What insults to other countries are part of your language?

[Savonarola]

I was listening to "Man out of Time" by Elvis Costello and got to the part:

But for his private wife and kids somehow
Real life becomes a rumor
Days of Dutch courage
Just three French letters and a German sense of humor

"Dutch Courage" is bravery that comes from alcohol.  "French letters" are condoms.  (A German sense of humor is a play on the idea that the German's have no sense of humor; just like the cliche "A German joke is no laughing matter.")

I thought it was interesting that our language has little idiomatic put downs like that, mostly aimed at the French ("French leave," for instance, is AWOL) or the Dutch ("Double Dutch" is gibberish.)

I'm curious if other languages have similar idioms aimed at other countries.

[Syt]

Türkenkoffer (Turkish suitcase) for plastic bags. Additionally the verb "türken" means to fake something, like paperwork, or an accident.

[Martinus]

Ok, in Polish:

"to listen as if to a German/Turkish sermon" - to listen to something but not understanding a word;
"once in a Russian year" - once in a blue moon;
"a Czech mistake" - a stupid, basic mistake;
"a Russian month" - a very long time;
"to leave like an Englishman" - to leave without saying goodbye;
"a French doggie" - someone very effete, choosy, delicate;
"an Italian strike" - a protest involving doing your job very slowly/deliberately;
"to be like a Swiss clock/like in a Swiss bank" - being very precise, well-organised (I guess this one is not an insult );
"a free American" - a free-for-all, battle royale, no holds barred;

[Syt]

Oh, "böhmische Dörfer" (Bohemian villages) is equivalent to "it's all Greek to me."

"Wir sind nicht bei den Hottentotten!" (We're not with the Hottentots) Usually an (outdated) complaint about lack of order.

[Martinus]

Don't forget "Polnische Wirtschaft".

[Barrister]

"Canadians"

[CountDeMoney]

"Canadians"

[Admiral Yi]

An Indian giver is someone who gives you something then demands it back or takes it back. (Feather, not dot.)

[garbon]

I was listening to "Man out of Time" by Elvis Costello and got to the part:

But for his private wife and kids somehow
Real life becomes a rumor
Days of Dutch courage
Just three French letters and a German sense of humor

"Dutch Courage" is bravery that comes from alcohol.  "French letters" are condoms.  (A German sense of humor is a play on the idea that the German's have no sense of humor; just like the cliche "A German joke is no laughing matter.")

I thought it was interesting that our language has little idiomatic put downs like that, mostly aimed at the French ("French leave," for instance, is AWOL) or the Dutch ("Double Dutch" is gibberish.)

I'm curious if other languages have similar idioms aimed at other countries.

How frequently are any of these actually used? I've hear Irish exit a bit a bit but I don't know about these. I use double dutch in reference to a jump rope game.

[garbon]

"Canadians"

So like Beeb to consider it an insult to be compared to black people.

[Admiral Yi]

How frequently are any of these actually used? I've hear Irish exit a bit a bit but I don't know about these. I use double dutch in reference to a jump rope game.

I hear Dutch courage once in a Brazilian fortnight.

[Admiral Yi]

And of course to welch or welsh is not pay off a bet you lose.

To gyp (from gypsy) someone is to overcharge them.

To Jew someone is to overcharge or to underpay.

[Josquius]

Irish twins

[Barrister]

And of course to welch or welsh is not pay off a bet you lose.

To gyp (from gypsy) someone is to overcharge them.

To Jew someone is to overcharge or to underpay.

To Jew someone more means to talk them up or down in price.  You make it sound like it means the same as to gyp someone, which is used for actually cheating someone.

[Syt]

For some reason "englisch einkaufen" (shopping the English way) was a term for shoplifting. Also exists as "polnisch einkaufen."

And obviously: "Drunk like x Russians!" (with x being a number of up to 1,000).

"Noch ist Polen nicht verloren!" (Poland isn't lost yet) - when a situation looks bad but isn't completely hopeless.

Conversely, "Holland in Not" (Holland in danger) when under pressure.