Re: USAGE: two nations separated by single language, etc.

On 18 Jun 99, at 18:07, Sally Caves wrote:

>
> Heh heh... which Woody Allen movie was it where he accused someone
> of saying "Jew go?" to him for "Did you go?"
>
> Sally
Somewhat off topic once again, and I'm well aware that someone's
going to ask me to stop all this gibberish, but I had to share this
one.

It has to do with the sort of all-to-common translinguistic difficulties
that I've never seen mentioned in a conlang/conculture context:

---Forwarded Message Follows---

Subject: Breakfast

Language proficiency is part of the international contracting scene.
This exchange between an English-speaking traveller and a
member of the hotel staff in a Far East hotel was recorded in the
"Far-East Economic Review":

Room Service: Morny. Rune-sore-bees.

Hotel Guest: Oh, sorry. I thought I dialed Room Service.

RS: Rye, rune-sore-bees. Morny. Jewish to odor sunteen?

HG: Uh ... yes. I'd like some bacon and eggs.

RS: Ow July den?

HG: What?

RS: Aches. Ow July den? Pry, boy, pooch...?

HG: Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry. Scrambled please.

RS: Ow July dee baycome? Crease?

HG: Crisp will be fine.

RS: Hokay. An Santos?

HG: What?

RS: Santos. July Santos?

HG: Uh. I don't know ... I don't think so.

RS: No. Judo one toes?

HG: Look, I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what "judo
one toes" means. I'm sorry.

RS: Toes! Toes! Why jew Don Juan toes? Ow bow cenglish
mopping we bother?

HG: English muffin! I've got it! You were saying toast! Fine. An
English muffin will be fine.

RS: We bother?

HG: No. Just put the bother on the side.

RS: Wad?

HG: I'm sorry. I meant butter. Butter on the side.

RS: Copy?

HG: I feel terrible about this but ...

RS: Copy. Copy, tea, mill--

HG: Coffee! Yes, coffee please. And that's all.

RS: One Minnie. Ass rune torino fee, strangle aches, crease
baycome, tossy cenglish mopping we bother honey sigh, and
copy. Rye?

HG: Whatever you say.

RS: Hokay. Ten-jew-berry-mud.

HG: You're welcome.