tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post170659742102578041..comments2024-03-26T22:57:41.830-04:00Comments on Writers On The Move: Bloopers Can Be Fun ~ International English #4Karen Cioffihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15492421057039326702noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-57852811013672280442015-02-10T09:54:09.211-05:002015-02-10T09:54:09.211-05:00Thanks LeAnne, I loved your example, and yes, I ca...Thanks LeAnne, I loved your example, and yes, I can see that as a fun start to a romance novel!Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-88247500305768479322015-02-10T09:53:05.942-05:002015-02-10T09:53:05.942-05:00Thanks Di!Thanks Di!Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-17665819079334926172015-01-26T10:39:49.846-05:002015-01-26T10:39:49.846-05:00What a fun post! The English expression "Excu...What a fun post! The English expression "Excuse me" is translated two different ways in Portuguese. One means essentially "Forgive me", the other "With your permission". In language school we were laughed at the story of the attractive young woman on a crowded bus who lost her balance and ended up in the lap of a man. Instead of saying "Forgive me", she LeAnne Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433010038077925237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-29549510247621303172015-01-24T01:03:57.249-05:002015-01-24T01:03:57.249-05:00Loved this Shirl :)Loved this Shirl :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11176552339254578613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-80515642208539840372015-01-23T14:31:50.127-05:002015-01-23T14:31:50.127-05:00Thanks for your comment, Debbie. Yes, as one livin...Thanks for your comment, Debbie. Yes, as one living in one of the "other countries" I have been on the other side. As a writer mainly published in America, I've had some narrow escapes!Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-75015676689017080582015-01-23T14:29:17.649-05:002015-01-23T14:29:17.649-05:00LOL! I loved your comments and bloopers, Melinda. ...LOL! I loved your comments and bloopers, Melinda. Thanks for a good chuckle!Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-22532100743256628672015-01-23T11:10:23.786-05:002015-01-23T11:10:23.786-05:00Great post! Something I want to add about a previo...Great post! Something I want to add about a previous blog post: When I was in college, I learned that people who live in other countries speak British English. Some of the differences are funny and some are embarrassing. And sometimes people can be offended. I'm glad I have an understanding of some of the differences, as it can be helpful when trying to figure out what someone is saying.Debbie A Byrnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06219009309869041795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-8865550342424514752015-01-23T03:38:39.724-05:002015-01-23T03:38:39.724-05:00I love language bloopers. As an ESL teacher somet...I love language bloopers. As an ESL teacher sometimes-expat, I have heard and said my share. <br /><br />My favorite (listening) blooper is when my Czech teacher asked me what I see in an airport. "People," I said. Her jaw dropped open. "Tourists," I said more sheepishly. She stared, aghast. "Baggage." Then she laughed. Turns out she hadn't asked about Melinda Brasherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11481061372330595910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-52255660043636554192015-01-23T03:15:25.063-05:002015-01-23T03:15:25.063-05:00Oh that's fun, Marcia. Yes we used Chilapalapa...Oh that's fun, Marcia. Yes we used Chilapalapa, a pidgin combination of the Rhodesian languages years ago. Those of us who grew up there in those days still use the odd word especially when speaking to one another and get blank stares!Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-79610642967726295212015-01-23T03:12:44.205-05:002015-01-23T03:12:44.205-05:00Thanks Lisa. Yes, it's surprising the "ev...Thanks Lisa. Yes, it's surprising the "every day" words that are different. Like turning on the tap - and the Americans say "Huh?" :-)Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-12741812739533622552015-01-22T14:57:51.068-05:002015-01-22T14:57:51.068-05:00Fun post, Shirl. When I was learning Tok Pisin (Me...Fun post, Shirl. When I was learning Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin) I made my teacher laugh when I asked for his sister (susa) in my coffee instead of sugar (susu). :) When we came home we often used common pidgin words and sayings and got some funny looks from people who didn't have a clue what we were saying. :)Marcia Lee Laycockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09109390369843987353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-44838111163812925162015-01-22T13:03:38.232-05:002015-01-22T13:03:38.232-05:00Great post, Shirl! I had a lot of problems with En...Great post, Shirl! I had a lot of problems with English words when I first moved to South Africa. Not what I expected when I arrived thinking we all spoke the same language, but instead there were so many differences in the vocabulary. Now it's a lot easier to switch back and forth, but every once and a while, when I'm back in the states, I get an odd look and realize I've used the Lisa Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358581487206184033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-52848232179098973642015-01-22T12:56:33.573-05:002015-01-22T12:56:33.573-05:00Oh my goodness! Beware of the "gift" at ...Oh my goodness! Beware of the "gift" at Christmas time, right? Thanks for sharing Sara!Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-57009905847612700162015-01-22T12:54:13.982-05:002015-01-22T12:54:13.982-05:00LOL! What fun, Paul. Thanks for sharing. I'll ...LOL! What fun, Paul. Thanks for sharing. I'll remember this one.<br />Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-48548639232029563212015-01-22T12:53:34.027-05:002015-01-22T12:53:34.027-05:00Yes Karen, and it's not anything any of us can...Yes Karen, and it's not anything any of us can afford to ignore unless we plan to write only for internal organisations. As soon as our words are on the Internet, they're global. Shirley Corderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429641202607657089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-25170546129882878942015-01-22T09:57:12.572-05:002015-01-22T09:57:12.572-05:00Shirley, I love all the pitfalls in translations! ...Shirley, I love all the pitfalls in translations! I studied Swedish for many years and learned it quite well. (By the way, 'quite' in the UK is not so great as 'quite' in the States.) But I'm talking US English now, so I learned Swedish really well. When we moved to Stockholm I was so afraid of making a mistake I clammed up in public. Swedes love to speak English, and do so Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03658059471365091357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-17493965340597435082015-01-22T05:41:24.679-05:002015-01-22T05:41:24.679-05:00Hi Shirley. When I first arrived in Belgium I used...Hi Shirley. When I first arrived in Belgium I used the Afrikaans expression "verskoon my" whenever I bumped into someone. I thought I was saying "excuse me". I later found out that what I was saying sounds like "verschoon mij" in Dutch, which translates as "clean me". I got some strange looks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04208623322201825107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6411231637771693377.post-74746076907186715642015-01-20T15:14:30.989-05:002015-01-20T15:14:30.989-05:00Shirl, another great International English post. T...Shirl, another great International English post. These are great bloopers and show how important it is to know what you're saying. :)Karen Cioffihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15492421057039326702noreply@blogger.com