Silliness Funny or Embarrassing moments

wannabee · 03-17-2011, 07:20 AM

It's funny how common sayings in one area are completely unknown in another. I once befriended a Polish emigrant to Australia.

Well . . . in Australia it's not uncommon to call someone you think you know well an old bastard. In fact you can join a club called The Order of Old Bastards that raises money for charity, but I digress.

In Australia someone who is being uncooperative or going against the regular way of doing something and annoying the other would most likely get called a ratbag.

While bathing at the beach Vwativslav ,or "Wally" which is what I called him, came out of the surf picked up his sand filled towel and shook it out so that the wind blew the sand all over us. That is a big no-no in Australian beach protocol.

I said " Don't be a ratbag you old bastard" and he said "What! You call me a bag of rats!"

We could see he was really offended but had to stop rolling around on the ground laughing at his being offended at a well known Australian slur long enough to explain to him that it wasn't as offensive as he thought.

We were later taught a few Polish slurs.

I am hoping to hear from others that have had similar misunderstandings with embarrassing or funny results because of cross culture differences.

nohmi2 · 03-17-2011, 07:48 AM

Hah!

When I first came to the Land of Oz, it seemed that every step I took, and every word I said was hilarious.........and I speak English!

"Come round for a barbie, and bring a plate." We dutifully rolled up with a plate (and a box of chocolates - praise the gods) and felt like idiots when we found out that it meant bring something to eat.

"See ya." This from a neighbour when we moved into our house. I rushed home, tidied up as much as possible with boxes and packing cases strewn around, fixed make-up, and then sat and waited, and waited, and waited.
It meant sometime this century!

There are literally hundreds of other times when all I wanted was to disappear into a puff of smoke.

This was in 1980, and Norman Gunston, Crocodile Dundee, Dame Edna Everadge, and more were on my horizen.

I have become Aussie now, and wouldn't leave for quids mate.

See ya.

Nohmi

Mortis · 03-17-2011, 07:48 AM

Ok many years ago, when I was much younger I had one of those moments where you don't know if you should laugh or run like hell.

You know how some people take their dogs to the shopping center and leave them in their car with the window cracked? The dogs are usually barking like mad and not to happy about having been left in the car and bark at whoever happens to be next to their car.

As I parked next to this pick-up in the lot I could see there was a huge Rottweiler in the truck, being that I like dogs, I stepped closer and of course the dog started going nuts barking at me and as a smart ass, I started barking back. I was happily barking like a nutter at this huge dog who himself is going nuts barking back and drooling all over everything in the truck when I hear "Excuse me, would you mind not pissing my &^$$ dog off?"

I turned to find myself standing face to chest with a very tall and very mean looking biker who didn't look at all amused at my antics. I started to explain myself when he opened the door to the truck, this was my "Laugh or run like hell" moment. I decided that the right thing to do was get back in my car, which was a Jeep with no top on it so no protection from a pissed off biker and his Rottweiler. Apologizing as I started my Jeep the biker just grunted and smiled.

Needless to say I never bark at Rottweilers any more

wannabee · 03-17-2011, 08:10 AM

Oh that's so funny. All the poms that have told me they turned up at a barbie with a plate and saw that everyone else brought a plate with chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, salads, cold meat etc. Wouldn't you want to just hide. But as usual it was probably laughed away and there was plenty for everyone.

John Carroll · 03-17-2011, 09:08 PM

I have a friend in England. I told her about bonking someone on the head. Apparently 'bonking' has a different meaning across the pond.

lene1949 · 03-18-2011, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nohmi2

Hah!

When I first came to the Land of Oz, it seemed that every step I took, and every word I said was hilarious.........and I speak English!

"Come round for a barbie, and bring a plate." We dutifully rolled up with a plate (and a box of chocolates - praise the gods) and felt like idiots when we found out that it meant bring something to eat.

"See ya." This from a neighbour when we moved into our house. I rushed home, tidied up as much as possible with boxes and packing cases strewn around, fixed make-up, and then sat and waited, and waited, and waited.
It meant sometime this century!

There are literally hundreds of other times when all I wanted was to disappear into a puff of smoke.

This was in 1980, and Norman Gunston, Crocodile Dundee, Dame Edna Everadge, and more were on my horizen.

