T2K Lingua

[Jason Weiser]

About that subject I'll agree with many of you (Marc among them). Keep the sentences simple, shout, and use slang when you know it (strangely that's what you know first in any language). After all the F word is used as a comma in most American college.

Dude, just commas I've heard it used as a noun, pronoun, and a host of other uses..

Then again, I have been assured that in conversation, Eastern Europeans can be just as bad.

[General Pain]

that reminds me...

...of a former T2K-er called "sondre" or "Steinkopf" he could order beer and swear in 14 languages....

God Rest your soul Sondre.
You are still missed.

[Targan]

Then again, I have been assured that in conversation, Eastern Europeans can be just as bad.

I'm f***ing surprised you didn't mention Australians in this discussion.

[Earthpig]

I'm afraid I often slip into Swedish Chef mode and make mock language

[Jason Weiser]

I'm f***ing surprised you didn't mention Australians in this discussion.

Now, now Targan, we know the Australians have extended the F-Bomb gap with the rest of the world...ok, perhaps not certain segments of the US military...but gee, do you have to flaunt it

[pmulcahy11b]

I had a girlfriend in college as well as two friends who were fluent in Spanish. They spoke Spanish around me all the time, knowing it drove me nuts. Then one of the friends told me they were usually just talking about how nuts they must be making me...

There's a good multi-purpose saying in Korean (probably not spelled right): Kamsa Hamnida. Could mean thank you, I'm sorry, shit happens, too bad, life sucks -- it just depends on the context.

[B.T.]

Aufgepasst, meine Herren!

Or: "Listen, Gentlemen"
I try to take Mo's list and add a German Phrase, that comes close or some kind of translation:


1) A couvert: take cover. - "Geh(t) in Deckung!"; MilSpeac: "Stellung!!"
2) A droite: to the right. - "Nach rechts." oder "Auf der rechten Seite."
3) A gauche: to the left. - "Nach links." oder "Auf der linken Seite."
4) A terre: get down. - Hm, in MilSpeak that would be the same as No. 1). More freely translated it would be something like: "Runter auf den Boden!"
5) Attention: pay attention. - "Aufgepasst!"; MilSpeak: "Achtung."
6) Bougez vous les gars: move it boys. - "Bewegung, Jungs." or: "Bewegt euch, Jungs."
7) Dgage connard: get off, jerk. - "Verpiss dich, du Penner!" It's the same as: Piss off.
8) En avant les gars: move forward boys. - "Geht nach vorne" would be the translation of the English words, but I'm not certain, if this is what Mo meant
9) Feu: shoot. - "Feuer!!!"
10) Halte au feu: hold your fire. - MilSpeak: "Stopfen" as short form, or: "Feuer einstellen!"
11) Halte o1 je tire: stop or Ill shoot. - "Stehenbleiben, oder ich schie,e!"
12) Je me rends: I surrender. - "Ich ergebe mich!"
13) La cible est sur la cte 22 or La Cible est aux coordonnes : target is on coordinnate - "Zielkoordinaten:..." Well, the things that would follow are quite cryptical to me.
14) Main en lair : hands up. - "H$nde hoch!"
15) Mercy: thanks. - "Danke." or, more polite: "Danke schn."
16) Montez, vite : get on, quick. - "Los, schnell!" ("Schnell machen/Make snell" is something I've heard in some old English movie, but that would not be used by a German! Although: If a American soldier would use these words towards a German, he would understand.)
17) Ne tirez pas: hold your fire. - Same as 10)
18) Putain, touche pas: shit, nooo or dont touch (as you like). - "Schei,e, nein!!" or "Nicht anfassen!" or "Pfoten weg!" The last would be translated as : Put your hands away from that object, but in a more familiar or colloquial manner.
19) Rendez vous: surrender. "Ergebt euch." to a group, or: "Ergib dich!" to a single person.
20) Sil vous plait : please. - "Bitte."
21) Stop: freeze. - "Stop!" or "Stehenbleiben!"
22) Touche pas connard: dont touch that, you asshole. - "Fass das nicht an, (du) Arschloch!"

A word on "Achtung": It has several meanings. It can be used like in:"Beware. That twig might slam into your face." On the other hand it is used as a kind of military command word: If a higher ranking NCO or officer enters a room, someone calls out: "Achtung!". Everybody stands straight, facing the officer.

English curse words are quite common amongst Germans: "Shit!" or "Fuck" in special.

[Rainbow Six]

My (now former) Polish colleague used to use the word "dobre" the way we would say "OK"...she doesn't work here any more but half the office still say things are "dobre". (Not sure if that's the right way to spell it...might be dobriy...)

[B.T.]

