goddag mand økseskaft

Danish

Etymology

From a story of a deaf or near-deaf man who replies to what he thinks he is being asked rather than admitting his (near-)deafness. See also Swedish goddag yxskaft.

Noun

goddag mand økseskaft

1. non sequitur
   • 2015, David Lagercrantz, Syndefaldet i Wilmslow, Modtryk, →ISBN:

     Ordene forekom endnu mærkeligere på tryk. Det var lige før, at der stod, at handlingen var forsætlig, fordi den var impulsiv. Fuldstændig goddag mand, økseskaft.

     The words seemed even stranger in print. It was almost as if it said that the act was intentional because it was impulsive. Complete non sequitur.

   • 2017, Bente Hansen, Gud og hvermand, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Selvfølgelig har religionerne indflydelse på de værdier, man bærer med sig i det politiske arbejde, men man kan altså ikke slå sine modstandere i hovedet med bøger, som ikke siger dem andet end Goddag mand, økseskaft!

     Of course the religions influence the values that one carries with oneself in one's political work, but one really cannot strike one's opponents' heads with books that signify to them nothing but "Good day, man, axe handle"!

   • 2008, Anne-Marie Steen Petersen, Ansigt: rejser i det indre Europa, Gyldendal A/S, →ISBN, page 288:

     Den unge pige tør heller ikke oversætte vore spørgsmål helt, som de er stillet, eller måske forstår hun dem ikke, i hvert fald bliver samtalen en fuldstændig grotesk omgang goddag-mand-økseskaft.

     The young girl also does not dare to translate our questions entirely as they are asked, or perhaps she does not understand them, in any case, the conversation becomes an utterly grotesque round of non sequiturs.

   • 2017, Keld Zeruneith, De sidste tider: Hedenskab heroisme kristendom. En angelsaksisk overgangshistorie, Gyldendal A/S, →ISBN:

     At Roar og Beowulf slet ikke befinder sig på samme bevidsthedsniveau, fremgår med al tydelighed af deres sidste samtale før hans afrejse. Mest former den sig som en goddag mand økseskaft. For Beowulf reagerer slet ikke på Roars tale om at handle „menneskeligt“ (gumcyst, 1723), men lover derimod i heroismens ånd at yde „krigerhjælp“ (hæleþa to helpe, 1830a), hvis Roar igen kommer i nød.

     That Roar and Beowulf are not at all on the same level of consciousness is extremely clear from their last conversation before his departure. It mostly shapes itself like non sequiturs. For Beowulf does not at all react to Roar's talk of acting "humanly" (gumcyst, 1723), but, conversely, promises, in the spirit of heroism, to give "warrior-help" (hæleþa to helpe, 1830a) should Roar again find himself in need.