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Sprechen die English?

(128 Posts)
Rufus2 Sat 13-Feb-21 13:49:15

English to become the official European language

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi TU understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

geekesse Sun 14-Feb-21 13:12:58

Callistemon, you said ‘Nowhere has Ellianne said any of that geekesse’. You’re right. It was you who said ‘And geekesse - who appears to find so much on GN distasteful.’ And I think it was another poster who referred to ‘the perpetually offended amongst us hoiking their bosoms up and wagging their finger at us?’

Ellianne did say ‘This post is for those with a sense of humour only.’ I read that as a very clear ‘get lost if you don’t find it funny the way I do’.

I apologise to Ellianne for lumping all of you together. I don’t apologise for finding xenophobia and negative stereotyping unacceptable.

Rufus2 Sun 14-Feb-21 12:39:13

More Stanley Baxter
Elegran Nice to see you posting here! smile
Thank you for the links to Stanley; I'd forgotten all about him! Very funny!
I'm a bit surprised to find you posting on this thread, because it originated in OZ.
I suppose humour, like love, conquers all. grin
Good Health
OoRoo

Ro60 Sun 14-Feb-21 12:04:30

Brilliant thanks ?

Marydoll Sun 14-Feb-21 11:57:11

Oh dear Rufus, why must everything be seen as a criticism of you. ? Obviously the wink was a clue, well perhaps not!
Your OP managed to generate a discussion, (was that not your intention?) albeit some people got het up about it.
That was all.

Callistemon Sun 14-Feb-21 11:56:53

geekesse

Ok, Ellianne, point taken. People who don’t share your sense of humour are not welcome. People who find your sense of humour unpleasant are bad people and should leave the thread. And people whose views you disagree with more generally should leave GN. Got it.

Nowhere has Ellianne said any of that geekesse

However, your post does say a lot about you.

Lillie Sun 14-Feb-21 11:55:45

This is bonkers!

Where did I say people are bad, not welcome, should leave the thread or should leave GN? There is nothing of the sort. Talk about misquoting words!

Rufus2 Sun 14-Feb-21 11:43:30

Now look what you have done, Rufus ?
Well, at least you got a reaction
Marydoll Mein Gotte! Was habe ich jetzt getan?
(How am I going, teacher?)
The "reaction" must have been well muffled, or maybe the misandrists are now using silencers, which wouldn't be fair! hmm
OoRoo

geekesse Sun 14-Feb-21 11:16:51

Ok, Ellianne, point taken. People who don’t share your sense of humour are not welcome. People who find your sense of humour unpleasant are bad people and should leave the thread. And people whose views you disagree with more generally should leave GN. Got it.

Ellianne Sun 14-Feb-21 11:08:41

And thanks for the thread!

Ellianne Sun 14-Feb-21 11:07:39

Sorry, mate, none of your imperial measures here. I am 1 metre 60, about 70kg, a bit of Welsh and French thrown in. I thought I was dark haired, but all these lockdowns and closed hairdressers are telling me otherwise. I enjoy my daily exercise too and am pretty partial to a bottle of Bordeaux, but could be persuaded to try your chardy and sauvignon blanc.
Catch up soon when I can get a Quantas flight over! Might be a long while.

Rufus2 Sun 14-Feb-21 11:07:04

Hopefully Rufus, will respond and tell us what he meant! ?
Marydoll Sorry, no can do! sad
First Law of joke-telling as espoused by that world-famous Aussie comedian Barry Humphries aka Dame Edna, Sir Les., and Sandy Stone, tells us that if you have to explain a joke you might as well give up!
And you wouldn't want me to do that, would you!? grin

Actually, the OP wasn't intended as a joke, more of a profound intellectual statement regarding the current political situation in Europe! grin

I'm very impressed by all the language skills on display here!
All you need is a few lessons in Strine and your worlds would be complete!
Good Health!
OoRoo

Ellianne Sun 14-Feb-21 10:54:05

Crikey Rufus we were thinking about each other at the same time. Crossed posts!

Ellianne Sun 14-Feb-21 10:52:51

This post is for those with a sense of humour only. A bit of light hearted silliness as several have alluded to earlier.

Oh Rufus, Rufus, wherefore art thou, Rufus?

G'Day mate, guess you're having a barbie right now and a couple of coldies while we've just had brekky and bikkies.
Streuth mate, you've got the Sheilas over here in a bit of a tizzy with your post. We're all up Billabong Creek without a clue. Are you sitting there having a laugh in your thongs (NOT budgie smugglers in case anyone gets stoked)? You'd better rattle your dags before you turn in. Enjoy your tucker! We're waiting.
Hooroo for now.

Rufus2 Sun 14-Feb-21 10:41:39

I'm totally lost. rufus are you: "he", "she", or "they", or polite "you"?
Ellianne It seems as if you're looking for a mate! smile
I'm a 6ft.2ins sun-bronzed "He" with fair hair, still living in Australia after 50 years, non-smoker and working out every day! grin
How does that grab you?
OoRoo

sodapop Sun 14-Feb-21 09:02:39

Not always Gwyneth

Gwyneth Sat 13-Feb-21 23:01:27

Rufus very amusing ?

Callistemon Sat 13-Feb-21 22:20:01

And that's a whole other language, Ellianne grin

Ellianne Sat 13-Feb-21 22:16:28

Are you even English?EllianneI thinkRufushas been in Australia rather a long time!

Aha, thanks Callistemon, I'll check him/her out then on the thread about Down Under later.

Callistemon Sat 13-Feb-21 22:11:24

Marydoll

*Callistemon*, Es war Schicksal! or in good old Glasgowspeak, Whit's fur ye'll no go by ye! You wouldn't have met and married your husband. ^Je ne regrette rien.^

Marydoll I would have been German hausfrau, cooking German dumplings for mein man.
We were just 17, far too young. sad

Are you even English? Ellianne I think Rufus has been in Australia rather a long time!

nadateturbe Sat 13-Feb-21 21:47:38

I found it quite funny.

Marydoll Sat 13-Feb-21 21:35:49

I shall remember that quote, Growstuff.
I once wrote a dissertation on Multiple Intelligences and decided to score myself. My predominant intelligence was unsurprisingly, verbal-linguistic. ?

Ellianne Sat 13-Feb-21 21:34:30

I'm totally lost. rufus are you: "he", "she", or "they", or polite "you"?
Are you even English?

growstuff Sat 13-Feb-21 21:26:46

Marydoll

*Growstuff*, ? That's why I love studying languages. Its like solving a puzzle. Contextual clues do help.
Hopefully Rufus, will respond and tell us what he meant! ?

Or as Le Carré quotes Charlemagne's alleged quote: “To have another language is to possess a second soul.”

growstuff Sat 13-Feb-21 21:24:20

...or an Englishman's view of the German language:

www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jul/02/why-we-should-learn-german-john-le-carre

Marydoll Sat 13-Feb-21 21:23:59

Growstuff, ? That's why I love studying languages. Its like solving a puzzle. Contextual clues do help.
Hopefully Rufus, will respond and tell us what he meant! ?