this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2024

405 points (99.0% liked)

Ask Lemmy

27240 readers

2722 users here now

A Fediverse community for open-ended, thought provoking questions

Rules: (interactive)

1) Be nice and; have fun

Doxxing, trolling, sealioning, racism, and toxicity are not welcomed in AskLemmy. Remember what your mother said: if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. In addition, the site-wide Lemmy.world terms of service also apply here. Please familiarize yourself with them

2) All posts must end with a '?'

This is sort of like Jeopardy. Please phrase all post titles in the form of a proper question ending with ?

3) No spam

Please do not flood the community with nonsense. Actual suspected spammers will be banned on site. No astroturfing.

4) NSFW is okay, within reason

Just remember to tag posts with either a content warning or a [NSFW] tag. Overtly sexual posts are not allowed, please direct them to either [email protected] or [email protected]. NSFW comments should be restricted to posts tagged [NSFW].

5) This is not a support community.

It is not a place for 'how do I?', type questions. If you have any questions regarding the site itself or would like to report a community, please direct them to Lemmy.world Support or email [email protected]. For other questions check our partnered communities list, or use the search function.

6) No US Politics.

Please don't post about current US Politics. If you need to do this, try [email protected] or [email protected]

Reminder: The terms of service apply here too.

Partnered Communities:

Logo design credit goes to: tubbadu

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

405

If you've ever interacted with someone who speaks a different language, what is the funniest misunderstanding you've had? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

262 comments fedilink hide all child comments

An example of what I mean:

I, in China, told an English speaking Chinese friend I needed to stop off in the bathroom to "take a shit."

He looked appalled and after I asked why he had that look, he asked what I was going to do with someone's shit.

I had not laughed so hard in a while, and it totally makes sense.

I explained it was an expression for pooping, and he comes back with, "wouldn't that be giving a shit?"

I then got to explain that to give a shit means you care and I realized how fucked some of our expressions are.

What misunderstandings made you laugh?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

day 2 at a new job

Boss's boss and I are the only two there.

Boss^2: Vhat is za status of our new office in Catalina

Me: O.o (They have offices all over the place but I am not aware it's someplace named Catalina exists, I've heard of the dressing before so maybe it's a thing?)

I...um I'm not sure

Boss^2: Well, you need to find out.

Me: I don't even have anybody's phone number yet this is just my second day if you have some people you'd like me to call I can do that.

Boss^2: yez, look up the office and call them and ask them what their status is.

Me: (starts googling Catalina, an island in California? That wouldn't make any sense. A region in Spain Catalonia? That would make a little more sense but still not a lot and I don't speak Spanish)

Boss^2: well?

Me: I can't find an office in Catalina or Catalonia. You wouldn't happen to have their phone number would you

Boss^2: Catalina, Catalina, CAT-O-LINA, sea ate aya oh lee n ya

Me: Wait, Carolina, I'm so sorry let me find them.

(Rings, voicemail) It's 8:00 a.m., there's no one there yet.

Boss^2: rrr o k