The New Intimacy

Tattoos In a Foreign Language

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Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
So I want to get a tattoo, one which is very important to me but I would like it in a foreign language. Every time I have been asked about this my reply has been that I would like it in a foreign language because it is a personal tattoo. I feel almost like it would be the equivalent of having a page of a diary on my arm for anybody to read. Granted, if I ever do run into somebody who speaks the language, they WILL be able to read it. The language I chose will not necessarily have any relation to who I am, but will be something I find beautiful to look at or read, and not so complicated that it will cost twice as much to have done.

So my question to you is this. Do you agree or disagree with having a foreign language tattooed on your body. Do you think that it is stupid, beautiful, over done, too trendy, etc.

I was thinking portuguese.
11/16/2010
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Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
This is my foreign language tattoo:


It says "I like monkeys" in Japanese. My pseudo-bro's wife is Japanese and wrote it for me (it's her handwriting actually)
11/16/2010
Contributor: kck kck
I have been contemplating getting a tattoo. I want mine to be in Spanish--but that is because I speak the language and having the Spanish on my body would mean something very deep to me. A non-English language choice, in my case, would not be arbitrary and is indeed very meaningful. I guess I am of the mind that choosing a random language for a tattoo is kind of tacky. That's just me though!
11/16/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Here's my foreign language tattoo, I got it for an old friend of mine that got pulled out of a lake in Iowa a few years back. It means "we're all still learning" and he had it tattooed on his arm. It's about the only foreign language tattoo I would get unless I spoke the language fluently, mostly because I've heard so many horror stories of tattoo artists messing up spellings or having incorrect translations. But that's just me, lol

ancora imparo
11/16/2010
Contributor: kck kck
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Here's my foreign language tattoo, I got it for an old friend of mine that got pulled out of a lake in Iowa a few years back. It means "we're all still learning" and he had it tattooed on his arm. It's about the only foreign ... more
Beautiful!

Yeah, I've heard too many of those horror stories, too, lolz
11/16/2010
Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
Quote:
Originally posted by kck
I have been contemplating getting a tattoo. I want mine to be in Spanish--but that is because I speak the language and having the Spanish on my body would mean something very deep to me. A non-English language choice, in my case, would not be ... more
I think it's kind of tacky too. I mean, there are soooo many people running around with Arabic, or Chinese tattooed on them. The only reason I am considering it, is because people wont just be able to come up and read it. It's not there for them, so unless I want to share what it means, it would be nice to have that bit of privacy you know?
11/17/2010
Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
I think it's kind of tacky too. I mean, there are soooo many people running around with Arabic, or Chinese tattooed on them. The only reason I am considering it, is because people wont just be able to come up and read it. It's not there for ... more
Yours is a bit different JR, because somebody wrote it for you. It's not something you went and picked out of a book or just had translated into a language that was really popular. Like arabic which seems to be everywhere since Angelina Jolie had hers done.
11/17/2010
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
I think it's kind of tacky too. I mean, there are soooo many people running around with Arabic, or Chinese tattooed on them. The only reason I am considering it, is because people wont just be able to come up and read it. It's not there for ... more
I like the Chinese or even Arabic tattoos. I think part of the reason they are so popular is because they are pictorial, symbols rather than words. The characters from these languages are beautiful. I don't find any more tacky than the wide-spread use of tribal design or any other common symbol use for tattoos. We all have our personal reasons for getting the tattoos we do and even if it's only to decorate your body in a way you think looks pretty—it's as much a valid reason for getting a tattoo as anybody else's.
11/17/2010
Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
Quote:
Originally posted by LicentiouslyYours
I like the Chinese or even Arabic tattoos. I think part of the reason they are so popular is because they are pictorial, symbols rather than words. The characters from these languages are beautiful. I don't find any more tacky than the ... more
That is a very good point. I have to admit, I do become quite aggrevated when something is done in pop culure and becomes REALLY popular all of a sudden. You are right though, for most people it is just a pictoral representation of what they want, as opposed to a written one.
11/17/2010
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by Emma (Girl With Fire)
That is a very good point. I have to admit, I do become quite aggrevated when something is done in pop culure and becomes REALLY popular all of a sudden. You are right though, for most people it is just a pictoral representation of what they want, as ... more
I hear ya... I feel the same way about Justin Bieber. I wish there was a law against him.
11/17/2010
Contributor: Illusional Illusional
Quote:
Originally posted by LicentiouslyYours
I hear ya... I feel the same way about Justin Bieber. I wish there was a law against him.
LOL... Justin Beiber..

