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General discussionNational/local weirdness(178 posts)(178 posts)
(178 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted September 23, 2015
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k4ZE106: Not really a national oddity, but an oddity of the German language as a whole (especially, if you're from an English speaking country), is the use of our personal pronouns.
While an English speaker would refer to an adult stranger with a gender specific term, like "Sir", "Ma'am" or simply by "you" (second-person singular), in German you refer to a stranger (male or female) as "Sie" (capitalized third-person singular). The uncapitalized "sie" means "she", so the two are not to be confused.
Like I said, "Sie" is to be used whem approaching a stranger, but it is also used in formal workplaces. Not using it and using "du" ("you") can come off as condescending or disrespectful. Skipping the "Sie" and going to the less formal "du" usually occurs when both parties agree to it.
That reminds me. I asked something similar to this a few years ago and got a lot of agreement from around the globe, especially Germany, and that is pertaining to regional dialects making people who speak the same language almost impossible to understand. XD

In the States you need not travel too far at all and the accents and dialect get so heavy the guy might as well be speaking Latin to you.
Posted September 23, 2015
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tinyE: That reminds me. I asked something similar to this a few years ago and got a lot of agreement from around the globe, especially Germany, and that is pertaining to regional dialects making people who speak the same language almost impossible to understand. XD

In the States you need not travel too far at all and the accents and dialect get so heavy the guy might as well be speaking Latin to you.
Definetly a thing. You can come across some pretty wild regional dialects that are barely recognizable.
Post edited September 23, 2015 by k4ZE106
Posted September 23, 2015
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Shadowstalker16: Take off your shoes before entering someone's house as a guest.

Snakes hate garlic, use it to drive them away, don't kill them, if you kill one another one will come and avenge the killed reptilian brother / sister.
I think the same rule is customary in Japan (and I use it as well).

I read that garlic as food is perceived in very different ways depending in which region of India you are. Is it true?
Posted September 23, 2015
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Shadowstalker16: Take off your shoes before entering someone's house as a guest.

Snakes hate garlic, use it to drive them away, don't kill them, if you kill one another one will come and avenge the killed reptilian brother / sister.
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Dalswyn: I think the same rule is customary in Japan (and I use it as well).

I read that garlic as food is perceived in very different ways depending in which region of India you are. Is it true?
I don't know TBH but garlic is certainly not used here in the southern parts as much as in the northern parts.
Posted September 23, 2015
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JudasIscariot: Can't you just say "Look, let's forget the takaluf!" or something to let the host know you aren't doing takaluf so that they don't get put in an awkward position?
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babark: Yeah, that could simply be interpreted as another sort of takaluf.
Alright, I am the Messiah...
Posted September 23, 2015
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Fever_Discordia: Wait, 'city guard'? Is that part of the police, or the equivalent of a traffic warden or a bunch of dudes in plate-mail complaining that they once took an arrow to the knee :-D
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JudasIscariot: It's these guys...

I say "city guard" because that's the best term I can think of. They aren't police but they are treated as functionaries of the law.
I think you are referring to what in Germany is known as "Ordnungsamt" (lit. 'Office of Order'), a municipal authority responsible for enforcing regulations (Wikipedia calls it "Code Enforcement"). For example they issue tickets for parking violations or littering and enforce the civic code and all kinds of health and safety regulations.

They often wear uniforms/drive cars similar to the police but don't have the same authority, e.g. they are not allowed to have weapons or enforce criminal law.
Posted September 23, 2015
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k4ZE106: While an English speaker would refer to an adult stranger with a gender specific term, like "Sir", "Ma'am" or simply by "you" (second-person singular), in German you refer to a stranger (male or female) as "Sie" (capitalized third-person singular).
I'm pretty sure that it's third person plural and not singular.
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Crewdroog: I have traveled to Mexico and England and tried to leave tips not thinking, and given very odd looks.
In Germany it is common to give about 10% of the bill in tips if the service was good. You don't give any tips in fast food restaurants, though.
Post edited September 23, 2015 by 0Grapher
Posted September 23, 2015
The OP mentioned two points that are pretty much common out here. :)

An irrational fear of cold. Be it a draught or consequences of sitting on the cold concrete.

