this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2024

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If you've ever interacted with someone who speaks a different language, what is the funniest misunderstanding you've had? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 1 week ago by y0kai@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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An example of what I mean:

I, in China, told an English speaking Chinese friend I needed to stop off in the bathroom to "take a shit."

He looked appalled and after I asked why he had that look, he asked what I was going to do with someone's shit.

I had not laughed so hard in a while, and it totally makes sense.

I explained it was an expression for pooping, and he comes back with, "wouldn't that be giving a shit?"

I then got to explain that to give a shit means you care and I realized how fucked some of our expressions are.

What misunderstandings made you laugh?

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[–] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I have only ever heard the story, but my grandma came over here from Germany after WW2 to marry my grandpa (American Army) after they met in Germany.

Anyway, they are driving and she is learning English and she gets horrified and says, “THEY SELL THAT HERE?!”

My grandpa turns the car around and drive back to read the sign which had “pups for sale”. Because she was German and the U is usually pronounced with an OOH sound, well…she quickly learned how to say “pups” in English.

[–] t_berium@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Quick addition: 'Pups' means 'fart' in German. A word used by and around children. Or if you have enjoyed an education.

[–] WindyRebel@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that trivia!