LINGUIST List 4.706

Tue 14 Sep 1993

Disc: Last posting: cross-cultural fun

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

  • Bas van Bakel, Re: 4.683 More cross-cultural fun
  • Dawn K Darnell, Creative English
  • , Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun
  • "don l. f. nilsen", Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun
  • , Fun
  • Jane A. Edwards, Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun
  • , 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun
  • MARC PICARD, WANCO
  • BEN PETRE, Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun
  • , MORE CROSS-CULTURAL FUN
  • , Re: 4.666 More fun: inappropriate English
  • "Anne M Loring-1", Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun

    Message 1: Re: 4.683 More cross-cultural fun

    Date: Fri, 10 Sep 93 11:23:43 MERe: 4.683 More cross-cultural fun
    From: Bas van Bakel <U250004HNYKUN11.bitnet>
    Subject: Re: 4.683 More cross-cultural fun


    Here's an example of another cross-cultural joke. I read this one in an old joke-book: Two German tourists went to Paris, France, and they decided to speak English because their French wasn't good enough and talking German in France would not make them very popular. So they went to a bar and called the waiter. "Two martinis, please", said the first in perfect English. "Certainly sir," the waiter replied, "Would you like dry martinis?". And then the other bellowed: "Nein, zwei!" ("dry" sounds like German "drei" (3). "zwei" is German for 2).

    Bas

    Message 2: Creative English

     Date: Fri, 10 Sep 93 9:47:10 EDTCreative English
    From: Dawn K Darnell <kdarnellmagnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
    Subject: Creative English


    While living in rural Japan several years ago, I came across all sorts of wonderful "Japlish" phrases which still tickle me today (although some are a bit crass). A sweatshirt on prominent display in a gift shop on a Gifu side street proudly proclaimed: EAT YOUR PEANUTS OUT OF MY SHIT . Somewhat less direct is one from my "hometown" of Takayama which bore the slogan: Happy Heart Studio Wood Song (a direct translation of some kanji compound, I wonder?). But the very best (which I did not personally see, but read about in a book on "Japanese English") involves a banner hung outside a small town outside of Tokyo after WWII during the U.S. presidential primary. It said: WE PLAY FOR MACARTHUR'S ERECTION. Hope I didn't offend... ;-)

    Kim Darnell, THE Ohio State University (can anyone explain this THE?)

    Message 3: Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun

    Date: 10 Sep 1993 12:08:52GMT
    From: <lynam90ollamh.ucd.ie>
    Subject: Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun


    On a visit to Ghent, Belgium, a few years ago, I was surprised to find that the locals play?/carry out?/perform? "Brushing of Watergolf" in hairdressing salons!!

    Clodagh Lynam Dublin

    Message 4: Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun

    Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 13:58:08 Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun
    From: "don l. f. nilsen" <ATDFNasuvm.inre.asu.edu>
    Subject: Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun


    The Cafeteria at the University of Colorado in Boulder is called the "Alfred E. Packer" cafeteria. Packer was a cannibal who had eaten a number of his comrades one winter trying to survive a harsh winter in Donner's Pass. The University of Colorado bookstore sells T-shirts saying "Keep your eyes on your thighs." There used to be a sign in the cafeteria with the name "Alfred E. Packer Cafeteria," but it was removed because it was felt to be "in bad taste." Oooooops. In order to make this message cross-cultural, consider Jack Kennedy's gaffe when he was in Berlin. What he meant to say was "Ich bin Berliner." What he said was "Ich bin ein Berliner." With the indefinite article, "Berliner" means "jelly donut."

    {^_^} Don L. F. Nilsen |\/\/\/|| <ATDFNASUACAD.BITNET>, (602) 965-7592 | | Executive Secretary | | International Society for Humor Studies | (o)(o) English Department | _) Arizona State University | ,____| Tempe, AZ 85287-0302 | / |_____\ | Anon \

    Message 5: Fun

     Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 17:09:02 Fun
    From: <JAYMERICHGUVAX.bitnet>
    Subject: Fun


    (For non-speakers of Peninsular Spanish, "rape" = angler -- the fish).

