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  1. #1
    Iron Fist Senior Member Husar's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Viking View Post
    Oh c'mon, this is not the "correct the poster above you" thread.

    (otherwise the misspelling had anything to do with conflicts between languages )
    I was actually correcting you AND sympathising with you at the same time because I find the correct spelling silly.
    Last edited by Husar; 12-23-2009 at 01:11.


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  2. #2

    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Gift is probably Dutch, since in Dutch the meaning of “gift” depends on context. ‘Gift’ as poison in Dutch is more typically referred to as “vergif” or in older texts “vergift”, with gift as “gift” meaning a gift being the preferred use.
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    Senior Member Senior Member Fisherking's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Maybe I missed it but as to confusion from one language to another, why have none of the Germans listed become?

    In German you would gladly become a steak but it may not be a good idea in English.

    What many cite as a French influence in English is actually Latin. Norman French had an influence but most French is just borrowed words and the structure is more Latin.

    English once had all of the cases and genders of German, as well as the assortment of ways to make a plural. I can’t say that it is bad that it has been streamlined.

    It all dose make it more difficult for English speakers to master other languages, at least I think so.

    My struggles with German are legion and I won’t even mention Bavarian...

    Some of you have confused grammar with sentence structure. English is a very pliable language and it adds to its expressiveness. Nouns can be used as verbs and verbs can be used as nouns and make sense.

    The vowels are problematic. Any one can sound like almost any other in a given word and the number of different accents don’t help that at all.

    English has more sounds with fewer letters than most other languages and the use of diphthongs can cause problems for non native speakers.

    But if you want a challenge you can try the oldest spoken language in Europe. The spelling scares the heck out of me and the pronunciation of letters needs to be relearned and more...

    Try to learn Irish or as some would say Gaelic...


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    Member Member Ituralde's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Of course become is a classic. But at least it's one you learn about at school extensively.

    And Gaelic really is scary. Just seeing the written word and then how it is pronounced astounds me every time!
    The lions sing and the hills take flight.
    The moon by day, and the sun by night.
    Blind woman, deaf man, jackdaw fool.
    Let the Lord of Chaos rule.

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    Tuba Son Member Subotan's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fisherking View Post
    It all dose make it more difficult for English speakers to master other languages, at least I think so.
    It's a cultural thing rather than an actual language thing. We seem to take genuine pride in what is actually a national embarrassment; namely, our amazingly poor language skills.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fisherking View Post
    My struggles with German are legion
    Der den dem des
    Die die der der
    Das das dem des
    Die die denr der


    Quote Originally Posted by Fisherking View Post
    I won’t even mention Bavarian...
    "Habèderè, i bî da Pèda und kimm vo Minga"


    Try to learn Irish or as some would say Gaelic...
    It's impossible and pointless. The word order is way more screwed up than in German. Although it is funny having to explain to Germans that Welsh is no mere dialect of English, and then having to show them some Welsh to prove it.

  6. #6
    Voluntary Suspension Voluntary Suspension Philippus Flavius Homovallumus's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Subotan View Post
    It's a cultural thing rather than an actual language thing. We seem to take genuine pride in what is actually a national embarrassment; namely, our amazingly poor language skills.
    This is true, but with 6-10 times the vocabulary as other languages, and the need to master complex syntax in order to have the flexability of an inflected language. So, a native speaker probably uses more brain-space for his first language if that language is English.

    It's impossible and pointless. The word order is way more screwed up than in German. Although it is funny having to explain to Germans that Welsh is no mere dialect of English, and then having to show them some Welsh to prove it.
    I understand Welsh sounds like a Scandanavian Language to Germans, apparently.
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    Βασιλευς και Αυτοκρατωρ Αρχης Member Centurio Nixalsverdrus's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Subotan View Post
    It's a cultural thing rather than an actual language thing. We seem to take genuine pride in what is actually a national embarrassment; namely, our amazingly poor language skills.



    Der den dem des
    Die die der der
    Das das dem des
    Die die denr der



    "Habèderè, i bî da Pèda und kimm vo Minga"



    It's impossible and pointless. The word order is way more screwed up than in German. Although it is funny having to explain to Germans that Welsh is no mere dialect of English, and then having to show them some Welsh to prove it.
    Where are you from? Because I always thought you were Bavarian...

