WWW.RIDESIDE.NET

Posted by pamsterdam on 2006-05-11 04:01:12 +0000

Een hartelijk (en speciale) welkom in Rideside, Selendar. Ik zal heel graag jouw verhalen over Berlijnse leven horen, en – ik moet het zeggen - je hebt een echt prachtige kind. Wat een liefje! ------------ Als je kan deze boodschap niet verstanden, het spijt mij. Maar volgens mij is Nederlands heel dichtbij Duits, minstens in schrijftaal. In spreektaal is het een ander verhaal, met onze Jiddische “G” en zo.

Posted by pchippy on 2006-05-11 08:18:02 +0000

Being a sophisicated polyglot Continental, Selenar will probably understand your message perfectly, pamdam. The rest of us, who aren't so lucky, will have more trouble struggling through it. Here's my best stab at a translation: "I'll really enjoy hearing about life in Berlin, and--I have to say it--you have a really splendiferous kid. What a darling! ------------- If you can't understand this message, I'm sorry. But it seems to me that Dutch is very close to German, at least in written form. In spoken form it's another matter, what with those funny gurgling half-swallowed 'G' sounds for which no term even exists in English, except in the lingo of linguists, who would probably call them 'voiced velar fricatives' or something like that."

Posted by pamsterdam on 2006-05-11 08:29:11 +0000

pchippy, you continue to delight me with your every post... ...and you got it spot-on!

Posted by MF DU on 2006-05-11 09:16:37 +0000

My Hovercraft is Full Of Eels

Posted by selendar on 2006-05-15 03:52:50 +0000

Holy smokes, I thought this was all about family photos ... I didn't expect some kind of Spanish Inquisition :-) Anyhow I am late in replying (it took me so long to decipher the Dutch) Guten Tag from Berlin to everyone! [PS They must have efficient lawyers at Monty Python's, couldn't find any reasonable link to the Spanish Inquisition with ~2 min effort]

Posted by Travis on 2006-05-15 08:37:58 +0000

Posted by MF DU on 2006-05-15 08:45:12 +0000

NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

Posted by pamsterdam on 2006-05-17 12:00:51 +0000

I reckon I drop an MP SI fagen at least on a weekly basis. Damn, I love that sketch. Oh, and I apologise to anyone who thought my (intended to be cute and aimed at Germanic-language speakers) Dutch post above was snooty or exclusionist (if such a word exists... or, come to think of it, even if it doesn't). It certainly wouldn't be the first time that an attempt on my part to be cute ended up being a turn-off. Fetch the comfy chair!

Posted by MF DU on 2006-05-17 16:56:36 +0000

I thought it was awesome - all I could think when I read it though was the 'tobacconist' sketch, Which me and Glumac rehashed ad naseum back in the day....

Posted by pamsterdam on 2006-05-17 23:13:01 +0000

Thanks, man. I thought about the Hungarian phrase-book sketch a short time ago: hubby was too stuborn to ask for help with an e-mail to a German BMW parts dealer. He wound up writing to the poor guy, asking about the possibility of getting a pricing for "a full leather funeral." Interior, interment, I guess you could see where his automated translator-engine went wrong. He loves Depeche Mode, but not that much. Kiss the whip!

Posted by selendar on 2006-05-20 13:57:19 +0000

leather interments? shiny leather in the dark? our yard is pretty small, only a few spots left, so hurry ...