stunatze

English translation: stunad/stunod, idiot

20:13 May 28, 2017
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Slang
English term or phrase: stunatze
They had him, too, dead to rights, on video taking money from a crack dealer in Brooklyn. They were going to take his shield, his gun, his pension, put him behind bars, and he couldn’t face it. Couldn’t face the shame his family would go through, his wife and kids seeing him in handcuffs, so he ate the gun.
Russo had a different interpretation. They were discussing it in the car one night, killing time on a surveillance, and Russo said, “You stunatzes got it all wrong. He did it to save his pension, for his family.”

There are a few occurences in Google but nothing that would explain the meaning.
allp
Poland
Local time: 08:03
Selected answer:stunad/stunod, idiot
Explanation:
Idiot, moron, stupid, slow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=209BwjiS-xg

https://books.google.com.co/books?id=4r9CdS8DqTEC&pg=PA312&l...

It's slang from the Italian "stonato," and most common among Italian-Americans and areas like NYC with a strong Italian-American influence. Brooklyn/NY, Russo... makes sense.

Stunatze just sounds like a plural form that he intuitively made up on the spot or that he'd heard (almost seems to me to have a touch of Yiddish influence), even if not grammatically correct.


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Note added at 22 mins (2017-05-28 20:35:13 GMT)
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*Meant to include: "a touch of Yiddish influence-- which is also prevalent in NY."
Selected response from:

12316323 (X)
Local time: 02:03
Grading comment
Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +9stunad/stunod, idiot
12316323 (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +9
stunad/stunod, idiot


Explanation:
Idiot, moron, stupid, slow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=209BwjiS-xg

https://books.google.com.co/books?id=4r9CdS8DqTEC&pg=PA312&l...

It's slang from the Italian "stonato," and most common among Italian-Americans and areas like NYC with a strong Italian-American influence. Brooklyn/NY, Russo... makes sense.

Stunatze just sounds like a plural form that he intuitively made up on the spot or that he'd heard (almost seems to me to have a touch of Yiddish influence), even if not grammatically correct.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2017-05-28 20:35:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

*Meant to include: "a touch of Yiddish influence-- which is also prevalent in NY."

12316323 (X)
Local time: 02:03
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, Russo is of Italian extract, and I've also googled up 'stunatza' for a female. Thank you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charles Davis: stonato in standard Ital. is stunato in Naples and stunatu in Sicily; hence the u. Stunod is Ital.-Am. noun, stunatz is variant, "stunatzes" is the plural. Schmucks, jerks. // Not that I remember. It might well be said in The Sopranos too.
35 mins
  -> Thanks, Charles. Yes, schmuck seems to capture the idea well. Have you ever heard it in real life? I haven't. Wouldn't be surprised if I've heard it but missed it in Italian-American movies like The Godfather, Goodfellas, etc.

agree  writeaway: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stunod
2 hrs

agree  Arabic & More
5 hrs

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
7 hrs

agree  P.L.F. Persio: I'm Italian and I confirm; well done!
9 hrs

agree  Herbmione Granger: My mom says "stunod" all the time! She worked in Brooklyn.
11 hrs

agree  Yvonne Gallagher: interesting, but not one I knew/heard before!
13 hrs

agree  Edith Kelly: but I'd call it a shmok שמאָק. Crowds in Monsey would not really appreciate shmuk.
15 hrs

agree  acetran
17 hrs
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