I was half-joking, but I know more than a few people who've noticed the coincidence, intentional or not. Even just plain ol' beatin' wood makes the joke work, for that matter. As far as I know, yes, it mainly works in English, so either it's a really funny coincidence, or someone in an [en] cubicle is snickering at us right now.
In English, the word "beating" can be slang for masturbation, in the right context. Beatin' it, beatin' off, beatin' wood...
