"Wolfgang Schwanke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Tim Challenger <"timothy(dot)challenger(at)apk(dot)at"> wrote in
    > news:9d2f581bc8b99dce9ee46c34326fe15....teranews.com:
    > >>> We call them Mobile phones:-)
    > >
    > >> No, they are 'Handies'
    > The word "Mobiltelefon" exists.
    > > and they think it's an English word :-o
    > It is. German just adapted its meaning. There are more such "fake
    > English" words in German.

But the point I was making with this word is that many Germans don't
realise that it it isn't the correct English word.

    > > In Germany the plural should be "Handys", not "Handies" anyway, to
    > > stick to the new German spelling rules. Along with Babys, and Ladys.
    > > Ugh!
    > Old rules as well, no change there. And why shouldn't we? They are loan
    > words alright, but we only import the word, not its grammar. When used in a
    > German sentence, they are German words, and German grammar applies.

And how am I supposed to know how it forms a plural?
I haven't worked out the German words yet!

    > English
    > acts just the same. Or do you pluralise "rucksäcke", "kindergärten" and
    > "glockenspiele"?

I don't know, do you?

Tim

    > Regards
    > --
    > Franz jagt im komplett verwahrlosten Taxi quer durch Bayern.
    > http://www.wschwanke.de/

"tim" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    >> > and they think it's an English word :-o
    >> It is. German just adapted its meaning. There are more such "fake
    >> English" words in German.
    >
    > But the point I was making with this word is that many Germans don't
    > realise that it it isn't the correct English word.

That tend to be people who don't know English good enough. Of course it's
not a good idea to make them write English signs.

    >> > In Germany the plural should be "Handys", not "Handies" anyway, to
    >> > stick to the new German spelling rules. Along with Babys, and
    >> > Ladys. Ugh!
    >> Old rules as well, no change there. And why shouldn't we? They are
    >> loan words alright, but we only import the word, not its grammar.
    >> When used in a German sentence, they are German words, and German
    >> grammar applies.
    >
    > And how am I supposed to know how it forms a plural?
    > I haven't worked out the German words yet!

Sprachgefühl! It's easy enough with these examples. Most nouns that end in
a vowel form their plural by adding -s, just as in English (cf. "Autos",
"Velos", "Mofas" ...). But the -y doesn't change to -ies in spelling, that'
an English rule which doesn't exist in German.

    >> English
    >> acts just the same. Or do you pluralise "rucksäcke", "kindergärten" and
    >> "glockenspiele"?
    >
    > I don't know, do you?

Prolly "rucksacks", "kindergartens", "glockenspiels"?

Whatever, for everyone's amusement, here are some more fake English German
words:

Germish meaning
=========================================
Showmaster TV show host
(Talkmaster) (chat show host)
(Quizmaster) (quiz show host)
Dressman male photo model, male prostitute
Pullunder woollen sweater (analogous to "pullover")
Twen person in their 20s (analogous to "teen")
Catcher professional wrestler
Tramper hitchhiker
(trampen) (to hitchhike)
Evergreen golden oldie
Smoking tuxedo
Steptanz tap dance

--
Ride the Ultrabeat

http://www.wschwanke.de/

On Wed, 3 Sep 2003 22:13:47 +0200, Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:

    > Pullunder woollen sweater (analogous to "pullover")
Pullunder - is what we Brits would call a "tank-top", an armless sweater of
the sort worn by Granville in Open All Hours, or J.P.Gumby on Monty Python.


Also :
Germlish English
-------- --------
Casting an audition
Wellness health spa
Flagstore the main or first branch of a retail chain: "flagship store?"
Oldtimer a classic or vintage car (rather than an old bloke)
Mobbing being picked on by (normally one) peer in the office at work.
(pronounced Moppink)

Clinch something that only enemies do, rather than lovers.
Open-Air always missing off whatever it is. eg, concert. "I know it's outdoors, but what is it?"


Not forgetting all the nouns they've re-invented, like Clubbing
(club/rave), (Photo)shooting (shoot).
I mean can you imagine the bloody mess at a "clubbing with modelshooting",
here it wouldn't even get into the local papers. They never, ever mention
the poor baby seals.

--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

In article <[email protected] m>,
"timothy(dot)challenger(at)apk(dot)at" (Tim Challenger) wrote:

    > Mobbing being picked on by (normally one) peer in the office at
    > work. (pronounced Moppink)

That's an interesting reversal, isn't it? (In British English, mobbing is
specifically performed by *many* people -- a mob.)

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
(Wolfgang Schwanke) wrote:

    > >> English
    > >> acts just the same. Or do you pluralise "rucksäcke", "kindergärten"
    > > and
    > >> "glockenspiele"?
    > >
    > > I don't know, do you?
    >
    > Prolly "rucksacks", "kindergartens", "glockenspiels"?

Yes, all three would be the normal usage, I think. Mind you, it's not
often one has to talk about more than one glockenspiel at a time.

    > Smoking tuxedo

Related to the (now outmoded) English "smoking jacket", presumably,
although not the same thing as a tux?

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 09:46:20 +0000 (UTC), [email protected] wrote:

    > In article <[email protected] m>,
    > "timothy(dot)challenger(at)apk(dot)at" (Tim Challenger) wrote:

    >> Mobbing being picked on by (normally one) peer in the office at
    >> work. (pronounced Moppink)

    > That's an interesting reversal, isn't it? (In British English, mobbing is
    > specifically performed by *many* people -- a mob.)

