Some words to be careful of when traveling in foreign countries.
This list shows what the sound of our word in English means in their language:
Sweden: kiss = to pee
The Netherlands: lull = penis
Germany: gift = poison
Portugal & Brazil: payday = I farted
Turkey: peach = bastard
Spain: embarrassed = pregnant
France: face = buttock; cool = butt; beet = penis; pet = fart
France & Russia: preservative = condom
Korea: salsa = diarrhrea (Montezuma's revenge?)
My college German teacher came over to the States with his parents in the 1950s. When they were settling into their new home, the next door neighbors came over with a nice double layer frosted cake. The neighbors told these Germans 'This is a gift."
The neighbors told these Germans "This is a gift."
LOL
I can imagine, in the 1950s, a decent (thus guilt-ridden) German might have wondered if the cake really was poison?
LOL
I can imagine, in the 1950s, a decent (thus guilt-ridden) German might have wondered if the cake really was poison?
According to Google Translate the connotations of gift in German include intoxicants and drugs. Maybe they thought it was a pot cake. :)
Maybe they thought it was a pot cake. :)
YEP! That's an even more plausible suspicion a decent German might have had. :-)
According to Google Translate the connotations of gift in German include intoxicants and drugs. Maybe they thought it was a pot cake. :)
Really? I speak German and I cannot confirm that except maybe under tightly defined circumstances and "pot cake" would not qualify.
The word can be used flexibly, "giftige Blicke" means to look daggers at someone (if looks could kill).
A well known trap is the German word "Mist" which is similar to "dung" in English. I think there was a deodorant or perfume called "Silver Mist" years ago, it had no chance in German-speaking countries.
A well known trap is the German word "Mist" which is similar to "dung" in English. I think there was a deodorant or perfume called "Silver Mist" years ago, it had no chance in German-speaking countries
I understand that the colour red is definitely a no-no in Kenya. I think it denotes death
In France be careful of flowers - never give an even number and never give 13. Red is for your female partner/mistress or whatever, carnations are bad luck and chrysanthemums are for funerals.
A well known trap is the German word "Mist" which is similar to "dung" in English. I think there was a deodorant or perfume called "Silver Mist" years ago, it had no chance in German-speaking countries.
Ha-ha. Trade name: Silver Mist = old people's aged shit! Classic. :D
In Indonesia, I carry a pocket full of various sweets in individual wrappers almost every time I leave my home.
While they last, any child I pass is entitled to ask and I allow them to choose one.
People sometimes call me 'Candy Man'. I tell them, "Call me 'Mister Candy', not 'Candy Man'," and I mime a drug pusher to them. :-)
How do you mime a drug pusher?
Arm straight down my side and hand horizontally pointing backwards. Look sideways at the person and say "dada", meaning drugs.
Okay, I say one word, it's not strictly a mime, but the foreigners understand what I man.
In Indonesia, I carry a pocket full of various sweets in individual wrappers almost every time I leave my home.
While they last, any child I pass is entitled to ask and I allow them to choose one.
Sadly, I cannot do this when I return home to Australia. If the Dental Police did not round me up, the ordinary Police certainly would - on suspicion of reading stories on SoL. :(
I knew a female Vice President at a company I worked for whose first name was Randy. She was transferred to Brighton, England. There she had to go by her middle name because "randy" meant horny.
I knew a female Vice President at a company I worked for whose first name was Randy. She was transferred to Brighton, England. There she had to go by her middle name because "randy" meant horny.
It means that in the States too, but all but a few accept that it's not the only use of the word.
Then there's the old wives tale that the Chevy Nova didn't sell well in Spanish speaking countries because "no va" translates to "doesn't go."
According to Snoop, that's a myth. A Spanish speaking person wouldn't think of the single word "Nova" to be "no va." It would be like someone not buying a dinette set named "Notable" because they'd think it had "no table.
Then there's the old wives tale that the Chevy Nova didn't sell well in Spanish speaking countries because "no va" translates to "doesn't go."
According to Snoop, that's a myth. A Spanish speaking person wouldn't think of the single word "Nova" to be "no va."
Another reason the Spanish wouldn't see nova as no go is because Spanish has a lot of Latin in it, and nova is Latin for new - not sure what the Spanish word for new is.
not sure what the Spanish word for new is.
nuevo
As in "Nuevo York" for New York City.
This is making me doubt the story, where in the past Gerber had trouble in parts of Africa where products were sold with a picture of the contents because the people there had been illiterate, causing them to believe the product was for cannibals.
This is making me doubt the story, where in the past Gerber had trouble in parts of Africa where products were sold with a picture of the contents because the people there had been illiterate, causing them to believe the product was for cannibals.
Despite all their politically correct emoting, snopes didn't exactly refute the story :(
AJ
Despite all their politically correct emoting, snopes didn't exactly refute the story :(
But they did show the story has been around a very long time and associated with three different parts of the planet - thus it looks more of a legend than fact.
But they did show the story has been around a very long time and associated with three different parts of the planet
It should also be noted that there are not and never have been confirmed cannibals in Africa.
The only confirmed cases of cannibal tribes are in the south Pacific islands and these are ritual cannibals rather than dietary cannibals.
Ritual cannibals: limited parts of dead humans are eaten as part of specific religious / magic rituals. For example, the brain of a dead enemy might be eaten to absorb his strength / battle skill
Dietary Cannibals: Eat human meat as a staple part of their diet.
It should be noted that there are no confirmed cases of dietary cannibal tribes anywhere.
Or the three scenarios occurred independently and confirm each other.
I remember the story making the papers. That doesn't constitute proof and they may well have subsequently issued a rebuttal. But it should be possible to find out whether the company changed their packaging, as I believe the newspaper version claimed.
It wouldn't be the most outlandish story that happened to be true.
AJ
If you ever visit Australia, don't ask a person if they root for the home team. Root = Fuck
If you ever visit Australia, don't ask a person if they root for the home team. Root = Fuck
Hey! I always fuck the home team! 'D
Then again, this entire discussion is similar to the old comments about someone walking into a shop in the midwest (U.S.A), ordering a "soda" and receiving a soda-water instead of a Coke. It rises (but never reaches) that level of relevance!
Then again, this entire discussion is similar to the old comments about someone walking into a shop in the midwest (U.S.A), ordering a "soda" and receiving a soda-water instead of a Coke. It rises (but never reaches) that level of relevance!
Damn, that peak my Irrelevancy Meter.
I wonder if England opener Joe Root gives a f*ck...
He's too busy rootin' around to worry about soda-water!
