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Language Mistakes Anyone?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by GlamKat, Apr 11, 2013.

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  1. GlamKat

    GlamKat
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    I've been in France for the past three months on a student exchange, and in France when they greet each other they usually do 'la bise' which is when they kiss each other on the cheek.
    Anyway, I went to school and I approached the group that I usually go to. Nobody initiated 'la bise', so I was quite confused. I turned to the guy next to me and asked,
    "On doit baiser n'est-ce pas?"
    The guy looked at me wide-eyed, everyone stopped talking and looked at me with that same expression. Finally he asks, "QUOI?!?" (WHAT?!?) So I repeated it for him.
    Now, I thought I was saying "We have to kiss don't we?" but after they all laughed at me they told me that 'baiser' means f*** :eusa_doh: so.. there's that. Accidentally tried to get to home base with someone :/ Haha oops.

    Anyone else been in a similar situation? Because I've got PLENTY more to share.
     
    #1 GlamKat, Apr 11, 2013
  2. JPC

    JPC Guest

    I had a pretty bad one on my first week living here in Spain. I was getting some groceries at the supermarket and needed a plastic bag. However instead of saying "...y una bolsita", I said "...y una bolsilla" - I basically said "give me your purse" to the cashier :eek:
     
    #2 JPC, Apr 11, 2013
  3. GlamKat

    GlamKat
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    Haha! That must have been slightly awkward... Did the cashier say anything afterwards??


    There's this one guy here who is trying to take advantage of my English speaking skills as he is CONSTANTLY asking what ____ means or how to say ____ and he'll always talk to me in English. Personally I have no problem with it, but he makes the funniest mistakes EVER!

    One time he was trying to say; "When I'm older I want to be a chef, then I can eat, cook, and be on Top Chef."

    He accidentally said; "When I'm older I want to be a chef, then I can eat cock and be on top of the chef!"

    It was just a bit of a shock to hear that come out of his mouth, and with such confidence as if that's just as casual as saying "Hello! How are you?" :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
    #3 GlamKat, Apr 11, 2013
  4. JPC

    JPC Guest

    Thankfully no, I don't really look like the mugging type!

    Hahaha :roflmao: Maybe that's what he meant to say :lol:
     
    #4 JPC, Apr 11, 2013
  5. GlamKat

    GlamKat
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    He told me he was gay so maybe so, maybe so... :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
    #5 GlamKat, Apr 11, 2013
  6. BMC77

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    A German exchange student came to my high school my last year there. He said that his most embarrassing moment came when he was at a party, and asked if he was enjoying America. His response was, "I'm so gay!" Apparently, he only heard the "happy" definition in English class.
     
    #6 BMC77, Apr 11, 2013
  7. BrokenWings

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    My boyfriend once (or ten times) said 'It's giving me a boner' when he meant 'it's interesting' in Arabic (he's still learning)

    I admit, he's cute as hell when he says that, so I never really corrected him for that reason. (That was until he got in trouble with some girl in our class)
     
    #7 BrokenWings, Apr 11, 2013
  8. Ettina

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    Not nearly as awkward as some of the others here, but I did claim I was the embodiment of psychology in my Japanese class. ('I am psychology' instead of 'I'm taking psychology'.)
     
    #8 Ettina, Apr 11, 2013
  9. Ethan

    Ethan
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    In Chinese I've accidentally stated that people don't use pants instead of don't have.
    I don't recall any glaring errors in my Spanish or Japanese courses though. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
    #9 Ethan, Apr 11, 2013
  10. Browncoat

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    I've never been misunderstood (mostly 'cause I don't typically try out my foreign language skills, or lack thereof), but I do have a story about trying out my German -




    Was in a resort around Innsbruck, and ordered, in what I assure you was perfect German (grammatically), a brat in a baguette.


    Apparently I must have had quite the obvious accent, 'cause the guy working there immediately asked back, in perfect English, "want any mustard on that?"


    Smiled, shook my head, and replied "yes, please" in English. So much for trying to blend in in any fashion? :lol:
     
    #10 Browncoat, Apr 11, 2013
  11. SpitfireXSoarin

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    Easy American Sign Language mistake- using "f" instead of "d" when you first begin finger spelling. There are no small words like "to" or "a" (they are included as part of the sign) so "I want a duck" can come across as "I want to :icon_redf". Also, being precise can be the difference between signing "hungry" and "horny" (learned that quickly).
     
    #11 SpitfireXSoarin, Apr 11, 2013
  12. Phenix

    Phenix
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    These are great!!
     
    #12 Phenix, Apr 11, 2013
  13. greatwhale

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    To the OP, using "baiser" is actually, grammatically correct for kissing, but the word has been co-opted (like "queer") to mean the other thing (former French GF from long ago taught me these little national subtleties...)
     
    #13 greatwhale, Apr 11, 2013
  14. nikom87

    nikom87
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    This isn't really a language mistake, but it is related.

    When my husband and I were in Copenhagen, Denmark, we were walking down the street and there was a guy seemingly talking to himself (in Danish) walking close behind us, and he was looking at us every time we turned around. We didn't think much of it and just kept walking for blocks. Then we got weirded out because he started talking in a nasty tone like he was swearing at us. We stopped at the intersection and my husband said to me (in English) "Is that guy swearing at us?". Apparently, the guy overheard us and he started laughing and said in English, "Ohhhh. You guys are American. I thought you were just a**holes". He explained that was trying to ask us the whole way if we could spot him some change for the bus and he just thought we were ignoring him.

    It was funny.
     
    #14 nikom87, Apr 11, 2013
  15. IrishEyes1989

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    Oh wow, these are great!! XD I really needed a laugh tonight so this was perfect!

    The Top Chef/cock story was my fave!! :roflmao::grin:
     
    #15 IrishEyes1989, Apr 11, 2013
  16. Ariadne

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    These are cracking me up!

    I attended a master class given by an orchestra conductor and, in his very broken Spanish, he attempted to tell us how excited he was to be there. Little did he know, instead of saying "I'm very excited to be here" he said, "Estoy muy excitado de estar aqui" which, where I live, means literally "I'm very sexually aroused to be here." :lol:
     
    #16 Ariadne, Apr 11, 2013
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2013
  17. Maddy

    Maddy
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    A guy in my German class got the words Student (student) and Stunde (hour) mixed up and announced that he worked 15 students per week.
     
    #17 Maddy, Apr 11, 2013
  18. Bolin

    Bolin
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    I've accidentally (and politely) asked someone to die in Japanese.
     
    #18 Bolin, Apr 11, 2013
  19. Stoical

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    I have a co-worker that's not from the U.S. originally. At lunch, we were talking about another co-worker that's he'd been butting heads with. All of a sudden, he interjects:

    Him: That woman needs to be laid more.

    The rest of us: Stunned silence.

    Him: Wait...I think I'm got that wrong...I think it's "more laid back"...

    Collective sigh of relief.

    :grin:
     
    #19 Stoical, Apr 11, 2013
  20. WillowMaiden

    WillowMaiden Guest

    :roflmao:
     
    #20 WillowMaiden, Apr 11, 2013
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