What language do you use when you lose your temper?
Davor Kalinic Croatia Local time: 19:36 Member (2005) Croatian to German + ...
German
Oct 16, 2005
I usually use German with some traits of dialect.
Davor
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
jaswinder singh India Local time: 23:06 English to Panjabi + ...
mother tongue of course
Feb 28, 2006
Mother tongue, whichever is, has good vocablury, which never lets down us in finding words, whereas with other languages, you have to look for the words, by the time you find a word, whole gambit of situation or your own temper gets away from your hand.
India has a story about it. Once, when Mogul Emperor Akbas was ruling India, a Linguist with efficient knowledge of many languages came into his kingdom. He asked the Emperor that he want to test the wisdom of his court. That if anybody found his mother tongue, he will serve him.
Everybody tried, but failed, because he spoke all the languages with same ease. Birbal, a well known intelligent minister in Akbar's court told emperor to make him sleep for the night. And in early hour, the linguist was woken up with a start, because water was poured on him in the middle of night.
Next day he was told about his mother tongue. He was surprised, because during the day he never used it.
Moral of the story is- you speak your mother tongue even in unconscious state.
[Edited at 2006-02-28 19:02]
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
It really depends on whether I'm thinking in Russian or in English at the moment. Both Russian and English offer a satisfactory selecton of profanities to be used in times of stress, so I find it's about 50/50. Not that I use profanity all that often, or use very strong ones when I do.
Now when I have time to think about what profanities I want to use, I curse in whatever language I'm studying recreationally at the time. At this point, it's Italian - but cursing in Italian is somehow not as satisfying as, say, German. Even the curse words sound pretty.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
George Hopkins Sweden Local time: 19:36 Swedish to English
It depends
Aug 21, 2006
My children are now middle-aged.
Although I am English, we have always spoken Swedish at home.
My daughter told me, a long time ago, that she and her brother always knew how far they could go when behaving badly.
When father started speaking in English; it was time to stop.
Now, I can be equally angry bilingually.
There is one thing though that is always in my mother "tongue", ie, difficult mental arihmetic.
I belive this to be a general rule.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
verslanglais France Local time: 19:36 Member (2007) French to English
Nothing beats the Dutch classic!
Sep 5, 2006
I'm American-born, but swearing in American English is so tawdry. (No offense to the other Amerloques.)
French is so predictable, though probably holds some satisfaction for people who don't hear it every day.
I like to shout "Godverdomme" when a machine won't work; it was the very first word I learned in Dutch (followed shortly by the less satisfying "Godverdouille" which is favored by my polite France-bound Dutch friends)...
...but if I hurt myself (often in the kitchen), "bloody hell" is quite satisfying, because you can draw it out ("ba-loody hey-uhll"). Also my favorite when I just can't believe it (like Victor Meldrew).
By the way, I'm the same way with my own phone number. If I've memorised a number saying "quatre-vingt cinq..." I actually have to write "85" to be able to say "eighty-five." On the other hand, I never had a problem interpreting figures in business. I think that it's because I'm terrible at memorising numbers, and I do so with the phoenetic part of my brain -- I have to "hear" the number, like a miniature song. I have to get the thought to the logical part on the other side (using paper and a pencil) if I want a translation.
Sorry about the editing!! Lastly, I had written "phonetically," an unconscious play on words!
[Edited at 2006-09-05 13:21]
[Edited at 2006-09-05 13:22]
[Edited at 2006-09-05 13:23]
[Edited at 2006-09-05 13:26]
[Edited at 2006-09-05 13:28]
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
I know that I've been living between France and the States in a bilingual family now for so long that I do both.
I think English is best for some arguments because it's gutteral. French is not bad for some others as it lends itself to long strings of expletives.
When I worked in France, I had someone bothering me constantly and I really was taken aback at how rude this guy was. Plus, it was really personal after awhile...and in the States, especially in a school or university environment, he'd have been strung up for one third as much of the things he'd say. I was in a position to be polite and smiling and ladylike even while taking major crapola on the phone...and in France, they don't hold back on the phone to the poor innocent who has the misfortune of answering that phone. I did not need it from the people with whom I worked as we were one team, non?
So this guy pushed me one last time to the limit...and I let out a string of direct cussing about how much anyone had to take before they broke, but ten months had done it for me...so...expletive deleted off..
A couple of French coworkers heard me say it to him...and were shocked that this ladylike (well normally ladylike) person would get this angry, and in fact, everyone knew that he'd pushed me beyond the ultimate limit in order for me to yell at him.
He himself was riveted to the floor like by fire...
A couple of them went up and asked what I'd said as their English wasn't that good. I know one of my coworkers laughed but knew that if I'd cussed that badly in English, I must have been truly mad.
