Re: Laserlight's FT Lite

Matt wrote:

> "'Ere mate, could I bum a fag?"
> 
> As for the Americans reaction, well from what I understand of the US
> translation of the above phrase, could be anything from abject horror
to
> fisticuffs.

It wouldn't be that bad, because the average American has never heard
the term "bum" used to mean your "bottom". The more common word in the
U.S. is "butt", or the other name for a donkey (no, I'm not being
prudish, I just don't want to spell it in case the message gets
intercepted by spam filters).

Some Americans might be more horrified if they heard someone talking
about "fag butts", but that's a different story...

> On a more serious note this has happend in the past. During the Korean
war,
> specifically the Battle of Imjin, a British liason offficer asked for
air
> support and when asked how serious the situation was by an American
officer
> replied along the lines of "A tad sticky old chap".
> 
> The US officer, understandly enough, failed to realise that "A tad
sticky"
> translated in this case as "We are out numbered 50 to 1."

I suspect that the problems still exist, but they aren't as bad as they
used to be. I think, due to the output from Hollywood, that Brits are
more likely to understand American popular culture and idioms than they
used to be (and more so than the other way around). Canadians, also part
of the NAC, may act as a good "go between). Of course Canadians add
their own culture and words, but this appears to be a smaller number
than the words and phrases they have in common with Britain and the U.S.

--
Allan Goodall		   agoodall@att.net
http://www.hyperbear.com   agoodall@hyperbear.com