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13.12.2010, 14:39
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
"I stood up at 6 o'clock this morning"
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13.12.2010, 14:41
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Zug
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | |  | | | "I stood up at 6 o'clock this morning" | | | | | That was when I lived in the hotel for a night.
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13.12.2010, 14:41
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Villars-sur-Glâne, FR
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | | | | | Oh, can you explain me that? I am only a 16 years old girl...... and my dad earns 2 millions swiss francs! And the peoples here are really nice. | | | | | I'm stearing clear of this one..... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...boyfriend.html |
13.12.2010, 14:44
| | | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
I once told tech support that there was a confiture in the printer  |
13.12.2010, 14:47
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Villars-sur-Glâne, FR
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | | | | | I once told tech support that there was a confiture in the printer | | | | | bet that made one helluva mess
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13.12.2010, 14:55
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | | | | | | Quote: | | | | | I once told tech support that there was a confiture in the printer | | | | | bet that made one helluva mess | | | | |
But is it what had a curd...?  |
13.12.2010, 15:11
| | | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | | | | | bet that made one helluva mess | | | | | Hey I'd buy a printer that gave me jam.
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13.12.2010, 15:26
|  | Member | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Zurich
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| | | Re: Words used by Swiss which come out wrong
| Quote: | | | | | It's the same with the "th" sound in English. Comes out a "D" or "T"
Next time you're with some Swiss friends, try getting them to say:
"Thirty three thousand feathers on a Thrushes feathered throat"
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Would you like some wegeatables with your weal?
I make my husband try to say "Three hundred thirty trees" haha!
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13.12.2010, 17:33
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Neuchatel
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
Funnily enough - many of so called slip ups have sexual/rude connotations.
Like when I asked at the drugstore is the assistant had any piles (in French = batteries) - or when my French assistante went to the butchers' as she wanted to cook 'Coq au vin' and asked the butcher if he had a bid ....
Or even English to American , me calling my daughter as I was deperate for a fag, in a trendy downtown Manhattan club (I don't normally smoke, but it was my 50th).
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13.12.2010, 18:43
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Zug canton (calmly in Cham)
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
I often mix up soon and almost in German.
"Labradors are soon perfect dogs," I pontificated to a poor befuddled Swiss woman who was walking a chocolate one, "except they like to eat everything soon." Meanwhile my foster black one was chomping away on grass in the meadow together with her new choco friend.
Then ten minutes later, after the woman had herded her dog away from this nutty foreigner, I realised my mistakes.
Last edited by argus; 13.12.2010 at 19:01.
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13.12.2010, 18:58
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Zürich
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
My husband does not speak French. Last weekend, I asked for my husband's horse steak to be "prepared nicely" in French when I meant "well done" thinking that "well done" would probably result in medium. That puzzled the waiter who said that yes, of course it would be prepared nicely, and then suggested "au point" which had escaped my memory. Phew!  |
13.12.2010, 19:03
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Zug canton (calmly in Cham)
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | | | | | My husband does not speak French. Last weekend, I asked for my husband's horse steak to be "prepared nicely" in French when I meant "well done" thinking that "well done" would probably result in medium. That puzzled the waiter who said that yes, of course it would be prepared nicely, and then suggested "au point" which had escaped my memory. Phew! | | | | | At least the waiter was not a naysayer. "Nei, nei!"  | | This user would like to thank argus for this useful post: | |
10.01.2011, 19:55
|  | Junior Member | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Wädenswil
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
I have a Swiss friend who always says "I am looking forward." when we makes plans... I always feel like I'm left hanging...
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10.01.2011, 20:38
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
When we first met, I told my future husband that when I was young I *ucked my sumb! He was a bit bemused!
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10.01.2011, 22:23
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| | | Re: Words used by Swiss which come out wrong
| Quote: | | | | | Don't know if this exactly fits in this catagory but I was just sent a flyer for cool kids fashions where the girls 4-14 clothing range is emblazoned with ' EAGER BEAVERS'
now am I the only one to find this slightly inappropriate ????????? Do people know what I am talking about? | | | | | Saw same..Had same thought! WTF!
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10.01.2011, 22:36
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Neuchatel
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
Works both ways! Not many French buy Converse trainers as they have the label CON on them! (twit with a vowel change!)
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11.01.2011, 15:44
| | | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
| Quote: | | | | | Works both ways! Not many French buy Converse trainers as they have the label CON on them! (twit with a vowel change!) | | | | | I used to know an Irishman with the name of Connor. He really didn't like introducing himself by that in France.
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11.01.2011, 15:59
| | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Neuchatel
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| | | Re: The Wrong Word(s) [non-native speaker slip-ups]
My British fiancé was driving through France in the middle of the night to get to Switzerland for our wedding 2 days later. His headlights broke down, so he stopped at the next garage, about 2am. Looked up 'light' in his pocket dictionary- and rang the bell, several times. Garage owner opened his bedroom shutters and screamed that the garage was ******* closed. Future OH then said 'mes alumettes sont cassé vous doit m'aider'! (my matches are broken, you must help) - after some more shouting, he did manage to explain he just had to keep going to be on time, and mechanic did come do help. (little did either of them realise I would re-break my leg hours before - another story).
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29.03.2011, 13:36
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| | | Re: Words used by Swiss which come out wrong
I just thought of one:
My husband's German aunt (after living in the US for 30+ years) still had a THICK German accent and said some pretty funny things... Our favorite (which has become a regular in our family) is this:
Instead of "roll with the punches" she'd say "roll with the sponges."
Written down it doesn't seem that funny, but we love it.
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