District-specific versions of 'A few bricks short of a load' (meaning not the smartest)
A/N - From the first person point of view of a teacher discussing this material. Thanks to Ellenka for reviews of the draft via PM.
"Welcome to my class on the culture of Panem." Today I'd be lecturing about figures of speech in the different districts.
"Each district has developed its own distinct culture, including ways to insult the less intelligent among them."
"I remember during the 74th Hunger Games the girl from One called her district partner 'a few links short of a chain'. Like that?"
"Yes. Also that year, the girl from Two was a crazy little thing, and someone called her 'a few stones short of a full quarry'."
"I think there's a pattern here."
"Two patterns, actually – there's similar structure, speaking to the common roots and common bonds of the country, however fractured by the districts' separation. Also, each district's culture is heavily influenced by the nature of that district's industry."
The class joined in a chorus of "Luxury, masonry and war, technology, seafood, power, transportation, lumber, textiles, grain, livestock, agriculture, coal, graphite and nuclear." Good. They better know that. We've been over it forty-two times.
"Those examples from the 74th Games are between people from the same district. However, it gets confusing during the occasional contact between people from different districts. Sometimes people use the form they're familiar with. Sometimes they get clever and refer to the target person's district."
"Here are common versions from each district and the Capitol." I then put up a slide.
Capitol: A few credits shy of a proper bank balance
District One: A few links short of a chain – this appears to be a gender-neutral version instead of referring to female-specific jewelry.
District Two: A few stones short of a full quarry, a few Peacekeepers shy of a formation
District Three: A few transistors short of a processor
District Four: A few scales short of a fish
District Five: A few volts short of a full charge
District Six: A few wheels short of a train car
District Seven: A few swings short of a complete cut
District Eight: A few threads short of a cloth
District Nine: A few grains short of a flour sack
District Ten: A few steaks short of a cow
District Eleven: A few fields short of a farm
District Twelve: A few coals short of a full mine cart
District Thirteen: A few carbon atoms short of a crystal, a few protons short of a stable nucleus - Radioactive nuclei have more neutrons than usual, but saying it like this fits the theme and is still technically accurate.