I have become Aussie now, and wouldn't leave for quids mate.

See ya.

Nohmi

When my kids first went to school, and at the some function we were invited, asking us to bring a plate...

As you, I had no idea and brought a lot of plates, knives, forks and spoons....

I was so embarrassed....

HappyMartin · 03-18-2011, 05:28 AM

I was working in a hostel in Tel Aviv and was asked to warn a young Welsh lass that her shift ar reception was beginning in about 45 minutes. I went up to her dorm room, she was sleeping under a sheet, and shook her shoulder and as her eyes opened I told her that her shift was starting "just now". In South Africa 'just now" is an indeterminate period of time ranging from sod off I am busy to I will get to it shortly. Apparently it is a much shorter period of time in the rest of the world and so I found out as she lept from the bed wearing just a pair of knickers. You should have seen her face when I told her there was no rush as her shift only started in 45 minutes.

Her response was "bloody South Africans" but I was used to that by then and thought the spectacle of her leaping half naked from bed was well worth the insult.

beppe · 03-18-2011, 06:10 AM

It goes back to when I just started working in Canada, fresh from the old country and with a easiness in English ... uncertain?

I had one of those deep meetings with the guy that was paying me. One in which you discuss the project, what they expect from it, what kind of developments, what's in it for everybody, the works.

In Italian the word "eventually" means "maybe". So it is exactly the contrary than in English, where it means that it will certainly happen, unknown how and when, but certain, it has a doom like sound to it.

I said: eventually you will pay me more (or words to that effect). I saw his face going through a full range of expressions. He glanced at me totally uncertain. I had a stern face, if something it was hopeful, and modest. A perfect snake face.

Luckily for us he was and is an extremely nice man. There followed a lengthy explanation, many smiles. For a guy from Toronto. After a reasonable amount of time I did get a generous rise, without asking for it. Exactly, eventually.

orlok · 03-31-2011, 04:42 PM

I lived in the States for 7 months many moons ago. My name is Peter. Every time I introduced myself and told someone my name, they would invariably snigger. I didn't realise at the time that a "Peter" in the US was the same as a "Dick" in the UK.

Needless to say I now call myself Pete

WT Sharpe · 03-31-2011, 05:06 PM

You should feel very sorry, then, for a late doctor I knew whose first and middle names were "Harry Richard."

orlok · 03-31-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Feel very sorry, then, for a late doctor I knew whose first and middle names were "Harry Richard".

nohmi2 · 03-31-2011, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

You should feel very sorry, then, for a late doctor I knew whose first and middle names were "Harry Richard."

Lucky he wasn't named Ben Dover.

Cheers

03-17-2011, 07:20 AM	#1
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,382 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Funny or Embarrassing moments It's funny how common sayings in one area are completely unknown in another. I once befriended a Polish emigrant to Australia. Well . . . in Australia it's not uncommon to call someone you think you know well an old bastard. In fact you can join a club called The Order of Old Bastards that raises money for charity, but I digress. In Australia someone who is being uncooperative or going against the regular way of doing something and annoying the other would most likely get called a ratbag. While bathing at the beach Vwativslav ,or "Wally" which is what I called him, came out of the surf picked up his sand filled towel and shook it out so that the wind blew the sand all over us. That is a big no-no in Australian beach protocol. I said " Don't be a ratbag you old bastard" and he said "What! You call me a bag of rats!" We could see he was really offended but had to stop rolling around on the ground laughing at his being offended at a well known Australian slur long enough to explain to him that it wasn't as offensive as he thought. We were later taught a few Polish slurs. I am hoping to hear from others that have had similar misunderstandings with embarrassing or funny results because of cross culture differences.

