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Originally Posted by DNSB
Not sure about the usage in Europe but in Canada, you can find almost any foods served buffet style described as a smörgåsbord (though without the diacriticals  ). |
How extremely weird! I'd actually never heard of it before today...
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Originally Posted by DNSB
As one quote about the English language goes:
"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peakcrew
I love that quote! It always seems to me that countries that try to control their language (such as the French) have a very odd world-view. Language is for communication, and, no matter how irritating some of its uses are, it does, and indeed should, evolve. If there is a better word in a different language, why not use it?
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Well, sure, but... as per the above, it doesn't just seem like they're taking a word from another language because it's better, it seems like they're taking a random fun sounding word from another language and sticking a completely different meaning to it. Now that's just ridiculous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DNSB
Oddly, a couple of online translators translated roggebrood to rye bread. Is that a light rye, dark rye, Russian rye or Winnipeg rye?
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Well, that depends... what's rye bread?
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Originally Posted by Peakcrew
I'm not sure of the differences there, but what I know as rye bread from my wife's preferences (being from the European mainland herself) is something the colour of the Space Shuttle's ablative tiles, the texture and smell of lino, and the taste of the mash left over from brewing. It takes about a month to chew a mouthful, and you really ought to be able to blow bubbles with it.
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I hate it too!