    In a bilingual menu in Spain:

    RAPE A LA MARINERA : RAPE, SAILOR STYLE.

    I wonder how many English speakers actually ordered the dish, and what exactly they were expecting!

    Message 6: Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun

    Date: Fri, 10 Sep 93 21:40:02 -0Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun
    From: Jane A. Edwards <edwardscogsci.Berkeley.EDU>
    Subject: Re: 4.682 Cross-cultural fun


    In the Alps I noticed an English borrowing that didn't turn out quite as planned: On the menu board in front of the restaurant it announced the daily special as "Tageshit," or "hit of the day."

    Message 7: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun

     Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 13:09 -054.684 Still more cross-cultural fun
    From: <mike.maxwellSIL.ORG>
    Subject: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun


    After seeing Don Nilson's comment about the backwards spelling of English in Afghanistan, I have to put in my two dollars. When our ship was anchored out in Hong Kong, I used to see an interesting name on the bow of a ship tied up to the pier that we came in next to in our liberty boat: "1*N DRAPOEL" (the "*" is a raised "o", which I took for a degree mark). One day as we were walking back to the pier, I noticed the ship's name on the opposite bow: "LEOPARD No 1".

    Message 8: WANCO

     Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 09:45:44 WANCO
    From: MARC PICARD <PICARDVax2.Concordia.CA>
    Subject: WANCO


    My impression is that Harry Bego's joke about WANCO and DOE HET ZELF went over the head of most North Americans since TO WANK is simply not used here. Maybe they'll get it after they've heard about the Chinese couple who split up: she went back to Peking, and he went back to Wanking. M. Picard

    Message 9: Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun

    Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 22:32:23 Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun
    From: BEN PETRE <HOBPETREhalls1.cc.monash.edu.au>
    Subject: Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun


    Below is an accurate transcription of the label on the back of a pair of jeans I bought in Greece last year:

    __________ JEAN'S ---------- FINE GOODS WE MAKE NEW EVER STINGLY QUALITY FEANE AUTHENTIC JEANS FOR ALL MODERN *(LOGO)* GET IMPORTANS PROFFESSION HENPOSITION FIT AND OFFERING AUTHENTIC LOOK BASIC GOOD TAPER FROM LOOKING HIGH TO ANKLE HAVE FUN __________________ WILD WEST (R) ------------------ The *logo* features what I can only describe as a Modern Greek Chimera - a cross between a calf, a dog and an elephant! Any ideas as to what some of the more incongruous "English" words mean?

    Ben Petre <hobpetrehalls1.cc.monash.edu.au>

    Message 10: MORE CROSS-CULTURAL FUN

     Date: Fri, 10 Sep 93 16:24:23 EDMORE CROSS-CULTURAL FUN
    From: <ADMSRdgbt.banyan.doc.ca>
    Subject: MORE CROSS-CULTURAL FUN


    Read on a sign in a small in Ontario (Canada) town:

    NO TRESPASSING - TREPAS INTERDIT

    Literally translated, the French reads: Death Prohibited !

    Message 11: Re: 4.666 More fun: inappropriate English

    Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1993 12:42:27 Re: 4.666 More fun: inappropriate English
    From: <MMEYERSMSUS1.MSUS.EDU>
    Subject: Re: 4.666 More fun: inappropriate English


    Sign in a San Francisco Chinatown window a few years ago: Bilingual helps wanted.

    Message 12: Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun

    Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1993 22:13:38 -Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun
    From: "Anne M Loring-1" <loringmaroon.tc.umn.edu>
    Subject: Re: 4.684 Still more cross-cultural fun


    On the subject of weird English appearing on clothing, etc., from Japan, etc., I find myself wondering about the decorative or scene-enhancing writing found, say, in movies like "Aladdin" (the recent Disney version). Does the stuff that looks like Arabic script really say anything? Is there someone out there who reads Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, other languages written in a variety of writing systems, who's noticed this writing used decoratively? Does it say anything?