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03-17-2011, 07:48 AM	#2
nohmi2 Pensively observing. Posts: 1,758 Karma: 12675456 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Varied.	Hah! When I first came to the Land of Oz, it seemed that every step I took, and every word I said was hilarious.........and I speak English! "Come round for a barbie, and bring a plate." We dutifully rolled up with a plate (and a box of chocolates - praise the gods) and felt like idiots when we found out that it meant bring something to eat. "See ya." This from a neighbour when we moved into our house. I rushed home, tidied up as much as possible with boxes and packing cases strewn around, fixed make-up, and then sat and waited, and waited, and waited. It meant sometime this century! There are literally hundreds of other times when all I wanted was to disappear into a puff of smoke. This was in 1980, and Norman Gunston, Crocodile Dundee, Dame Edna Everadge, and more were on my horizen. I have become Aussie now, and wouldn't leave for quids mate. See ya. Nohmi

03-17-2011, 07:48 AM	#3
Mortis Canucklehead in Malaysia Posts: 1,633 Karma: 3127774 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Device: iPhone, Kindle	Ok many years ago, when I was much younger I had one of those moments where you don't know if you should laugh or run like hell. You know how some people take their dogs to the shopping center and leave them in their car with the window cracked? The dogs are usually barking like mad and not to happy about having been left in the car and bark at whoever happens to be next to their car. As I parked next to this pick-up in the lot I could see there was a huge Rottweiler in the truck, being that I like dogs, I stepped closer and of course the dog started going nuts barking at me and as a smart ass, I started barking back. I was happily barking like a nutter at this huge dog who himself is going nuts barking back and drooling all over everything in the truck when I hear "Excuse me, would you mind not pissing my &^$$ dog off?" I turned to find myself standing face to chest with a very tall and very mean looking biker who didn't look at all amused at my antics. I started to explain myself when he opened the door to the truck, this was my "Laugh or run like hell" moment. I decided that the right thing to do was get back in my car, which was a Jeep with no top on it so no protection from a pissed off biker and his Rottweiler. Apologizing as I started my Jeep the biker just grunted and smiled. Needless to say I never bark at Rottweilers any more

03-17-2011, 08:10 AM	#4
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,382 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Oh that's so funny. All the poms that have told me they turned up at a barbie with a plate and saw that everyone else brought a plate with chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, salads, cold meat etc. Wouldn't you want to just hide. But as usual it was probably laughed away and there was plenty for everyone.

03-17-2011, 09:08 PM	#5
John Carroll kookoo Posts: 1,461 Karma: 7772454 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4	I have a friend in England. I told her about bonking someone on the head. Apparently 'bonking' has a different meaning across the pond.

03-18-2011, 05:28 AM	#7
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	I was working in a hostel in Tel Aviv and was asked to warn a young Welsh lass that her shift ar reception was beginning in about 45 minutes. I went up to her dorm room, she was sleeping under a sheet, and shook her shoulder and as her eyes opened I told her that her shift was starting "just now". In South Africa 'just now" is an indeterminate period of time ranging from sod off I am busy to I will get to it shortly. Apparently it is a much shorter period of time in the rest of the world and so I found out as she lept from the bed wearing just a pair of knickers. You should have seen her face when I told her there was no rush as her shift only started in 45 minutes. Her response was "bloody South Africans" but I was used to that by then and thought the spectacle of her leaping half naked from bed was well worth the insult.

03-18-2011, 06:10 AM	#8
beppe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,161 Karma: 81026524 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Italy Device: Kindle3, Ipod4, IPad2	It goes back to when I just started working in Canada, fresh from the old country and with a easiness in English ... uncertain? I had one of those deep meetings with the guy that was paying me. One in which you discuss the project, what they expect from it, what kind of developments, what's in it for everybody, the works. In Italian the word "eventually" means "maybe". So it is exactly the contrary than in English, where it means that it will certainly happen, unknown how and when, but certain, it has a doom like sound to it. I said: eventually you will pay me more (or words to that effect). I saw his face going through a full range of expressions. He glanced at me totally uncertain. I had a stern face, if something it was hopeful, and modest. A perfect snake face. Luckily for us he was and is an extremely nice man. There followed a lengthy explanation, many smiles. For a guy from Toronto. After a reasonable amount of time I did get a generous rise, without asking for it. Exactly, eventually.

03-31-2011, 04:42 PM	#9
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	I lived in the States for 7 months many moons ago. My name is Peter. Every time I introduced myself and told someone my name, they would invariably snigger. I didn't realise at the time that a "Peter" in the US was the same as a "Dick" in the UK. Needless to say I now call myself Pete

03-31-2011, 05:06 PM	#10
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,072 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	You should feel very sorry, then, for a late doctor I knew whose first and middle names were "Harry Richard."

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