Edward Potter Spain Local time: 19:47 Member (2003) Spanish to English + ...
Dec 26, 2007
Hello everyone.
I have two little nephews, ages 7 and 12, who are growing up in Greece but are always spoken to in English by my American sister.
I have noticed that the last couple of times I have visited Greece, the 12 year old seems to be getting a little bit too big for his britches. I would take him to downtown Athens, and, me being the adult, would do all business with my fairly limited Greek. At times I have to give up and ask to speak in English.
Invariably the little fellow will triumphantly laugh at me (after I have succeeded in doing whatever the business was) and tell me, quite gloatingly, of all the grammatical errors I had made, and how silly I sounded.
Has anyone else experienced this with children of this age, where they are in their element but you are not?
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Evi Wollinger Germany Local time: 19:47 German to English + ...
Pretty normal human trait...
Dec 26, 2007
Especially in children who, at this age, are starting to discover that everyone makes mistakes, even adults.
I would not take it too seriously, rather try to learn from the little wiz, after all, if his Greek is better...
[Edited at 2007-12-27 12:33]
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Edward Potter Spain Local time: 19:47 Member (2003) Spanish to English + ...
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Normal
Dec 26, 2007
I'm sure it is pretty normal. I actually smile when the little fellow does it. I had the great pleasure of teaching him words such as, pukus, pukeball, pukehead, wussy and doofus. Have to teach the kids English, you know.
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Lesley Clarke Mexico Local time: 12:47 Partial member (2005) Spanish to English
indeed
Dec 27, 2007
and he probably thinks he is helping you too. In her teenage years my daughter was dreadful for inadvertently humiliating other people when she was supposed to be helping them with their English.
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Daina Jauntirans United States Local time: 12:47 Member (2005) German to English + ...
Yes, I have experienced it!
Dec 27, 2007
My daughter is in a Spanish immersion class. We see many eye-rolls directed toward my husband's and my Spanish pronunciation.
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Victor Dewsbery Germany Local time: 19:47 German to English + ...
Many years ago while on holiday in Greece ...
Dec 27, 2007
... we visited a German-Greek family who were all bilingual, even the 7 year old daughter.
While there, our car developed problems and I had to take it to a garage. I knew no Greek, so the 7 year old girl came with me to help out.
It raised a few mechanics' eyebrows to see a grown man unable to speak their language, and a little girl interpreting for him.
Power to the kids !!!!!!!!
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Edward Potter Spain Local time: 19:47 Member (2003) Spanish to English + ...
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Commercial
Dec 27, 2007
Hi Victor.
You have reminded me of a funny commercial they used to have here in Spain. A couple is at a hotel reception counter and the receptionist is speaking too fast for them to understand. The man and woman have perplexed looks on their faces. The man reaches down for something and comes up with his seven-year-old kid who says in perfect English something like, "we'd like a double room with an extra bed, room service, from Thursday to Sunday. And would you please bring us an extra toothbrush and a comb, please?"
The parents have embarrassed smiles on their faces because their little brat has to do everything for them. Obviously, they have to buy the English classes.
[Edited at 2007-12-28 12:23]
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Tom Thumb Austria Local time: 19:47 French to English + ...
Please translate
Dec 27, 2007
Edward Potter wrote:
I'm sure it is pretty normal. I actually smile when the little fellow does it. I had the great pleasure of teaching him words such as, *pukus, pukeball, pukehead, wussy and doofus*. Have to teach the kids English, you know.
Have to teach the kids AE/American English, by all means, Edward. But could you like, mate, for us fick'eads from the East End of London, explain wot all those *words* mean, cos pukeheads, for instance, sends me kind of giddy.
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Edward Potter Spain Local time: 19:47 Member (2003) Spanish to English + ...
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Please translate
Dec 28, 2007
Why soitenly (spoken like Curley of the Three Stooges).
Pukus, pukeball, pukehead and doofus are all synonyms for dork, schmuck, moron and twerp.
A wussy, also known as a wuss, is a synonym for wimp.
I hope that this has been enlightening.
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Tom Thumb Austria Local time: 19:47 French to English + ...
Gracias
Dec 28, 2007
Edward Potter wrote:
Why soitenly (spoken like Curley of the Three Stooges).
Pukus, pukeball, pukehead and doofus are all synonyms for dork, schmuck, moron and twerp.
A wussy, also known as a wuss, is a synonym for wimp.
I hope that this has been enlightening.
Fanks, mate. You still assume dork would be understood in the UK, whereas nerd, geek, creep and oddball certainly would be.
PS Tom Thumb is teaching his father Wienerisch proper, yer know wot I mean, like...
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Berni Armstrong Spain Local time: 19:47 Member (2002) English + ...
...and a diss?
Dec 28, 2007
While we're on the subject of US slang. I have been watching a lot of US videos recently and keep hearing things or people referred to as a "diss" - any idea what that might mean?
Cheers and Happy New Year,
Berni
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juvera United Kingdom Local time: 18:47 Member (2005) English to Hungarian + ...
diss...
Dec 31, 2007
A pro like you should have the info, but here it is: diss means disrespect.
Quite trad by now, but not my fave word.
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Berni Armstrong Spain Local time: 19:47 Member (2002) English + ...
Does not knowing the latest street jive mean I ain't a pro dude?
Jan 2, 2008
juvera wrote:
A pro like you should have the info, but here it is: diss means disrespect.
Quite trad by now, but not my fave word.
I'd not have guessed that from the context in which I'd heard it and as I live outside my source culture, it is easy to get out of phase with current slang. I don't think that should cast aspersions on my status as a pro, should it? Otherwise, half of us would be up the famous brown smelly creek
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Daina Jauntirans United States Local time: 12:47 Member (2005) German to English + ...
Dis = disrespect
Jan 2, 2008
It means disrespect in the US, too, but usually as a verb, i.e., Don't dis me, although an occurrence can also be called a "dis."
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juvera United Kingdom Local time: 18:47 Member (2005) English to Hungarian + ...
Don't take it seriously
Jan 2, 2008
Berni Armstrong wrote:
juvera wrote:
A pro like you should have the info, but here it is: diss means disrespect.
Quite trad by now, but not my fave word.
I'd not have guessed that from the context in which I'd heard it and as I live outside my source culture, it is easy to get out of phase with current slang. I don't think that should cast aspersions on my status as a pro, should it? Otherwise, half of us would be up the famous brown smelly creek
Dear Berni, I was just illustrating the current lingo with as many similarly truncated words as I could muster to (more or less) fit the subject. That's why I ended with
But what you wanted to say: Half of us would be in Brad Pitt. (That's today's rhyming slang for you.)
Don't feel dissed. No hard feelings, I hope?
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