Exactly, and they won't listen when I tell them that, either. They know
best, of course. Everyone says it, so it must be right.

--
Tim.

If the human brain were simple enough that we could understand it, we would
be so simple that we couldn't.

[email protected] wrote:
    > In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
    > (Wolfgang Schwanke) wrote:

    > > >> English
    > > >> acts just the same. Or do you pluralise "rucks?cke", "kinderg?rten"
    > > > and
    > > >> "glockenspiele"?
    > > >
    > > > I don't know, do you?
    > >
    > > Prolly "rucksacks", "kindergartens", "glockenspiels"?

    > Yes, all three would be the normal usage, I think. Mind you, it's not
    > often one has to talk about more than one glockenspiel at a time.
    >
    > > Smoking tuxedo

    > Related to the (now outmoded) English "smoking jacket", presumably,
    > although not the same thing as a tux?

Or 'dinner jacket'? Nex

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Alan
Pollock) wrote:

    > [email protected] wrote:
    > > In article <[email protected]>,
    > > [email protected] (Wolfgang Schwanke) wrote:
    > > > Smoking tuxedo
    >
    > > Related to the (now outmoded) English "smoking jacket", presumably,
    > > although not the same thing as a tux?
    >
    > Or 'dinner jacket'? Nex

Yes, dinner jacket = tux but =/= smoking jacket!

Alan Pollock vented spleen or mostly mumbled...


    >
    >> Yes, all three would be the normal usage, I think. Mind you, it's not
    >> often one has to talk about more than one glockenspiel at a time.
    >>
    >> > Smoking tuxedo
    >
    >> Related to the (now outmoded) English "smoking jacket", presumably,
    >> although not the same thing as a tux?
    >
    > Or 'dinner jacket'? Nex

Interestingly, the "dinner jacket" usage developed because those who bought
them already owned the striped trousers for "full dress (white tie and tail
coat) and when they became popular dinner jackets were consider sort of
trashy and low class. The "Tuxedo" name (and common US usage) comes from
their popularity in the NYC upscale suburb of "Tuxedo Park".

Originally, the "smoking jacket", most often velvet was to be worn only at
home, an informal step down from full dress or dinner jacket, and the
custom of wearing one with a soft collar and neck scarf came later.

We forget another item of men's evening wear, now almost entirely limited
to military and a few cruise ship officers, "Mess Dress", striped
evening trousers (or trews, I suppose in a couple of regiments), "Bum
Freezer" waist length, tailess Mmess Jackets in white for Summer or
Midnight or even a military color (red in the British Army - Do Rifle
Regiment bum freezers come in green?). For a variety of reasons, I still
have a wearable white dinner jacket and my old Navy white mess jacket,
shoulder straps removed (but still like a tail coat appropriately worn with
miniature decorations, military or civilian, the medal not the lapel
rosette of the "Legion d'Honeur" or whatever if you have it, ready for a
fancy cruise unlikely to be taken.

TMO

walter's ([email protected]) pet ferret ran around on the keyboard to create
news:[email protected]:

    >> > Some European cities/countries have banned the use of cell
    >> > phones while driving. Anyone want to mention specific localities?
    >> >
    >> It's illegal in France, and the fine is ?90 so I'd be careful.
    >
    > Is it enforced in France?
    > Here in Germany it's forbidden, too. Fine is 30 EUR or so. But nobody
    > cares. Even driving by a Police man everyone keeps the phone at the
    > ear.
    >
    > I always thought French have a relaxed attitude to regulations and
    > Germans are the law observers nbr 1.
    >
    >
    > Walter

I was in France over the summer and I can tell you for personal
experience that yes, it is enforced. (No, I didn't get the ticket,
someone travelling with me did though)

-Alex Tievsky

--
LET'S GO CAPS! (Even if they can't get past the first round, once again)

History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.
- Sir Winston Churchill

Email: "atievsky" at-symbol "cox" dot "net"

In article <[email protected] >,
"Casey" <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Some European cities/countries have banned the use of cell
    > phones while driving. Anyone want to mention specific localities?

It's forbidden practically everywhere in europe now. (or really
everywhere? anyone know a country where it's not forbidden yet?)
In Holland the fine is EUR 135.
according to my information France has a EUR 130 fine.
I think Spain has the highest fine. (much higher than 135...)

Actually it's illegal to *hold a phone in your hand* while driving. This
is to make reading/sending sms also illegal, but also to make it
possible to use a handsfree kit to call legally while driving. (a simple
cord with earplug will do)

of course passengers can use their phone normally.

Lourens

Lourens Smak <[email protected]> wrote in news:smak-351889.11240108092003
@news.wanadoo.nl:


    > It's forbidden practically everywhere in europe now. (or really
    > everywhere? anyone know a country where it's not forbidden yet?)

Britain, but it will be from December 1st.

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
(TMOliver) wrote:

    > Interestingly, the "dinner jacket" usage developed because those who
    > bought them already owned the striped trousers for "full dress (white
    > tie and tail coat) and when they became popular dinner jackets were
    > consider sort of trashy and low class.

Interesting and surprising, thanks!