). "Russian Politician Fined for Viral Noodle Stunt During Putin Speech". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  21. ↑ "'Protest Has Become Almost Impossible': The Local Lawmaker Who Publicly Mocked Putin Speaks Out". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2023-04-10. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
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