Interesting that so many of the words for the same thing are onomotopoeic, that is, sounding like the event they name. “Sneeze” doesn’t, though. English language being odd again.
My wife deals with refugees. Many are put up in a large apartment complex as transitional housing while they learn English, study to be citizens and get a job so they can move on.
They come from a swath on the globe stretching from central Africa, through the middle east and into southeast Asia.
The kids all play together. So on the soccer field you can hear them yelling in French, Swahili, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Bhutanese, Vietnamese and some languages I’ve not even heard of. Yet they all figure out how to play.
The kids learn English very quickly and my wife sometimes uses them as interpreters. After asking one kid to ask his mother a question, the boy flashed her an OK sign and siad, “I got this one!” They pick up the idioms as well.
The Asians, in particular, don’t have a word for “nurse” so they kept calling my wife “doctor.” She kept correcting them and now they call her “teacher” which is very respectful in their culture. It also is closer to the work she does teaching them how to take care of themselves medically.
My wife is also in her 60’s and has gray hair. They don’t have an expression for “little old lady” (never mind that she’s over 6 feet tall and close to twice the size of some of these people). The expression they use translates into “Fuzzy Kitten.”
kaffekup almost 4 years ago
No “gesundheit”?
I guess it would give away the punchline.
ACK! Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Interesting that so many of the words for the same thing are onomotopoeic, that is, sounding like the event they name. “Sneeze” doesn’t, though. English language being odd again.
Prescott_Philosopher almost 4 years ago
I don’t believe sneezing is one of the symptoms of the virus.
Nighthawks Premium Member almost 4 years ago
they never did find a vaccine for Captain Trips
Rogers George Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I think those are the words equivalent to “sneeze.” I’d like to see a list of words equivalent to “ah-choo!” The German is “hatschi.”
craigwestlake almost 4 years ago
With the intelligent and rational manner our leaders are handling this it should be called a “Pandemonium”…
John W. Vinson Premium Member almost 4 years ago
God bless us, every one! (Tiny Tim)
sixam almost 4 years ago
Sneezing is not one of the symptoms of this pandemic.
dflak almost 4 years ago
My wife deals with refugees. Many are put up in a large apartment complex as transitional housing while they learn English, study to be citizens and get a job so they can move on.
They come from a swath on the globe stretching from central Africa, through the middle east and into southeast Asia.
The kids all play together. So on the soccer field you can hear them yelling in French, Swahili, Amharic, Arabic, Farsi, Bhutanese, Vietnamese and some languages I’ve not even heard of. Yet they all figure out how to play.
The kids learn English very quickly and my wife sometimes uses them as interpreters. After asking one kid to ask his mother a question, the boy flashed her an OK sign and siad, “I got this one!” They pick up the idioms as well.
The Asians, in particular, don’t have a word for “nurse” so they kept calling my wife “doctor.” She kept correcting them and now they call her “teacher” which is very respectful in their culture. It also is closer to the work she does teaching them how to take care of themselves medically.
My wife is also in her 60’s and has gray hair. They don’t have an expression for “little old lady” (never mind that she’s over 6 feet tall and close to twice the size of some of these people). The expression they use translates into “Fuzzy Kitten.”