I worked together with several born Polish workmates once. "Guten Tag" or "Hello" is something like "chin dobre". Certainly not spelled correct, but it sounds like that.

[Rainbow Six]

I worked together with several born Polish workmates once. "Guten Tag" or "Hello" is something like "chin dobre". Certainly not spelled correct, but it sounds like that.

Yep, that's it. although haven't a clue how you spell it. I think in Czech it's similar but the other way around, i.e. dobre den.

Poles also say "chest" (that is definitely not how you spell it!) which is more informal, like "Hi"

I think dobre equates to "good", so "chin dobre" is "good day". The way the Poles use dobre on its own is probably similar to "alles gut" in German or "c'est bon" in French. I think!

[headquarters]

yes

Yep, that's it. although haven't a clue how you spell it. I think in Czech it's similar but the other way around, i.e. dobre den.

Poles also say "chest" (that is definitely not how you spell it!) which is more informal, like "Hi"

I think dobre equates to "good", so "chin dobre" is "good day". The way the Poles use dobre on its own is probably similar to "alles gut" in German or "c'est bon" in French. I think!

You thinks right rainbow

Djin Dobre literally means day-good or Good Day in English .And G`Day in the other English .The word for day is more varied like Djien in Polish,dan in Serb etc .

Dobre ,Dobro,Dobra etc all have different meaning in the context and the languages used ,but pretty much it means "good " in all slavic languages ,Russian ,Srepski-Hvratski-Bosniacki ,Chzech,Polish etc .
It can also mean "beautiful" -like the Serb sentence "ti si dobre" -you are beautiful ,a useful closing argument

many Slavic languages use the word BOG for God .

Also I have found out that the word Trava means grass in many languages.If you play soccer you will appreciate the need for good grass to get a game going.

Voda pretty much means water all over and Pivo beer.
Nastravije -usually cheers but literally "health" - as in to your health .

So there you have it - now you can ask for a good spot to play soccer,order a beer,propose a toast ,smooth talk the ladies and thank God for your successes later.

[pmulcahy11b]

Poles also say "chest" (that is definitely not how you spell it!) which is more informal, like "Hi"

Kind of like the German, "Tchuss!"

I used to like to confuse my troops when marching them by sounding off "Links, Recht, Links, Recht!" or giving the command, "Achtung!"

[Rainbow Six]

So there you have it - now you can ask for a good spot to play soccer,order a beer,propose a toast ,smooth talk the ladies and thank God for your successes later.

Dziekuje, HQ.

Kind of like the German, "Tchuss!"

Yep, exactly the same...

Re: Polish, a bit of googling came up with this...it's obviously meant for tourists, but some phrases might be useful in a T2K context...

http://www.zem.co.uk/polish/basicvoc.htm

[pmulcahy11b]

http://www.zem.co.uk/polish/basicvoc.htm

Do you know how many Firefox bookmarks I'm building up

My first T2K GM had a Polish wife, so he knew how to pronounce all the Polish names plus some basic Polish. You miss things like that.

[unkated]

A Dash of Polish

I am resurrecting this thread as it fits what I have to add.

I am reading Michener's Poland. In one chapter (Mazurka), set in the late 19th century (1897-8), an American (from Chicago) is marrying a Pole, falls in love with Poland and is trying to learn the language. i thought her notes may be instructive:

ALWAYS REMEMBER
POLISH IS EASY

A is pronounced EYE (sometimes)
C is pronounced TZ, TS
Ę is ppronounced EN
J is pronounced Y
Ł is pronounced W
W is pronounced V
Final T is pronounced TH

BRZ is pronounce BZHE
ICZ is pronounced EETCH
RZE is pronounced ZHE
SZCZ is pronounced SHTCH
STRZY is prounced STCHI

Łodz = Woodge
Rzeszow = Zheshoov
Szczorz = Shtchoozh
Pszczyna = Pshtchina
Szczebrzesyn = Shtchebzhehshin
Łancut = Wine-tsooth

After a discussion about how to pronounce Lancut, the girl says "I'm so glad you've proved you love me, Wiktor. Because otherwise I'd think you were trying to drive me crazy."

Przemysl = P'shemish'l (with the P & L either half mumbled or skipped altogther); the Polish lad says the Polish locals get a kick out of the German-speaking Austrian Officers trying to pronounce it.

Przemysl is a large fortress town up the San River from Sandomierz near the (WW1) Russian border. It was the scene of three sieges in WW1.



Other minor things:

Honorifics (equivalent of Mister and Ma'am)
Pan
Pani

Women have an a or wa at the end of their name rather than an 'i'

Pan Bukowski
Pani Bukowska


Hope this gives games set in Poland an ounce more flavor.

Uncle Ted