Author Topic: Funny English and Linguistics stuff... (Read 203527 times)

rivka · « **Reply #1325 on:** April 21, 2021, 01:05:04 PM »

While I certainly would not tell someone they were mispronouncing their own name (they get to define the pronunciation of their own name any way they wish, even if it is not a common one), it's not the standard one. It has been a common name (with a single pronunciation, subject to regional accents and elisions) for a very long time. It's just not common in the US.

My mother had not read the books at that point. She just knew more than one real-life Hermione (all Brits, I believe).

More here: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/112401/what-is-the-correct-pronunciation-of-hermione. Note especially the comparison to other names of Greek origin.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1326 on:** April 28, 2021, 09:04:12 AM »

I don't speak Hebrew, but someone on Twitter says that this literally means "all the honor" and is used to mean "well done" in the sense of "nice job" or "go you!"

Apparently the Turkish also means something along the lines of "bravo!"

Brinestone · « **Reply #1327 on:** April 28, 2021, 09:08:46 AM »

rivka · « **Reply #1328 on:** April 28, 2021, 11:00:10 AM »

That is HILARIOUS! The translation for "beefsteak" is also very odd.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1329 on:** April 28, 2021, 01:01:08 PM »

What's odd about it?

Also, if the Hebrew and Turkish are that bad, I'm assuming there are problems with the Portuguese too.

pooka · « **Reply #1330 on:** April 28, 2021, 11:41:12 PM »

Perhaps someone just printed whatever Google translate told them.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1331 on:** April 29, 2021, 08:28:54 AM »

Yeah, I'm guessing it was something like that.

rivka · « **Reply #1332 on:** April 29, 2021, 11:30:54 PM »

Quote from: Jonathon on April 28, 2021, 01:01:08 PM

What's odd about it?

"Steak" is not a Hebrew word, but a transliteration "stayk", more or less. Which plenty of Israelis would use, but not quite like that. The cut is usually mentioned (with or without "stayk"). (And they differ from what Americans are used to: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/travel/.premium-tourist-tip-148-how-to-order-a-steak-1.5226278)

I found some menus that do say things like "entrecote steak" (stayk entrecote), but the ones I am used to just say "entrecote".

Jonathon · « **Reply #1333 on:** April 30, 2021, 10:30:42 AM »

Gotcha. Definitely sounds like someone was using an automatic translation service or maybe just a dictionary rather than consulting native speakers.

Any Portuguese speakers want to weight in on whether the Portuguese is weird too?

pooka · « **Reply #1334 on:** May 22, 2021, 05:28:39 AM »

I saw this question on Quora:
"At what point does the English language cease to be called so if it becomes excessively adulterated with words which originate from other countries?"
Where does the questioner think English came from?

Ela · « **Reply #1335 on:** May 23, 2021, 10:53:02 AM »

Yes, exactly.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1336 on:** May 23, 2021, 12:24:44 PM »

lol

Also, I'm fascinated by how often want to know at which point something happens or where you draw the line between one phenomenon and another with regard to language. Like, people want to know at which point a previously disputed use becomes acceptable or where you draw the line between changes that are supposedly good and those that are allegedly bad. Do they think that language works by some sort of simple majority vote? Do they think that if we have x number of words from foreign languages, it's still English, but if we have x + 1, then we have to call the language something else?

Jonathon · « **Reply #1337 on:** August 31, 2021, 03:54:22 PM »

Jonathon · « **Reply #1338 on:** October 20, 2021, 11:29:56 AM »

Mouseover text: "You can also do this if someone says the methods used for a linguistics paper were invalid."

Jonathon · « **Reply #1339 on:** December 03, 2021, 11:32:43 AM »

Mouseover text: "but by whom? listen. don't worry about it."

Ela · « **Reply #1340 on:** December 03, 2021, 01:29:40 PM »

Jonathon · « **Reply #1341 on:** January 12, 2022, 04:38:41 PM »

rivka · « **Reply #1342 on:** January 12, 2022, 05:43:45 PM »

The mouse-over on that one is hilarious.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1343 on:** January 12, 2022, 06:28:54 PM »

Yeah, I laughed out loud at that one.

Ela · « **Reply #1344 on:** January 12, 2022, 10:35:03 PM »

Same.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1345 on:** February 22, 2022, 04:42:10 PM »

Ela · « **Reply #1346 on:** February 23, 2022, 11:49:59 AM »

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #1347 on:** March 16, 2022, 07:54:54 AM »

My ma told me that she saw a play and described it as "a period piece".

"What, like a menstral show?"

She didn't get it.

Jonathon · « **Reply #1348 on:** March 16, 2022, 08:27:58 AM »

Porter · « **Reply #1349 on:** March 17, 2022, 06:53:16 AM »

Quote from: Jonathon on April 28, 2021, 09:04:12 AM

I don't speak Hebrew, but someone on Twitter says that this literally means "all the honor" and is used to mean "well done" in the sense of "nice job" or "go you!"

Apparently the Turkish also means something along the lines of "bravo!"

Quote from: Jonathon on April 30, 2021, 10:30:42 AM

Gotcha. Definitely sounds like someone was using an automatic translation service or maybe just a dictionary rather than consulting native speakers.

Any Portuguese speakers want to weight in on whether the Portuguese is weird too?

Can confirm that the Portuguese is has a similar meaning -- I would translate it as either "well done" or "great job".