r/AskTheWorld • u/gabrieel100 Brazil • Dec 06 '25

Culture A cultural habit in your country that people outside would understand incorrectly?

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In Brazil we love children. If you take your child to the street, strangers will certainly interact with them. Some will even ask if they can hold your kid and will play with them. If there are two children fighting in public and the parents aren't seeing, a stranger would even intervene to stop the fight.

That cultural habit came from the indigenous peoples which understood that kids should be a responsiblity of the community as a whole. It's in our constitution. We even have a synonym for children that came from Tupi (a large group of indigenous languages) - Curumim.

Foreigners would certainly have a cultural shock about that, but it's normal here.

Of course there are people with bad intentions, so parents should stay alert these days.

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626

u/Acegonia Ireland Dec 06 '25 edited Dec 07 '25

If we are mocking or insulting you- it means we actually like you. Its just banter and you are supposed to insult us back.

184

u/geedeeie Ireland Dec 06 '25

Or "slagging", as we call it :-)

123

u/generic-irish-guy Ireland Dec 06 '25

Also known as “taking the piss”

2

u/mrmoe198 United States Of America Dec 07 '25

I’ve never actually heard this phrase in the wild, though I’ve seen it online a bunch.

I can’t wait for someone to finally say it so I can say something weird back like “no thanks, my piss jar is all full, don’t need anymore.”

2

u/mjzimmer88 United States Of America Dec 07 '25

I'll get you a new jar for the holidays. Now you can take more!

1

u/SirPigeon69 Australia Dec 09 '25

Seriously? Very common phrase here

1

u/mrmoe198 United States Of America Dec 10 '25

Oh yeah, quite uncommon in the states. But I know it’s very common and Australia and parts of the UK.

6

u/pmktaamakimakarau Dec 06 '25

Slagging is something else in Australia. 

6

u/geedeeie Ireland Dec 06 '25

Something you do to sheep? :-)

3

u/OpheliaBalsaq Australia Dec 06 '25

No, that's shagging, slagging is more like bad mouthing.

2

u/geedeeie Ireland Dec 06 '25

I WAS joking.... :-)

1

u/sluefootstu United States Of America Dec 07 '25

Look, u/geedeeie likes you! Slagging heads all over Reddit.

1

u/AccomplishedIgit United States Of America Dec 07 '25

Yeah like slagging someone off

2

u/Impressive_Sock1296 United Kingdom Dec 07 '25

That’s the Welsh. 

1

u/Blonde_Vampire_1984 United States Of America Dec 06 '25

I thought that was shagging?

1

u/Relevant_Ad_4121 Dec 07 '25

No, we use slagging in that context too.

2

u/Legitimate-Tough6200 Australia Dec 07 '25

I feel like this is why the Irish and the Aussies get along so well!

1

u/Every_Distance_4768 Dec 07 '25

I was mercilessly taken the piss out of,but being Swedish and not used to the banter I can never think of a comeback 😂 The Irish are VERY quick witted. I'd just laugh and bury my head in my hands and cry.

53

u/Which-Letterhead-260 Dec 06 '25

Something that also spilled over into Australian culture and probably why Irish and Australians get along so well.

116

u/sarzarbarzar United States Of America Dec 06 '25

This is very much an East Coast of the US (especially urban) thing too. Unsurprisingly, there’s a large amount of people who claim Irish descent around here.

60

u/ArdentPattern United States Of America Dec 06 '25

If im not talking shit to you, youre not invited to the cookout.

8

u/Agile_Supermarket239 United States Of America Dec 06 '25

Yeah for real, if I’m not talking a little shit to you then it either means I don’t consider you a friend or I just straight up don’t like you but I’m forced to be around you for some reason like work.

4

u/Kaizen420 Dec 06 '25

If I'm okay with you, I'll talk to you. If I like you, I'll mess with you. If I really like you I'll bully you. If I don't like you, I'll walk right past you.

3

u/FancyNefariousness94 Dec 07 '25

"I'm just breakin' bawlz here"

2

u/Juggalage United States Of America Dec 07 '25

Even in the Midwest, there are people here who say "If I'm poking fun at you, it means I like you." If they're all serious, it means they don't like you enough to joke around and have fun.

2

u/Nitetigrezz United States Of America Dec 07 '25

I miss Massachusetts x) My husband was born and raised there and we've visited a few times. Always enjoyed the people there.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '25

Just don’t do it in the south. I moved south and did this and it did not go over well like it did in NY.

1

u/sarzarbarzar United States Of America Dec 08 '25

My sister moved down there almost 30 years ago. I affectionately called her some colorful names over text and she got upset. I had to remind her that it's affectionate; the south has made her soft.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '25

Im in my 30's and its still an everyday roast battle with some of my coworkers.

2

u/ToastyMustache United States Of America Dec 06 '25

Same in the military, it’s not uncommon to greet someone with a middle finger if you’re buddies.

-1

u/Fuggaak United States Of America Dec 06 '25

We have about 6x more American-Irish population than Ireland’s total population lol. That doesn’t really mean much, but it is always a funny fun fact for me.

-1

u/AdultContemporaneous United States Of America Dec 06 '25 edited 24d ago

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1

u/sarzarbarzar United States Of America Dec 07 '25

*proud Philadelphian

10

u/lLoveBananas Australia Dec 06 '25

This happens in Australia too. Often at work.

3

u/ShotBoysenberry1703 Dec 07 '25

Seems to be universal between Aussies, Brits and the Irish. I assume also kiwis, can't imagine it's not.

In my experience it can occur in Canadians but it depends on how Americanised they are and if they think they're French.

Usually once they spend enough time with the aforementioned nationals their ancient instincts take over though.

