38479
Google translate なめた口 as "Licking Mouth" but I was sure it was not a right
translation. I also tried to search for it on weblio & alc but didn't get any
results... I do found alternative writing such as "なめた口を聞く" or "ナメ口きく"...

I read random image with that word and roughly see it as "talking lowly/bad
about someone?", "looking down at someone" or "casual talk" . In anycase, it
seems I cannot found out what it means...

Could you help to affirm the meaning of the phrase? And are there any
resources to find translation of a phrase like this?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-15T16:19:10.560
38478
2016-08-16T06:55:44.880
13611
question
words phrases
What is the meaning of なめた口?
This [entry](http://zokugo-dict.com/21na/nameru.htm) might help, なめる means "to
make fun of someone" or "to belittle someone" or "to make someone look stupid"
so in the same way なめた口 means something along the lines of "with a mouth to
make someone look stupid".
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-15T16:33:43.490
38479
2016-08-15T16:33:43.490
3916
38478
answer
舐（な）める has a broad meaning such as (1) to lick (a stamp), (2) taste (Popsicle
/ whisky), (3) experience (hardships) and (4) look down on / make light of (a
person).

舐めた is an adjective form of ”舐（な）める” in (4) look down / take a derogatory
attitude.

“口をきく” means to talk / speak. “舐め口” is a shortened form of “舐めた口.” Therefore
“舐め口をきく” means to speak in the way of looking down the other, or talk in an
insolent way.

In the same token, we often say “偉そうな口をきく” to describe the manner of talking
in an arrogant manner, and admonish the young guy and subordinate who talks us
back in an insolent manner by snapping “偉そうな(舐めた)口をきくな！- Shut up! Don’t be
cheeky.”
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-15T22:00:06.630
38485
2016-08-16T06:55:44.880
2016-08-16T06:55:44.880
12056
12056
38478
answer
It's usually difficult for a person over 50 y.o. to "なめた口を聞く" ... (unless he's
being arrogant toward a 80-y.o. master or teacher)

So, "ナメた口を聞く" is strongly correlated with [teen-age impudence] or [being young
and brash] -- Fresh, flip, flippant, (impertinent), insolent, pert, sassy, a
saucy child (小)生意気な子供....

> 「ナマ言ってんじゃねぇーーー!!!」
>
> 「◯◯さんに ナマ言ってんじゃねぇぞ」

The "impudence" sense of the word is etymologically unrelated to the
licking/slurping/tasting sense.

<http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1416931764>

> ......... 馬鹿にする，見下す，軽んじるという意味での「なめる」は，源氏物語にも出てくる「なめし（無礼し）」という形容詞の残存です。
> 「舐める」という動詞とは，後にたまたま語形が似通っただけで，語源的関連性はありません
>
> 無礼(なめ)」の動詞化
>
> 「顔をなめる」とか「甘いからなめるのか」と思っていたらそうではなく 単に音が似ていただけというのは意外でした
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-16T00:57:09.690
38487
2016-08-16T00:57:09.690
16344
38478
answer