Search found 74 matches

by Spiff
Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:04 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Color hot fries the chicken (and other Chinese meals)
Replies: 12
Views: 32420

I'm afraid the joke will be somewhat lost in translation.

My mother went to a Chinese restaurant lately and in stead of "smoker or non-smoker" ("rook"= smoke), the lady from the restaurant asked "with or without garlic" ("look"= garlic).
by Spiff
Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:12 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: "Foreign" language anomalies
Replies: 19
Views: 71615

According to my personal subjective notions and to Van Dale it's "Babylonische spraakverwarring" in Dutch too.
by Spiff
Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:04 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Color hot fries the chicken (and other Chinese meals)
Replies: 12
Views: 32420

Frank, mijn moeder ging onlangs naar een Chinees restaurant in de buurt en bij het binnenkomen werd haar gevraagd: "Met look of zonder look?" Dit zorgde begrijpelijkerwijs voor enige consternatie, tot bleek dat het ging om "rokers of niet-rokers". :)
by Spiff
Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:29 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: zymurgy
Replies: 20
Views: 30754

Frank
who only gets chauvinistic when it's about chocolate, "French" fries, and Belgian zymurgy (nice word, btw ;-) )
I'm with you all the way, Frank!
by Spiff
Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:48 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Color hot fries the chicken (and other Chinese meals)
Replies: 12
Views: 32420

A big bowl of miscellaneous germs? Is that another new program to decrease the population?
by Spiff
Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:31 am
Forum: Res Diversae
Topic: English has hit the Billion mark
Replies: 28
Views: 55112

That sounds better than what they do in Poland, where one voice dubs all the actors and actresses. The same voice also explains what's happening when nothing is being said (like "He stares out of the window. A car is approaching. etc.") At least, that's how it was some ten years ago. It mi...
by Spiff
Fri Jun 09, 2006 9:16 am
Forum: Grammar
Topic: Time's are a-changing
Replies: 22
Views: 54584

I partially agree with Frank. Almost no one is raised in Standard Dutch, that's a fact. But the pure dialects in Flanders are slowly disappearing also. We're evolving towards some kind of sub-standard Flemish Dutch (the so-called "verkavelingsvlaams") with local accents. I suppose it has t...
by Spiff
Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:53 am
Forum: Res Diversae
Topic: Archipelago
Replies: 16
Views: 40152

So, Tim, are you confessing it's you who voted for "none of the above"?
by Spiff
Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:46 am
Forum: Grammar
Topic: Time's are a-changing
Replies: 22
Views: 54584

Tèn moetemmen op de langen dier nog vertoalers gon vinnn vèr alle dialectekes apart te doeng.
by Spiff
Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:27 am
Forum: Res Diversae
Topic: Archipelago
Replies: 16
Views: 40152

I'll vote on behalf of my Canadian brother-in-law, who believes: "you say 'arkipelago', but "some Americans" will say 'archipelago' and many others will say 'what's that?'".
by Spiff
Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:00 am
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Soldier
Replies: 57
Views: 94080

"History is sad, because she is time, and knows she will be forgotten." (Andrey Platonov)
by Spiff
Tue May 23, 2006 3:42 am
Forum: Grammar
Topic: "Nuclear"
Replies: 28
Views: 69188

Maybe if he wouldn't meddle in other countries' business, they wouldn't complain.
by Spiff
Mon May 15, 2006 3:31 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Spanish discourse- plural?
Replies: 9
Views: 23586

Anders, don't tell me you'd call someone 'aap' out of courtesy? :)
by Spiff
Thu May 11, 2006 9:01 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Russian etymology question
Replies: 11
Views: 28983

I like your accent, Tim.
by Spiff
Wed May 10, 2006 8:46 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Russian etymology question
Replies: 11
Views: 28983

That sounds good, Anders. I vaguely remember an explanation that says that 'sorok' comes from an old Russian word that was used in the market place and referred to a package of something, but that could very well be a folk etymology. I'll see if I can dig up more details, but don't hold your breath.

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