Drinking coffee too. I can agree pretty much with a whole paragraph. That might be a cultural thing. I searched for coffee drinking statistics and every one of them had 2 or more former-Yugoslavian countries in the top ten (and every one of them had Fins on top :D).

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Fever_Discordia: Stuff about my country is literally a click-bait meme!
Speaking of which I can related to almost all of these but can I ask whether it's REALLY just a British thing or if people from other countries worry about leaving shops without purchase or job across Zebra crossings? (does anyone else even CALL them 'zebra crossings'?)
http://www.tickld.com/x/30-problems-only-british-people-will-understand
I found myself in some of these (especially 11).

Although I would say those points describe a very awkward person. :) Maybe because most people here are outgoing and open.

Anyway it sounds like a good outline for Hugh Grant movie. :P
Posted September 23, 2015
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k4ZE106: While an English speaker would refer to an adult stranger with a gender specific term, like "Sir", "Ma'am" or simply by "you" (second-person singular), in German you refer to a stranger (male or female) as "Sie" (capitalized third-person singular).
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0Grapher: I'm pretty sure that it's third person plural and not singular.
No, in the case he described it's clearly singular.
Posted September 23, 2015
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0Grapher: I'm pretty sure that it's third person plural and not singular.
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Randalator: No, in the case he described it's clearly singular.
No, it clearly is not: "Entschuldigen Sie (3. Person Plural Nominativ) bitte, ich möchte Ihnen (3. Person Plural Dativ) etwas sagen"
Posted September 23, 2015
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Randalator: No, in the case he described it's clearly singular.
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0Grapher: No, it clearly is not: "Entschuldigen Sie (3. Person Plural Nominativ) bitte, ich möchte Ihnen (3. Person Plural Dativ) etwas sagen"
Yes, it clearly is: "Entschuldigen Sie (1. Person singular Nominativ), mein Herr, aber da liegen Sie (1. Person singular Nominativ) ganz eindeutig falsch, wie Ihnen (1. Person singular Dativ) dieses Beispiel unmissverständlich demonstriert."

Your example is ambiguous, because it could refer to one person or several. But k4ZE106's example clearly stated adressing one male or female person.
Posted September 23, 2015
How many of you alter or take off the price tag on a gift to someone? For example, you have a Christmas gift and you'll take a black marker across the price to conceal it if the taking the tag off would damage the original packaging.
Posted September 23, 2015
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JudasIscariot: How many of you alter or take off the price tag on a gift to someone? .
I always do that.
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Randalator: Yes, it clearly is: "Entschuldigen Sie (1. Person singular Nominativ), mein Herr, aber da liegen Sie (1. Person singular Nominativ) ganz eindeutig falsch, wie Ihnen (1. Person singular Dativ) dieses Beispiel unmissverständlich demonstriert."

Your example is ambiguous, because it could refer to one person or several. But k4ZE106's example clearly stated adressing one male or female person.
You shouldn't post something like this if you obviously don't know what you're talking about.

First and foremost, you don't address people with any personal pronouns in a case but second person singular, second person plural or third person plural.

Secondly, it doesn't matter if it's one person you're addressing or multiple persons. The personal pronoun you use is third person plural, which you can very easily see if you don't use the nominative form but the dative form:
vgl:
3. Person Singular femininum: sie - ihr
3. Person Plural: sie - ihnen

If -as k4ZE106 suggested- the pronoun were a capitalized third person singular its dative form would have to be "Ihr" but it isn't.
Post edited September 23, 2015 by 0Grapher
Posted September 23, 2015
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JudasIscariot: How many of you alter or take off the price tag on a gift to someone? For example, you have a Christmas gift and you'll take a black marker across the price to conceal it if the taking the tag off would damage the original packaging.
I do that religiously!

I have an aunt that keeps it on and points it out. If it doesn't have a tag she tells you how much she spent as soon as you open it.

I despise that woman.
Posted September 23, 2015
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JudasIscariot: How many of you alter or take off the price tag on a gift to someone? For example, you have a Christmas gift and you'll take a black marker across the price to conceal it if the taking the tag off would damage the original packaging.
Absolutely, because it's considered tacky to display the evidence of how much you did (or didn't) spend on the gift.

(TinyE, I'd loathe that aunt too.)
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionNational/local weirdness(178 posts)(178 posts)
(178 posts)