"Oops, that's not what I meant!"..Language boo boos
Jan 13th, 2004, 03:23 AM
#142
stannseniors, "no tocar" does mean "don't touch", literally "not to touch". In context, those men almost surely understood that you meant "don't touch me".
Mar 8th, 2004, 04:08 PM
#143
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A friend of mine frequently interupts conversations by saying, "but, but, but..." until he can get his point across. So he did the same thing in Spanish, but instead of "pero, pero, pero..." he would always say, "pedo, pedo, pedo..." ("fart, fart, fart..."
My friend from Scotland is amused by the "Fanny Farmer" cookbooks, because no woman there would be named "Fanny." It is a word for female genitalia. She also thinks the American acticle of clothing called a "sweater" sounds disgusting. In Scotland it is a "jumper." When you think about it, "sweater" really is kind of gross.
My friend from Scotland is amused by the "Fanny Farmer" cookbooks, because no woman there would be named "Fanny." It is a word for female genitalia. She also thinks the American acticle of clothing called a "sweater" sounds disgusting. In Scotland it is a "jumper." When you think about it, "sweater" really is kind of gross.
Sep 16th, 2004, 05:14 PM
#144
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This was a rough week and then I started reading this language boo-boos. I sat at my desk laughing my head off at these. Thanks all of you for sharing these wonderful testimonials to self-deprecating HUMOR!!!
Sep 16th, 2004, 06:44 PM
#145
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And here's mine: 25 years or so after my high school and college Spanish we were getting ready to return to a cruise ship in Mazatlan, Mexico. Somehow my husband wandered off and it was very close to the time for the ship to leave. I can't remember the exact words now (10 years later) but I think it was 'perdito' and 'pelligroso' that I mixed up. I was running up and down the street telling everyone my husband was very dangerous (instead of telling them he was lost). Luckily he showed up.
Sep 17th, 2004, 06:37 AM
#146
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"Bonjour Madam. Vous et une toilette?"
Madam just pointed with the oddest smile!
Vous et... ouez..
REALLY BIG error, I handed the gentlemen a 10 Euro bill for something...got handed back what at first I thought were quarters... er... they were two 2-Euro coins ... I had gotten huffy. He just looked kindly sympathetic ... as one does to a moron.
Madam just pointed with the oddest smile!
Vous et... ouez..
REALLY BIG error, I handed the gentlemen a 10 Euro bill for something...got handed back what at first I thought were quarters... er... they were two 2-Euro coins ... I had gotten huffy. He just looked kindly sympathetic ... as one does to a moron.
Sep 17th, 2004, 07:29 AM
#148
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Sorry I left confusion.
I announced "You are a toilette"...
instead of "Where is the toilette?"
It was in such a wee little town too...she was kind. I wonder what a Parisian Madam would have done??
I announced "You are a toilette"...
instead of "Where is the toilette?"
It was in such a wee little town too...she was kind. I wonder what a Parisian Madam would have done??
Sep 17th, 2004, 07:32 AM
#149
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My map fell out of my pocket while walking around Venice at night. Two older Italian women, walking arm in arm behind me picked it up and were calling "Donna (sp?), Donna" trying to get my attention. Thsi went on for several minutes as I was thinking "I hope they find Donna". The poor lady was nice enough to run and catch me and hand me my map. I was embarrassed.
Oct 3rd, 2004, 11:41 AM
#150
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Here's one---
I'm an exchange student living in Hungary. I arrived in Hungary on August 16, and that is when I first started learning Hungarian. My host family, who are all very nice and helpful people have been talking to me in Hungarian, English when I need it, and I try to talk to them in only Hungarian, however broken/bad. Anyway, on about the one month mark, my host mom was explaining to use the word 'kiraly' to mean cool and not 'fassz' (which the Hungarians use to mean cool, but is literally a reference to a male body part). The people at school had been teaching me Hungarian slang, so I knew those words. When my host mom told me not to use the word 'fassz' I meant to ask 'miert, durva?' (Why, rude?) But instead I said 'miert Kurva', which means 'why bitch?'
I was shocked that I accidentally said it, but luckily, she didn't hear me, at least I don't think she did.
I'm an exchange student living in Hungary. I arrived in Hungary on August 16, and that is when I first started learning Hungarian. My host family, who are all very nice and helpful people have been talking to me in Hungarian, English when I need it, and I try to talk to them in only Hungarian, however broken/bad. Anyway, on about the one month mark, my host mom was explaining to use the word 'kiraly' to mean cool and not 'fassz' (which the Hungarians use to mean cool, but is literally a reference to a male body part). The people at school had been teaching me Hungarian slang, so I knew those words. When my host mom told me not to use the word 'fassz' I meant to ask 'miert, durva?' (Why, rude?) But instead I said 'miert Kurva', which means 'why bitch?'
I was shocked that I accidentally said it, but luckily, she didn't hear me, at least I don't think she did.
Oct 4th, 2004, 05:06 AM
#151
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I said this in another post, but my first night in France with my host family, we were sitting to dinner. They asked if I wanted seconds and I responded proudly "Non, merci. Je suis plein." - they were a bit shocked b/c I didn't say I was full, I said I was pregnant!
Oct 10th, 2004, 09:43 AM
#152
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This one is similar to the previous post. In France, my husband kept telling waiters "Je suis termine" when he was finished with his meal. After a couple of weeks of this, the waiter at Le Jules Vern discreetly whispered in his ear that he must stop saying that...You are telling me that you have died...you must say "J'ai termine." (I HAVE finished, instead of I AM finished.)
Oct 12th, 2004, 03:20 PM
#154
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My husband is from India, and he has many coming to America language funny stories.
One of his previous roommates went into a Woolworth in a small town in New York state and (as it was very much colder there than India) asked for a muffler. The Woolworth people told him to try an auto store, they didn't sell mufflers. He came back to the apartment, puzzled.
They finally figured out that over here it's called a scarf!
One of his previous roommates went into a Woolworth in a small town in New York state and (as it was very much colder there than India) asked for a muffler. The Woolworth people told him to try an auto store, they didn't sell mufflers. He came back to the apartment, puzzled.
They finally figured out that over here it's called a scarf!
Oct 12th, 2004, 05:07 PM
#155
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Well- i have a few but this year in Mexico when a persistant boy and I say boy- he must have been 17 (i'm 36) really tried to pick me up I TRIED to tell him I HAVE boyfriend. I THINK I said I WANT a boyfriend. He kissed me and told me to meet him at 4 and I had to sneak off the beach. Terrific posts.
Oct 13th, 2004, 06:21 PM
#156
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While lounging in the Luxemburg (I think my girlfriend was waiting for Marius to walk by!), I man asked her what time it was. She told him that it was ten minutes before five, and he took off running. It was ten of four! The problem was that her French was perfect, but she has a little trouble telling time! The man must have gotten to work (an hour early) and figured that it was just a stupid tourist messing up the language.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 01:18 PM
#158
Years after high school Spanish, and after a couple of drinks watching the Cliff Divers in Acapulco, we were headed back to town in a cab. The cab driver was speeding around the steep, narrow and curvy roads between the Cliff Divers and town, and I tried to ask (none too cool anyway) if many people died along the road, hoping to slow him down. Unfortunately I mixed up the word mierde (sh*t) for muerto (dead) so was, in essence, asking if many people sh*t along the road. He probably thought I was suffering from LaTurista as his cab speed increased dramatically from that point on. 
