This morning, as the Boy threw clothes into our laundry hamper, it keeled over and descended on him from atop the dryer. Exclamations of annoyance emerged from the laundry closet, somewhat muffled by soft cotton undershirts and delicate unmentionables, which, 1) reached my kasaari-na-kaan in the kitchen, and 2) had me asking him “Why are you doing fuffer-chattuk?”
So gather around, my lovelies, for today we decode 2 more Parsi-isms:
1) Kasaari-na-kaan
Pronounced: kuh (like duh)-saa (like maa)-ree (like see) naa (like paa) kaan (like paan)
Translation: Insect’s ears
Meaning: Ears as sharp as an insect (some argue that it isn’t just any insect, specifically, it is a cockroach, but let’s just keep things all-around pleasant, shall we?)
Now sharp eyesight may not be my thing, and my Parsi nose is mostly for show, but ears, ears I have, and they do a stellar job to make up for my other not-so-efficient senses. A sniffle in the next room? I’m on it. A click in the house next door? I heard it. Volume, frequency, tonal quality, no problem! My kasaari-na-kaan hear it all. So each time I pick up on something the Boy doesn’t, he looks at me in awe and says, “Whoa, kasaari-na-kaan!” and now you can use this quirky Parsi phrase too. Just try not to throw it at your stone-deaf granduncle Cawas.
Example: Tehmi Fui has such kasaari-na-kaan! She could hear the girls giggling at the other end of the house.
2) Fuffer-chattuk
Pronounced: fuff (like stuff)-uhr (like sir) chut (like hut)-uk (like luck)
Translation: Grumbling and fretting
Meaning: When someone throws a mildly grumbling hissy fit of a non-violent nature, they are doing fuffer-chattuk. Mostly harmless, fuffer-chattuk implies grumbling under one’s breath while banging pots and pans in the kitchen. Or stomping around, complaining about all the extra work one has to do once the guests leave.
Example: I asked the cook to make 3 side dishes for the party and her fuffer-chattuk went on all day.
Extra: “Bubber-fuffer” is also a phrase in the same vein, and means pretty much the same thing.
So tell me, what do you do fuffer-chattuk about? And who in your family has kasaari-na-kaan? And who are you going to try these Parsi-isms on? 🙂
Wisdom Wears Neon Pyjamas 
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