  8. #8
    Voluntary Suspension Voluntary Suspension Philippus Flavius Homovallumus's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tellos Athenaios View Post
    Gift is probably Dutch, since in Dutch the meaning of “gift” depends on context. ‘Gift’ as poison in Dutch is more typically referred to as “vergif” or in older texts “vergift”, with gift as “gift” meaning a gift being the preferred use.
    Old English, actually; very close to Old Dutch. When the two ceased to be mutually intelligable is debated.

    Though, it is theoretically possible to strip out exteneous Romance words and Grammar, put on a Newcastle Dialect and then be understood by a Norwegian.

    "If it wears trousers generally I don't pay attention."

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    master of the pwniverse Member Fragony's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Let me show you a fun one, also in the wisdom teeth thread.

    wisdom teeth has to come from dutch, we say 'verstandskies' which would translate to wisdom teeth, but the proper name for these baby's is 'verre stand kies' which refers to it's position in the mouth, they are positioned far in the mouth thus 'verre stand'.

    TA If you are looking for some truly hilarious dutch screw-ups buy 'I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and also my wives bottom'. Recommended to all flemish for obvious reasons. Most dutch aren't all that good in English, my favorite has to be a college professor telling a foreign student he was trying to lead them around the garden, got him a sausage 'worst teacher award' (worst is dutch for sausage)
    Last edited by Fragony; 12-24-2009 at 16:02.

  10. #10
    TexMec Senior Member Louis VI the Fat's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fragony View Post
    TA If you are looking for some truly hilarious dutch screw-ups buy 'I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and also my wives bottom'.
    This calls for the classic:



    Then again, from what we've learned of ski-instructors, for all we know it isn't a mistaken translation.



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    Last edited by Louis VI the Fat; 12-25-2009 at 01:34.
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  11. #11
    master of the pwniverse Member Fragony's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat View Post
    This calls for the classic:



    Then again, from what we've learned of ski-instructors, for all we know it isn't a mistaken translation.



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    Tuba Son Member Subotan's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    Quote Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla View Post
    This is true, but with 6-10 times the vocabulary as other languages, and the need to master complex syntax in order to have the flexability of an inflected language. So, a native speaker probably uses more brain-space for his first language if that language is English.
    What is "brain-space"? And besides, those could easily be turned on their head, as by already having this huge vocabulary, we don't need to memorize whole sets of foreign synonyms.

    Quote Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla View Post
    I understand Welsh sounds like a Scandanavian Language to Germans, apparently.
    Haha, that's actually funny. When I showed my exchange partner Welsh, she was visibly shaken.

    Quote Originally Posted by Centurio Nixalsverdrus View Post
    Where are you from? Because I always thought you were Bavarian...
    I wish. I'm from Lancashire.

  13. #13
    Sovereign Oppressor Member TIE Fighter Shooter Champion, Turkey Shoot Champion, Juggler Champion Kralizec's Avatar
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    Default Re: English words that conflict with your language.

    One mistake in English I often seem to make is forgetting the extra O in, for example, "too large". Or misspelling a word in English because the same word exists in Dutch but with a slightly different spelling, like succes(s). Kind of embarrassing. When I found out that mafia is spelled with only one "f" in English, it killed me

    As for grammar, I probably wouldn't be able to explain basic grammar rules in either English or Dutch even if my life depended on it. Generally speaking, I instinctively apply them the right way...or not.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fragony View Post
    Let me show you a fun one, also in the wisdom teeth thread.

    wisdom teeth has to come from dutch, we say 'verstandskies' which would translate to wisdom teeth, but the proper name for these baby's is 'verre stand kies' which refers to it's position in the mouth, they are positioned far in the mouth thus 'verre stand'.

    TA If you are looking for some truly hilarious dutch screw-ups buy 'I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and also my wives bottom'. Recommended to all flemish for obvious reasons. Most dutch aren't all that good in English, my favorite has to be a college professor telling a foreign student he was trying to lead them around the garden, got him a sausage 'worst teacher award' (worst is dutch for sausage)
    Teh wiki disagrees with you...

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