The Problems with Speaking English at Our House
- Explaining the word “wind generator” to German engineers since the generators don’t actually generate wind
- Explaining the word “bimonthly” to ourselves. The dictionary says occurring or producing twice a month OR every two months. (??) I never know what the heck people are talking about.
- Disagreeing over the terminology for butter in it’s liquid state: “melted butter” (me) or “molten butter” (the engineer)
- Remembering simple English words when we’re surrounded by the German language. Example from my mouth: ”Will you grab that orange… round… box…?” (intended meaning: bucket)
Any problems with words at your house?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Hi Katie…Just coming by to say hi…I can see the language confusion could be a dilemma. LOL
;-) Bo
November 19th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Oh that’s so funny – molten butter. Get me some of that! haha! Yes, since my husband is british we occasionally totally misunderstand each other. For instance, he says he’s chuffed. Now, to me, that word sounds like it should mean angry/mad, when in fact the opposite is true. And there’s ‘ta’ which means thanks. I kind of like that one, but at the same time I find it a little annoying. I mean, why can’t you just say thanks, or better yet – Cheers – which I do understand, and I just love that little british-ism.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
That’s funny, the bi-monthly had me thinking. I cannot imagine the mis-communications! Thanks for visiting!
November 20th, 2008 at 12:03 am
This is fascinating!
November 20th, 2008 at 4:40 am
*L* Orange round box. haha I usually just opt for “thingy” or “hoobajiggy” or something similar. More fun to say than describing said object. ;)
January 29th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Hehe,
Me and my partner just had a dicussion about ‘molten butter’. I’m the German engineer and he’s the American. I kinda understand, that lava is molten and butter is melted. It’s a notch more temperature with lava than with butter and it makes me juggle now, thinking that our butter is melted beyond belief according to my German-ness :-)))
January 29th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Now we have a discussion about cups and if a cup is a coffee cup. And 1-1/2 should be 1.5 cup.
January 29th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
But it’s all funny. Now my partner just pour in milk until it gets the right consistency. That’s why I’m the engineer and my cooking is always so bad, hahaha.
January 29th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
We’ll probably need a chain saw tomorrow to cut the cake.