Mine is Love in Japanese.
11/17/2010
Contributor: Owl Identified Owl Identified
Quote:
Originally posted by kck
I have been contemplating getting a tattoo. I want mine to be in Spanish--but that is because I speak the language and having the Spanish on my body would mean something very deep to me. A non-English language choice, in my case, would not be ... more
Agreeing with ya on this.
11/17/2010
Contributor: Pleasure Piratess Pleasure Piratess
I think it is a more powerful statement when every part of the tattoo is symbolic as opposed to some random language that can't understand. Have considered having an artist do a rendition of your "statement" that would stand as a representation of your idea?
11/17/2010
Contributor: Emma (Girl With Fire) Emma (Girl With Fire)
Quote:
Originally posted by Pleasure Piratess
I think it is a more powerful statement when every part of the tattoo is symbolic as opposed to some random language that can't understand. Have considered having an artist do a rendition of your "statement" that would stand as a ... more
What I want has been well thought out and is very personal. I do not want it bastardized by somebody who it has no meaning to.

Not to say that a tattoo artist would bastardize it. But considering that every line of it is a statement in and of itself...

I would love to be a tattoo artist, it is a career choice I have been toying with since I was 13. There are two things that make me pause at the moment, those are , my children and my finances. I am still seriously considering talking to some tattoo artists in the area about an apprenticeship.I would not contemplate tattooing unless I was fully educated about all the risks and safety issues. Even if I did not take on Tattooing as a full time profession, I think it would be wonderful to do as a part time job. Something I would have to fall back on when I need money, and to do for the pure enjoyment of the art in the mean time. I know that I would never want to be left with the responsibility of interperateing and translating somebodies thoughts into a tattoo. Many tattos are deeply personal and it would be a shame to make them any less meaningful then they were meant to be.
11/17/2010
Contributor: ~LaUr3n~ ~LaUr3n~
All the tattoos I will get will be in foreign languages.

Latin and German.

I don't see the point of getting a tattoo in a language I don't understand or speak to some extent though. I studied Latin and I speak German.
11/17/2010
Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
I have Mother Strength and Love down the left side of my neck. (here is a pic that i just took with the crackberry so the quality is not the best)

11/17/2010
Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Here's my foreign language tattoo, I got it for an old friend of mine that got pulled out of a lake in Iowa a few years back. It means "we're all still learning" and he had it tattooed on his arm. It's about the only foreign ... more
LOVE! That is awesome

and *high 5's* foot tattoo ladies unite!
11/17/2010
Contributor: BigDaddy10 BigDaddy10
Ill have to get a pic but my wife has love in hebrew on her foot.
11/17/2010
Contributor: lamira lamira
I like tattoos in foreign languages, but it seems as though people do not truly understand or investigate the real meaning of a word or phrase before getting it tattooed. The best bet is probably to ask someone who speaks or studies the language what it means or what you want it to mean, before you get it tattooed.
11/17/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Jobthingy
LOVE! That is awesome

and *high 5's* foot tattoo ladies unite!
Woo! I've got one across my other foot too, and a few more on the ankle. Hurt like a byotch! lol
11/18/2010
Contributor: Riccio Riccio
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Here's my foreign language tattoo, I got it for an old friend of mine that got pulled out of a lake in Iowa a few years back. It means "we're all still learning" and he had it tattooed on his arm. It's about the only foreign ... more
Actually, it says "I am still learning." The "we" form would be "impariamo." Nice tattoo! I should have it on my forehead.
11/18/2010
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Quote:
Originally posted by Riccio
Actually, it says "I am still learning." The "we" form would be "impariamo." Nice tattoo! I should have it on my forehead.
Now THAT'S irony!
11/18/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Riccio
Actually, it says "I am still learning." The "we" form would be "impariamo." Nice tattoo! I should have it on my forehead.
Touche, the definitions I found varied between the two, but they were consistent enough with all the research I did that I felt comfortable with it. Thanks for the correction
11/18/2010
Contributor: Trashley Trashley
I have a tattoo that's in another language, but I got in translated in person, by a friend who'd grown up and lived in the country for 14 years. I wouldn't do it any other way, and I'd DEFINITELY never get a tattoo in an asian language. Can go wrong in so many ways...
11/20/2010