感じが悪い

[Schattenjedi]

I can't quite figure out the meaning of this sentence:

感じが悪いったらありゃしない。

My guess is "If you're going to be obnoxious, don't do that." But that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The sentence before it is by her husband and he says "最近の学生は礼儀をしらないな。" My other guess would be that she is saying "If they are obnoxious, they don't do that (show respect). Thanks to anyone who can clarify this for me!

[clay]

ったらありゃしない = 最高 or 最低; Seems to mean the extremes of the 'best' or (usually) 'worst':

1) 感じが悪いったらありゃしない。 = それ以上感じが悪いことがないぐらい、いやな感じ; Most unpleasant attitude; most rude

2) 隣の犬はうるさいったらありゃしない。= The neighbor's dog is the most deafening noise! (sorry couldn't think of a better way to translate うるさい)

3) I found another example of the exact phrase you mentioned on Google:
「ばーばは荷物！かーちゃん抱っこ！」などと、わざわざ迎えに来てくれたばーばは荷物持ちに任命されてしまう始末。感じが悪いったらありゃしない。

So the way that person treats his/her grandmother and mother is 'most unpleasant/obnoxious'


4) But it can also be used to mean 最高; the most, best!
かわいいったらありゃしない。 = There isn't anything more cute than...; most cute
これ以上かわいいということがないくらい、というぐらいかわいい。


Since this is used loosely in speech, it may not have a pat dictionary meaning. But perhaps "worst..." or "most"


So perhaps your sentence would be something like:
"Students of today haven't a clue about politeness. They are totally obnoxious!"

[Schattenjedi]

Thanks, the meaning of the phrase is clear now. Do you know how it breaks up tho? ありゃしない is clearly あれはしない. But what about ったら? Is it somehow derived from the if-たら? If so, would "感じが悪かったらありゃしない。" be a possible alternative?

[clay]

I really don't know its etymology. I will ask Yumi when she wakes from her nap. (don't want to disturb a nap!)

This is a useful phrase that I really didn't know much about until you brought it up. If we can figure out more about its meaning or usage, I will throw it all in an article for posterity.

Anybody know more about this?

[Harisenbon]

本物だったら、感じが悪いときたら、ありゃしない。

「ありゃしないって」いうのは「ありはしない」 から来るらしいけど。そのまえの「ったら」は「きたら」の省略らしい。

もう一つの例文

お化け屋敷のお化けは怖いったらあらゃしない

[Schattenjedi]

Sorry, I'm a little lost but what does あり mean. Does it come from ある?