Saying the wrong thing in a foreign country.

[graemer]

Ever said anything perfectly acceptable at home but mortifying to others? For example when I was in London I mentioned going out in vest and pants, which here are a waiscoat and trousers. Also someone good looking here is described as being a "*****" which when I used it in the 80's caused a polite family to choke on their lunch.

[graemer]

Oh...I see it still makes robots choke! In reverse the word was "knups". It can mean pluck, especially in the USA.

[Artful]

I'm thinking, graemer, thinking very hard but over the years I have made so many boo-boos in so many different situations in front of such a wide variety of people that not one stands out in particular (I'm suddenly going to relive them once I sign off, I bet). But to the devil with it all, these days I just plough in regardless!

Fancy your word being asterisked out, I thought it was only used in the sense of pluck, audacity...

[Artful]

Mind you, how many times have people said to me after I've said something "Oh my, how I LOVE English humour!" Should I retort that I wasn't trying to be funny, well they just don't believe - that can be dead frustrating just like when I make a witticism (in my opinion anyway!) and I then find I've upset everybody within hearing distance and then some!

[FP]

Graemer,  I was astonished in Oz to find notices on the doors of hotels, pubs, etc.  saying 'no thongs allowed'.  I couldn't imagine why people's undergarments would matter unless they wore thongs without skirts or trousers!!  So I asked my friends the reason why.

How was I to realise that flip flop sandals are called thongs in Australia! 

[The Tiggster]

I can't remember saying anything as such, but I can remember when in a Bangkok shopping centre stopping a coin that had fallen out of my purse rolling away from me by stamping on it with my foot. There was a sound of about 50 sharp gasps around me & I thought I was going to be ushered out of the country.

My friend explained that the king (who is on the coin) is very well respected & pointing, showing or touching somone with your feet was one of the biggest insults you could do to someone.

How was I supposed to know?!!

[Robinia]

That's brilliant FP, we should have those notices here & mean what it says!!  Better not get into that again eh?

[smudge]

They called flip flops 'thongs' when we were in Aussie too, but that was way back in 1979/80, when no one over here wore them as underwear!

Anyway, I think they should rename them cheese cutters, cos that's what if felt like I was wearing when I tried them for the first time - grossly uncomfortable!

[netibiza]

When first in Spain I used to tell everyone that I was frigid (I am cold) instead of I have cold (feeling cold) and my mum used to tell everyone that I had constipada (yes I was constipated but did everyone have to know) it turned out that it meant I had a cold. Once working in a shop I told a youth I loved him (te quiero) instead of did he want something (te quieres).  Decided it was better to shut up.

[artee]

No wonder graemar...The * word means male emission in the UK today. Maybe the family in choke mode knew this.
http://www.krysstal.com/ukandusa.html  Compares US and UK words
I personally have upset people over the years but can't think of specifics at the mo'.

[OBonio]

Whilst a friend was working out in the States a few years back, he kindly informed one of his colleagues he was 'going out to smoke a fag'. That raised a few eyebrows.

[Artful]

Here I am  again - I seem to be misssing out on so much but what is 'thong' underwear?

[kaktus]

Artee - it is a g-string, hope that helps :0)

I am bound to have said some wierd things, but I can also make the excuse that it is my second language. Can't remember any right now, can remember some when talking to Swedes and Norwegians, but they aren't as fun and don't count I guess as it is three different languages.

[mystress]

A friend of mine was in Japan, and everyone was toasting each other in their own languages; and he said "Chin,Chin"

the Japanese there all fell deathly silent!

Why?

In Japanese,he had just said

"B@LLS B@LLS!    LOL

[FP]

Artful, Thongs are G strings, i.e. the current fashion for pants in the UK, and undoubtedly in France (hence Smudge's cheescutter remark!)

Thong

[FP]

Posted at the same time as Kaktus!

[Robinia]

FP who gave you that photo of my bottom??

[FP]

Nice bum Robinia!

Here is me in my thong:

http://tinyurl.com/a4t85

[Artful]

Thanks kaktus, thanks FP. But for info this is an example of vocab playing up again. In France such a garment is simply called a 'string'. A G-string is specifically for gentlemen. 

[acw]

Hey all,

FP - current fashion for girls' pants is actually "girl boxers" and other assorted pants that look like men's, but are cut for women.  Daft if you ask me, and not very sexy.  And they don't actually look like nice comfortable period pants.  Thongs are actually quite OUT of fashion, but of couse totally necessary with some outfits anyway.  Personally I think it's crazy there's even a fashion with pants!

The other day, whilst a bit tired, I made a booboo with a Greek friend.  She told me her friend was from Cyprus.  I asked "Greek part I presume, not the Turkish part" (trying to again demonstrate my understanding of the tensions - how wrong I was!).  Luckily she was very nice about it - good job I hadn't said it loudly and in public in Greece!

[corganiser]

An American friend once said he had been shagging flies. To him this meant practising catching baseballs while on the run. To me it meant something entirely different, it took ages for me to compose myself enough to translate into English English for him.