Well, the guy kind of said, 'gee, don't have to be so sore to a guy...I didn't mean it...' and then, became my buddy if not ally at work. He was my staunchest defender and I think he was just being a little brother type...though my brothers would never have tried that on me...no way.
I also had no fear of the boss asking me what I'd been thinking of to talk like that in the corridor as he knew my threshhold was so high!
I don't think the string of cussing in French would have been so effective.
So, French isn't as gutteral...and English is more direct.
Oh, in addition, my French spouse probably uses the two in a similar way...English is much harsher.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
absciarretta United States Local time: 11:36 Member (2008) English to Norwegian + ...
Norwegian!
Mar 22, 2007
I usually yell at my husband in English but if he pushes me too far it will be in Norwegian. Only, I am not used to cursing in Norwegian (or at all really) so that will come out in English.
I say my phone number in English or Norwegian with equal ease. And I switch languages mid-sentence when talking to our bi-lingual son.
To our four cats, same thing.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
I speak English at home but I am Italian and when it comes down to bad words, italian is second to none!!! I am not used to cursing in Italian anymore because I've been in the US for so long, but definitely if you push the right buttons you'll hear some good Italian...
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Sara Senft United States Local time: 13:36 Spanish to English + ...
Most of the time......
Jul 21, 2008
I cuss in English. That's because it's my native language and I speak it the most often.
Sometimes, I cuss in Spanish. Like others have posted, it really depends on the situation.
And my cat......I speak to her in English most of the time. Occasionally, I say something to her in French or Japanese, but I typically use Spanish if I don't use English.
She has no clue what I say when I don't use English, though....for curses or other words.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Susana Alves Portugal Local time: 17:36 Member (2009) Portuguese to English + ...
portuguese then english
Aug 20, 2008
I was born in Portugal and attended school until the fourth grade, then moved to the states. At 16 I spoke Portuguese with an American accent. I'm now back in Portugal, my husband and kids don't speak much English, so I start off in Portuguese, but if I lose it, I switch to English.
As far as numbers go, I go either way.
During the 89 earthquake in San Francisco, my boss, said I switched to Portuguese, however, in more recent times when really stressed or scared, I've used English.
I'm still trying to figure out which is my "native" tongue.
-Susana
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
Oh My Word! France Local time: 19:36 French to Spanish + ...
In Spanish if I feel in danger...
Sep 6, 2008
Though I also curse in French and English depending on who or what is annoying me, when there's danger around (a speed racer on the road, a big object falling right over somebody's head...) my mother tongue comes first and I always say ¡cuidado!, even to people who can't understand.
For it's short and strong I often yell fu** when I'm in pain or really pissed. I used to think that it was kind of snob, more a concious choice rather than something coming straight from my guts, until I had to spend two hours under a massive dose of artificial oxytocin (the hormone that causes contractions) without anaesthesia, the only word that came out of my mouth without thinking was F***K.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
kmtext United Kingdom Local time: 18:36 English + ...
It depends on which language I've been using.
Sep 11, 2008
A good 90% of my normal daily conversation is in English, so I tend to use English if I lose my temper - unless I'm visiting my family or on the phone to them or have just been on the phone to them, in which case I'll use Gàidhlig. The reflex seems to change depending on which language I've been thinking in. If someone threw a bucket of water over me just now, I'd probably swear in English because I've been translating into English. If someone did the same when I'd been translating into Gàidhlig, I'd probably use Gàidhlig.
If I want to make an impression, Gàidhlig is definitely more satisfying. There are very few single swear words and they tend to be pretty mild so if you want to say anything much stronger than damn, it's a whole phrase, so there's a lot of scope for spleen venting.
I'd class myself as more fluent in Gàidhlig than English, but as I was taught through English, I find it awkward to do maths and arithmetic in Gàidhlig.
Phone numbers, again, it depends. Some are in Gàidhlig, some in English and some in German. It depends on whose number it is and which language I learnt the number in.
The cat is definitely a Gàidhlig speaker. She'll just ignore anyone speaking English unless they've got food. My friend's baby is also learning Gàidhlig. I don't know why, but I find it awkward to speak to her in English although both of her parents are English. Maybe it's because of my sister's kids. They're being brought up speaking only Gàidhlig in the home, although they speak English as fluently as any other kids their age.
Subject:
Comment:
The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)
PerfectIt helps deliver error-free documents. It improves consistency, ensures quality and helps to enforce style guides. It’s a powerful tool for pro users, and comes with the assurance of a 30-day money back guarantee.
A fully featured online CAT tool and TMS, with no installation required, and a simple, intuitive interface. Maximize linguistic assets by sharing in real time as you collaborate with colleagues. Make use of next generation, cloud-based translation technol
The translation workplace 
