Keep Calm, and STFU

[akirlu]

...Or perhaps "Moose Lips Sink Ships."

It seems just like the Swedes that their WW II information security propaganda campaign came in the form of a pun:



The wordplay here is based on the Swedish verb 'tiga' which means, roughly, to keep silent. Also 'svensk' can be either an adjective or a noun, meaning either a Swede, or something Swedish. So the text means both "A Swedish Tiger" and "A Swede Keeps His Trap Shut."

Since Scandinavians in the US are also sometimes known for taciturnity, it's perhaps also an allusion to the image of national character. Also, Swedes seem to be generally fond of wordplay and punning. Like I say, it's very Swedish.

Tip of the hat to isiswardrobe for the image and reference.

Comments

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Interesting. A couple questions for clarification on the word "tiger". This is picky, I know, but it's prompted by ignorance of idiomatic Swedish:

1) Is it the actual Swedish word for the animal, as it is the English word?

2) Is "tiger" also a form or conjugation of the verb "tiga", or is it just meant to suggest "tiga" to the reader's mind, in the way in English that, say, a music program titled "Bach to the future" is intended to suggest the word "back", both because of the close similarity between Bach and back, and because "back to the future" is a well-known title and set phrase?

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Yes, the noun in Swedish is spelled 'tiger' and 'tiger' is also the present-tense form of the infinitive, 'att tiga'.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the elaboration. That does make it just about perfect, then.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

The UK analog was, apparently, "Be like Dad: Keep Mum."

[replyhazy.livejournal.com]

cool thing of the day!!

[jophan.livejournal.com]

A classic. And thanks for the UK equivalent, never heard that one before.