Be careful when learning foreign phrases
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (326823)
Rockingham, Australia
April 5, 2019 8:04pm CST
Yesterday I wrote about the two South Korean girls that came out for a meal. The older of the two wore her national dress. You can catch up here if you like:
The older one had a good English vocabulary and seemed to have learnt lists of synonyms. So she was saying Sumi Jo was a great singer, a coloratura soprano, an opera singer. The younger one had a better grasp of Australian idioms and slang.
The older one was pretty hot in her national costume and suddenly said ‘It is effing hot today isn’t it? Only she didn’t use ‘effing’. Her companion was mortified and we must have looked a bit shocked as she went on ‘that’s right, isn’t it? Effing hot? Have I said something wrong? Wasn’t it effing hot? Isn’t that what you say when it’s so hot? Effing hot?’ and she went on and on.
What had happened was that the young overseer at the orchard where they’d been picking fruit had told this lass that ‘effing this, that and other’ was what you said if you were Australian. We were quick to tell her that she’d be better off not to use it. But I’ll never forget the horrified look of the other girl.
I’ve put up the same photo of them as on the last post.
These next two backpackers are going to get two posts as there is a lot to say about them. They were two South Korean girls that my husband picked late one...
29 people like this
28 responses
@xFiacre (12503)
• Ireland
6 Apr 19
@judyev Hilarious, especially the reaction of the other one! When my aunt visited us in Malawi long time ago I told her what she should say when people spoke to her - no one spoke English. it was terribly wrong of me. Every time someone said hello to her she smiled and said the word for sh1t at them.
4 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (95444)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
6 Apr 19
In the Latin American culture a cuss word that is said may be offensive to a Mexican but not to a person from another part of Latin America. I agree with you that some words that you and I may not find offensive may be out of bounds to people in other parts of the world.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 19
We do need to be careful what words and phrases we say if we're not sure of the meaning.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
6 Apr 19
Sometimes we learn new words from other people, but that isn't always a good thing. As a foreigner we might not realize that it is best to avoid some words. It is a good thing that you told her to avoid that word. Some Danes use the word f******* in almost every sentence, but that doesn't happen because of they don't realize what kind of word it is.2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
6 Apr 19
@JudyEv Yes, she will probably be more careful in the future. Our exchange student from Australia struggled with some of the Danish words. Some of our words can be used in more than one way. The same word means "great" and "fat" She once got in trouble. She wanted to say that someone was great, and she ended up called them fat instead. Not exactly a compliment
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Apr 19
@Porcospino It is so easy to do isn't it? Poor girl.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (74146)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
6 Apr 19
Great photo Yes, it is best to make sure about what you are saying when it comes to a foreign language. I remember years ago reading about a car that was manufactured in the US. I forget what make and model now but it became a best seller in the states. Then the car was sent for sale to Mexico and no one would buy it and they would laugh when seeing it. The name that had been given to the car in Spanish was in reference to a whorehouse. When they changed the name for those in Mexico it sold like hotcakes.
2 people like this
@Aquitaine24 (11653)
• San Jose, California
6 Apr 19
@JudyEv In the US a guy had trouble when he wanted DUWOPDJ on his licence plaste.
1 person likes this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
6 Apr 19
I haven't been to a native English speaking country ever, but If I were there, and somebody told me a word to use, I would first try to find out more with other natives in order to learn more and not to screw it up. Sometimes knowing basic words is better than trying to learn new ones that are totally inappropriate!
2 people like this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
6 Apr 19
@JudyEv Absolutely. If I was introduced to a foreigner who's gonna spend some time in my country, and that person said something wrong, or inappropriate, I would definitely try to correct the person in the best polite way.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (216482)
• Chile
9 Apr 19
I´m very careful when speaking in English. Although I read and write fairly well in English, my accent changes many words from good to bad. 
1 person likes this
@marguicha (216482)
• Chile
10 Apr 19
@JudyEv There are sounds we don´t have in Spanish.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
6 Apr 19
I have come across some very funny instances like that. My wifes sister did not speak English I saw her mutter something to her daughter and she whispered something back she then raised her glass and said 'Gary up your bottom' and not 'bottoms up' ! I love her my niece she did that on purpose! I thought it was hysterical and nearly choked on what I was eating! The daughter got a scolding off her mother. I told her no that is the sort of humorous thing I like! ( I remind her of it every now and again. She blushes)2 people like this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Apr 19
Oh poor lady. I was helping an Italian with her English once and we got talking about 'raining cats and dogs'. To encourage her to write, we would send short emails back and forth. On this particular day she wrote 'the cats and dogs are coming down'. Idiomatic phrases are so hard for them.
I was helping an Italian with her English once and we got talking about 'raining cats and dogs'. To encourage her to write, we would send short emails back and forth. On this particular day she wrote 'the cats and dogs are coming down'. Idiomatic phrases are so hard for them.
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Apr 19
I would have laughed so hard I would have cried.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 19
We were trying not to embarrass her too much. We laughed and laughed later and dined out on the joke for ages.
@Aquitaine24 (11653)
• San Jose, California
6 Apr 19
@JudyEv On the tv show "Dallas" that word was used quite a lot!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Apr 19
@Aquitaine24 Yes, mostly no-one takes any notice of it.
1 person likes this
@florelway (23159)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
6 Apr 19
Sometimes little knowledge is dangerous.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 19
@florelway She had been told to say 'f*cking' but I didn't want to write that in my post and the editing process wouldn't have allowed it.
2 people like this
@florelway (23159)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
6 Apr 19
@JudyEv she must have heard somebody saying piping hot referring to some hot coffee or soup and tried to apply it to the weather only that the word was not right.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
7 Apr 19
Thanks for a good laugh. I think many people mindlessly use that word. Some may have no idea what it means. Did you tell your new friend the meaning? Or just advise her not to use it.
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
6 Apr 19
quite funny and she obviously said it in all innocence
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (96528)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Apr 19
I am glad you were able to explain it to her before she got herself in trouble somewhere.1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (80210)
• United States
6 Apr 19
That is so funny even though inappropriate pretty much in any language.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326823)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Apr 19
Yes, it was a bit bit but then we all laughed about it.
@arunima25 (85950)
• Bangalore, India
6 Apr 19
But I would say that though an awkward moment, it must be a funny one. I hope everyone could hold their laugh for later and did not make her feel embarrassed.
My younger one comes with such situation quite often. She tries to overuse a word when she learns it. And once she misplaced it with another similar word. So she read a sentence to me.. The couple loved each other and so embarrassed each other. She meant embrace instead of embarass1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85950)
• Bangalore, India
6 Apr 19
@JudyEv Young children look so innocent with such incidents and it really reflects their sincerity to learn.
1 person likes this
