Re: Accents
| From: | Roger Mills <romilly@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Monday, January 14, 2002, 22:03 |
|---|
Christophe Grandsire wrote:
>> >> "Mag het een onsje meer zijn?"
>>
>> *puzzled*
>> ...which means "may the one little ounce (meer) you"
>Faux ami! Dutch mogen means "to be allowed to", not "may". And meer is
"more".
>It more or less translate litterally as "Is it okay if there's a little
more?"
>Though knowing Dutch, I suppose if it's an expression it means something
>completely different :))) .
>
>Where do you use that, in the market? :))
That would be my guess, though more in the sense "Can't you give me a little
more...?", i.e. how about 11 cookies for the same price as 10.
I once heard ( long ago, and strangely, only at _one_ shop) "Can you rain on
that a little?" meaning "Will you lower your price a little?"
BTW, Engl. "may" can mean "be allowed to", though mothers and school
teachers have stopped correcting us. "Can I go to the movies?, Yes, you
_may_."
Reply