Ye Olde Pub (The English Pub)

[Sidious]

I've read all of the Harry Potter books as well as several of the Narnia books, but I mostly read crime, which is also why I've been spending the last couple of weeks reading Stieg Larsson's Millenium-series. I wasn't expecting all that much, but I'm very impressed by Larsson -- he knows how to write a captivating crime! Jo Nesbø is another favorite, but since I've read all of his books about Harry Hole, I had to move on...hopefully he'll publish another book about Hole sometime in the not too distant future.

[Hanemann]

Today, a guy asked me on the bus station; "What's the clock?"

 

 

:wallbash:

[TMB]

Today, a guy asked me on the bus station; "What's the clock?"

 

 

:wallbash:

[SnittLeif]

I don't think "what is the clock" is as bad as asking how something you want (e.g how soda do you want?)

[jjkoggan]

Today, a guy asked me on the bus station; "What's the clock?"

 

 

:wallbash:

 

Reminds me of when I lived in Norway and was learning norwegian. Initially I knew no norwegian at all. People would often ask me what time it was in norwegian and though I understood the question I did not quite know how to answer them in norwegian. Being reluctant to explain my predicament in english I would just say "Jeg vet ikke". Sometimes this strategy didn't work very well when my wristwatch was quite visible.

 

I will say though, that norwegians were quite sympathetic to my halting, stumbling massacre of the norwegian language. In fact, I think they were enthused that an american would attempt it at all. Americans are not so sympathetic and are more inclined to ostracize than to feel complimentary. At the same time I find many norwegians obsessed with their language and correct and incorrect use. It was a curious paradox, obsessed with each other's pronunciation and grammar but enthused when I butchered the same language.

 

 

Questions americans find a little weird but interesting:

 

Why do norwegians inhale deeply and quickly like they are out of breath when listening to others talk? I realize they are saying "Ja", but why in that way?

 

Do Swedes and Danes do the same and where did it come from?

 

How on earth can cursing the devil be obscene language? (fy faen)

[Tee-Zee]

It's not seen as cursing the devil. As far as I know, "Fy faen!" was initially thought as calling on the devil.

[Gjest medlem-1432]

 

Questions americans find a little weird but interesting:

 

Why do norwegians inhale deeply and quickly like they are out of breath when listening to others talk? I realize they are saying "Ja", but why in that way?

 

Do Swedes and Danes do the same and where did it come from?

 

How on earth can cursing the devil be obscene language? (fy faen)

 

What? Not everyone inhale deeply and quickly while they're listening to others speak. No, that's not right. Haha lol.

 

I dint quite know what obscene language means, but fy faen is more like... Holy shit in american or something.

[The Doctor]

I was getting laughed at in English class today because of my Scottish accent

[Gjest medlem-1432]

You should be proud of your Scottish accent!

[Slimda]

I dint quite know what obscene language means, but fy faen is more like... Holy shit in american or something.

Obscene - offensive to morality or decency; indecent; depraved: obscene language.

 

"Fy faen" is the norwegian sentence saying "Bad devil, don't do that!" (faen is another name for the devil). There's no english equivalent to it.

[SnittLeif]

I was getting laughed at in English class today because of my Scottish accent

Ginger speaking with a scottish accent. Can't see how that could be funny. Not at all.

[Bonna86]

Why do norwegians inhale deeply and quickly like they are out of breath when listening to others talk? I realize they are saying "Ja", but why in that way?

 

Do Swedes and Danes do the same and where did it come from?

 

How on earth can cursing the devil be obscene language? (fy faen)

 

It's just the way we speak I guess. I haven't thought about it myself, but it seems natural, and that's why I do it (inhaling whilst speaking, like "jah").

 

"Faen!" is what you would say instead of "fuck!". "Faen ta deg!" literally means "may the devil take you!". Either way, I don't find "fuck" more obscene than "faen" to be honest, but it is what it is.

Endret 9. februar 2011 av yvonne2

[SnittLeif]

I dint quite know what obscene language means, but fy faen is more like... Holy shit in american or something.

Obscene - offensive to morality or decency; indecent; depraved: obscene language.

 

"Fy faen" is the norwegian sentence saying "Bad devil, don't do that!" (faen is another name for the devil). There's no english equivalent to it.

In the way faen is used, it's much like saying fuck. Fy faen would, in my opinion, be equivalent to holy fuck. Atleast in the way it's used.

[Slimda]

Yes, in how we use it, but there is no translation in the English language that fits the meaning of "fy faen".

[Gjest medlem-1432]

Ok.

It's more obscene language to use the word fuck, like they do in the US, I think.

[Slimda]

It depends on where you are and who says it. And how you say it. Some people use fuck inbetween every word, while others hang you from a treebranch if you say it.

[Bonna86]

Yes, in how we use it, but there is no translation in the English language that fits the meaning of "fy faen".

 

Well, this is all about pragmatics really, a subject I'm taking this spring. It's actually very interesting, mainly because it studies how context contributes to meaning, how the transmission of meaning depends not only on the linguistic knowledge (like grammar) of the speaker and listener, but also on the context of the utterance, knowledge about the status of those involved, the inferred intent of the speaker, and so on (source: Wikipedia).

[The Doctor]

I was getting laughed at in English class today because of my Scottish accent

Ginger speaking with a scottish accent. Can't see how that could be funny. Not at all.

 

 

It ain't funny. Not at all. I swear.

[Slimda]

Basically, the difference between calling your best friend "a bastard" while patting him on the back as opposed to calling a random guy on the street "a bastard" while you're dodging flying fists?

 

Ginger speaking with a scottish accent. Can't see how that could be funny. Not at all.

It ain't funny. Not at all. I swear.

It's not like you have a soul anyway. What harm can it do?

[TMB]

Can't believe no one posted this yet :!: