A few years ago, my online friend, Tamara Gerber-Stutz, of Part-time Working Hockey Mom, hosted a blogfest called “TOP TEN THURSDAY,” where she chose different subjects every week. Here is my response to :
Top Ten Words or Phrases You Know in Foreign Languages
(and how/why you know them)
(Actually, some of my top ten aren’t suitable for general audiences. This is the PG version. ;))
I was born in Germany to a German mother and a Canadian father of German descent, which gave me the benefit of dual citizenship and bilingual proficiency in both English and German.
French was taught in school, and I absorbed some Italian from my husband, who hails from the Bari region of Italy. Along the way, I met a few Spanish-speaking people and learned some words and phrases from them.
Greek is a language I tried to study in preparation for our 2013 trip there, but it was too difficult for this old brain.
1. Good day, friends in 5 foreign languages.
For the 2015 April A to Z Challenge, my entire theme was built around language.
I made this little recording:
French/Français: Bonjour mes amis German/Deutsch: Guten Tag Freunde
Italian/Italiano: Buon giorno amici Spanish/Español: Buenos Dias amigos
Greek/Elliniká [ελληνικά]: Kali̱méra fíloi [Καλημέρα φίλοι]
2. Schatz
The German word for treasure and the nickname I gave my husband years ago.
(He does answer to it!)
Variations: Schatzi, Schätzchen (diminutive)
3. Mannagia la miseria!
Damn it/Good grief/For crying out loud, etc. in Italian. One guess where I heard that!
4. Sciamaninn
Translation: Let’s go. Any guesses what language this might be?
It’s my husband’s crazy Barese (Pugliese) dialect. In Italian, you would say Andiamo.
Check out this tongue twister: 😀
Ce n’ge na ma sci, sciamaninn. Ce non ge na ma sci, non ge ne sim scenn.
(If we are going to go, let’s go. If we are not going to go, then let’s not go.)
5. Scheiße!
German for shit, one of my favourite and most frequently used words in any language.
The ß symbol signifies a double S. Variation: Verdammte Scheiße nochmal! (Damn shit again!)
6. Tabarnak!
An all-purpose expletive in Québécois. (French-Canadian dialect.)
Literal translation is tabernacle, but that’s not how it’s used.
See # 3 and # 5, above.
7. Te Quiero
I love you in Spanish. It’s more casual than Te Amo.
First heard in 1968, on this Spanish record owned by one of my boarding school housemates.
It’s a cover of an English song.
8. καλημέρα (Kalimera)
Good morning/day in Greek. This, and a few other words stuck with me.
The Greek alphabet is a whole other challenge!
9: Sláinte!
Cheers! in Irish/Scottish Gaelic. Literally, it means health and is used as a drinking toast.
I learned this from internet friends who live in Northern Ireland.
10. Grüezi!
Hello! (or Greetings!) in Swiss-German,
which is not the same as standard German (my version of the language).
I picked up a few words while attending boarding school there, but found it difficult.
Variation: Grüezi mittenand (when addressing a group)
What foreign words and phrases do you know?
Looking forward to your comments!
Updated July 27, 2020
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
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8 thoughts on “FOREIGN FAVOURITES #LinguisticMusings”
Any foreign words I’ve learned either come from working with Mexicans (about 50% good stuff), bits and pieces from comics, history, and science, and the odd phrase from Canadians like yourself and Australians.
This was fun, Debbie!
Hi Debbie – fun to hear and see … your voice is very clear and concise … also a good mix. You’ve certainly access to many languages and dialects … take care – and not being a linguist please count me out! All the best – Hilary
Someone should make a poem, using all these unique words. I could not do it. The only language shifting I can command is Google Translate.
I can read, speak and understand some Spanish. When I lived in Mexico as a teenager I was near fluent, but 52 years later with little practice, it’s hit or miss. Good post.
I rarely use any other language aside from English, but my wife seems to think I speak and understand Spanish fairly well. I let her do the speaking in Spanish and I listen–sometimes I can understand, but sometimes not.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
I know a few words here and there, but I’ve got an old brain too and we don’t travel anymore. Makes you even rustier. Oh well.
Have a fabulous day and week, Debbie. Big hug. ♥
Good for you for being multilingual, Debbie. Back in the day, I knew some Spanish but I’ve forgotten most of it, however, it does come back when I read it. I recognize 2 of your words – Te Quiero and Sláinte!. There is an Irish pub in Blue Ridge, Ga, owned by a retired Irish Priest and I’ve heard many Irish words from him. Otherwise, I can’t add any foreign words or phrases to your collection. Have a great week ahead!