The people in my National Trust holiday were from a range of nationalities; Mel was German, Ulrich was Italian, and Jill was a New Zealander. And a few members of the group were really enthusiastic about my 29 challenge and wanted to contribute to it.
We regularly went to the pub after a day of working and one evening I asked a few members of the group for some phrases. So over a couple of drinks I managed to get 10.
Earlier in the day Ed who was 18 knew the German for ‘My submarine is full of eels’. Ed’s German was pretty good but he wanted Mel who is German to double check. So the first German phrase of the challenge is; ‘Hein unterseeboot ist voller Aale.’
Mel gave me two phrases; Giib ihm den kleinen Finger und er nimmt die ganze Hand, which means; give him your small finger and he will take the whole hand. And if you ever wanted to know how to say my mum fell down the steps with some potatoes in Swabian, it’s; Mai Muadar isch mit de Grombiara die Schtiaga nagahaglt.’
Ulrich was an Italian liver doctor who has lived in the UK for the past 11 years. The phrases he gave are very random and in different languages. Some are insulting and some make no sense at all. So here are the phrases he gave me. (Apologies if some of the spelling is incorrect, Ulrich’s handwriting was a typical doctors one):
‘I hau din & Watschm owe, dass den fur vienzelm Tag den Schaskl waggelt.’ This is Viennese for I am going to give you a slap to make your skull tremble for 14 days.
‘Ti strepps una gamba e bi piglio & cdci mel culo.’ This is Italian for I rip a leg off you and then kick you in the bum with it.
‘Des is a fenche Henn’ is south Tyrolean for that is a fit bird!
Not sure if some women would use this phrase as a rule for life but; ‘Si an magin sspientesque nuit nescio, homines mon sunt’ is Latin for ‘I don’t know if they are great and wise, men they are not.’
‘να μου πείτε o μούσα του ανθρώπου και ο οποίος είχε πολύ ρίχνονται γύρω και πολύ προκλήθηκε αφού κατέστρεψαν την ιερή πόλη της Τροίας’ is ancient Greek for ; ‘Tell me, o Muse, of the man and who was much thrown around, and much suffered, often he destroyed the holy city of Troy.’
‘Sant’ Peri, Sant Peri, fil de put a quin non se alavi’ is Cetalan for Saint Hilery, Saint Hilery, son of a bitch whoever doesn’t drink up.
Lastly Rob another member of the group who is a hospital inspector and along with me were the DD’s which stood for the designated drivers with dazzling personalities gave me this French phrase; Honi soit qui mal y pense, which means ‘evil to him who thinks evil.’
Mel and I also tried pork scratchings. During the trip the others got Mel to try different British things. We both agree though that pork scratchings is not a delicacy we want to try again, they smelt like dog food and didn’t taste too great either.
So all in all a very productive educational session at the pub!
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