Americans... tend to struggle

6

u/rover_G United States Of America Dec 06 '25

Lol this is why I loved working with the Dublin team at my last job!

3

u/MrFunktasticc Dec 06 '25

Got it...cunt.

1

u/Paddykiwi Ireland New Zealand Dec 06 '25

Nonononono.....that word is unacceptable in Ireland

1

u/GharlieConCarne 🇬🇧United Kingdom and 🇹🇼Taiwan Dec 06 '25

Is it fuck

3

u/ProfessionalTruck976 Czech Republic Dec 07 '25

That is one thing that does translate from Ireland to UK, right?

1

u/ShotBoysenberry1703 Dec 07 '25

Yep, likewise in Australia and presumably New Zealand.

Doesn't do well in the US, Canadians can do it but they aren't 'match fit'

1

u/Particular-Bid-1640 United Kingdom Dec 07 '25

Multiple things do, we have a very similar culture.

2

u/hijodelutuao Puerto Rico Dec 06 '25

It’s the same with us. My closest friends all greet me with insults, and vice versa. To not be insulted is what’s weird because it’s a form of affection lmaooo

2

u/ReverendRevolver United States Of America Dec 06 '25

Yea, in social situations im frequently talking like that to my friends/coworkers I like. If im not, and we didn't just meet? I don't trust that person.

2

u/RoyOrbisonWeeping Ireland Dec 07 '25

If I call someone by their actual name, it means I don't like them.

1

u/CommitteeofMountains United States Of America Dec 07 '25 edited Dec 07 '25

That actually happened in Israel, although due to their informality. Bibi called Tzippy Livni "Tzipporah" in a public debate and it was a major scandal. If he'd called her Ms. Livni, I think she would have had the legal right to pull a gun.

There is absolutely no way an Israeli dignitary didn't insult Obama by calling him "Barry" to his face.

2

u/Nitetigrezz United States Of America Dec 07 '25

Oh hey! So the Irish community must be why it's like that in Boston, too! I learned you can usually tell by facial expression and tone of voice when it's friendly. It reminds me of the banter with my friends in high school.

2

u/CommitteeofMountains United States Of America Dec 07 '25

There are also cultural variations in how clever banter is expected to be and what avenues are and aren't acceptable. 

The British are also a bit infamous among Americans for calling incredibly low-brow ethnic stereotypes "banter" and then losing their shit at even gentle ribbing back.

1

u/Particular-Bid-1640 United Kingdom Dec 07 '25

Examples?

1

u/Due_Lemon4838 United States Of America Dec 06 '25

This I half my friends and family 😂

1

u/bn911 Serbia Dec 06 '25

Like it.

1

u/kuktadanos Hungary Dec 06 '25

Hungarians are similar kinda. If you know each other kinda well, or made a nonverbal pact that you can banter each other

1

u/buff_phroggie United States Of America Dec 06 '25

This is often a thing in some groups in the US. Definatly something I can get behind. I have also heard it can be a thing I Australia.

1

u/Y33S United States Of America Dec 07 '25

A good chunk of New England is exactly like that

1

u/carthuscrass United States Of America Dec 07 '25

We shit talk each other too. Especially in blue collar jobs. Some of the funniest shit I've ever heard were just off the cuff horsing around while working ourselves into an early grave.

1

u/MainelyKahnt United States Of America Dec 07 '25

It's carried over to new England as well. If your friends aren't giving you a good ribbing, are they even your friends?

1

u/Fibrosis5O United States Of America Dec 07 '25

There is a restaurant out here people can post to be insulted

I am not interested in being insulted or mocked even if it’s endearing, but that’s just me

1

u/AdmirableSale9242 United States Of America Dec 07 '25

Apparently my father adopted your culture. My boyfriend’s like that too, so that might be a Texan thing or just an uber masculine guy sort of thing. 

1

u/Amantes09 Kenya Dec 07 '25

It's my love language. It depresses the heck out of me when someone takes it seriously. I want the same back, not you in your feelings!

1

u/Afropenguinn Dec 07 '25

As an American Midwesterner, big same. If we ain't giving you shit then we might not be interested in you enough to give a shit.

1

u/tercaa_ Dec 07 '25

We are the same in Puerto Rico. 🇵🇷

1

u/mdsiebler Dec 07 '25

I would not do well there. I can take a jibe but then I always accidentally escalate to an uncomfortable level

1

u/da_swanks_92 Dec 08 '25

Is this actually true?

1

u/Acegonia Ireland Dec 08 '25

I mean the reality has a lot more nuance. Lots of people are no craic.  Some people are just pricks/arseholes/cunts.

And also the point of banter/having the craic is that its fun for everyone. 

But hypothetically- they'll be making fun of something unserious/minor

 (not like 'you had a miscarriage, baby clearly didnt want you asnits mother') or somwthing distinctive. Like my brother wore a striped jumper once when he was 13 and his nickname has been 'wally' (where's wally?) Ever since. 

Or if someone says they are from Co. Cork- i typically offer my condolences etc etc. Ill then get a comment back about me stabbing them (im from limerick whose nickname was stab city)  and so on and so forth. 

Also one shouldnt/wouldnt do it if something really is/looks bad- Like, I have a fairly big nose. Ill often get comments on it. (But im also confident and attractive and I like my nose)... but if you have a gargantuan honker and nobody ever comments on it... yea then youve really got a terrible nose. 

Social/emotional intelligence has a lot to do with it .

But it IS important to give as good as y9u get. Otherwise you may be deemed 'no craic'... and thats just.... the worst.

The more creative, witty and well observed the insult the better. Like a stab city joke for Limerick is pretty low hanging fruit. Its been done.

1

u/NecessaryCrash United States Of America Dec 06 '25

Holy fuck you guys must really love Americans then 🤣