EI KOORI. We won't peel your banana... Actually that would be: "Me ei koori sinu banaani."Koor is the peel of a fruit, shell of a nut or any number of other hard external layers incl. the bark of a tree. Koorima = to peel. What is being promised at this Neste gas station in the Kalamaja neighbourhood of Tallinn is: "We won't rip you off." [/i]Meil on lihtne ja soodne[/i]. What we offer is simple and economic. Photo: Riina Kindlam
Koori ja tükelda kartulid = peel and dice the potatoes. The higher-butterfat layer that is skimmed, kooritud, (although some might say riisutud, raked) from the top of milk is logically called KOOR (cream). When you are skimmed, taken for a ride, ripped off, or have the clothes taken off your back, you too are being peeled, so to speak. Mind riisuti rahast paljaks. I was raked clean of my cash.
Nülgima, to remove the hide and skin, can also be used in this context. If you peel or take many skins off someone (kelleltki mitut nahka koorima / nülgima), is means you are demanding many times more work or payment from them.
Nöörima is another slang in the family. Nöör = rope and to be nööritud is to be roped or lassoed into paying too high a price. Nööris kasuka eest liiga soolast hinda – took an exhorbitant ("salty") amount for the fur. Tying up boots is saapaid nöörima, untying them or say, a corset is lahti nöörima. Käed nööriti selja taha – their hands were tied behind their back. Krae nöörib kaela – when your collar is digging into your neck. Paying more than expected rohkem raha välja käima can be physically exhausting indeed.
Riina Kindlam, Tallinn
