I know you are but what am I

I know you are but what am I

English

Alternative forms

• I know you are, but what am I

Etymology

Uncertain, but dates back at least to the 1960s, and was featured in Alan Arkin’s Academy Award-winning short film “People Soup” from 1969. The short stars Arkin’s sons. After older brother calls his younger brother a rat, the younger replies with “I know you are, but what am I?” The phrase is often attributed to Pee-Wee Herman.

Pronunciation

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• Audio (Mid-Atlantic)

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Phrase

I know you are but what am I?

1. (rhetorical question, colloquial, childish) Assertion that an insult made by the party to whom the phrase is directed is actually true of that party, and not of the person using the phrase. Usually considered to be a playground taunt.
   • 1984, McCall's, volume 111, page 62:

     I know you are but what am I? Jeannie would say out loud, whenever I mouthed a name at her.

   • 2003, Mark E. Jones, Echoes of Heaven, page 7:

     At this point Johnny changes tactics and hollers, "I know you are, but what am I?" and the voice echoes, "I know you are, but what am I?"

   • 2005, American Numismatic Association, The Numismatist, page 14:

     So when Mr. Macchia states that people who collect state quarters are fools, my son says I should reply, "I know you are, but what am I?"

Translations

assertion that an insult made by the party to whom the phrase is directed is actually true of that party

Czech: kdo to říká ten to je, tomu se to rýmuje Dutch: wat je zegt, ben je zelf Finnish: itse olet, ite oot (colloquial), niin oletkin, nii ootki (colloquial), joka toista haukkuu, on itse French: c'est celui qui dit qui y est, c'est celui qui dit qui l'est (fr) Georgian: ჩემი შენ გითხარიო (čemi šen gitxario) German: wer es sagt, der ist es selber, selber, selber, lachen alle Kälber Greek: όποιος το λέει είναι (ópoios to léei eínai) Hungarian: aki mondja másra, az mondja magára Italian: il bue che dice cornuto all'asino Norwegian: det kan du være selv, jeg vet du er, men hva er jeg? Polish: chyba ty (pl) Portuguese: quem o diz é quem o é pl Russian: от такого и слышу (ot takovo i slyšu) (I hear it from such one) Spanish: el burro hablando de orejas, el comal le dijo a la olla, mira quién habla Swedish: den som sa det kan va det Turkish: kendi diyen kendi olur, sensin o Zazaki: Kam vano zana beno ey

See also

• it takes one to know one
• I'm rubber, you're glue
• pot calling the kettle black