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What's the "Joe Shmoe" of different cultures? Or the "John/Jane Smith"? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by ech@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

84 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Explanations/etymology also appreciated!

For Joe Shmoe, it means a very average or below average person. It's a derivation of the practice of using "shm-" to dismiss something (eg "Practice shmactice. We're already perfect").

And "John Smith" is meant to be the most average name or person imaginable, so they have the "most common" (citation needed) first and last name as well.

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[–] drkt@feddit.dk 36 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

Denmark -

Brian <- A name, but also a slur for people considered 'hillbilly'. Very frequently used against people who drive cheap tuner hatchbacks. Said cars can be referred to as Brian Cars.

Peter Jensen <- Also a name, but it's become notorious in Jutland because it feels like everyone is immediately related to someone with this exact first and last name.

[–] nparkinglot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 1 year ago

I can’t tell you how much I love that Denmark has hillbillys who drive hatchbacks and are called fuckin’ Brian as a slur.

[–] WaterBottleOnAShelf@lemmy.nz 7 points 1 year ago

Interesting. In the UK (at least when I was growing up, I haven't lived there for some time) we called doing up shit cars as Barry-ing them. I know in other parts of the country they used the name Ned or Kev to refer to the people that drove those cars.

[–] MartinXYZ@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

I think more generally people use " hr. og fru Jensen" for a more exact analog of "John/Jane Smith"

But Peter Jensen was the most common name in Denmark for many years, so you're not completely wrong.

[–] jackpot@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

so what do you just go 'du er brian!' lmfao

[–] MartinXYZ@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Used that way it would be " du er en Brian"

[–] jackpot@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

jeg er en sej brian og du er en brain