Embarassing moments in language learning

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vijayjohn
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Re: Embarassing moments in language learning

Postby vijayjohn » 2017-01-07, 17:30

There's a story in English my grandmother once published in her children's magazine involving a man, his son, and their donkey where they keep talking about "riding the ass." :lol:

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Osias
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Re: Embarassing moments in language learning

Postby Osias » 2017-01-07, 23:28

vijayjohn wrote: (Sorry, couldn't resist throwing in a bit of random language-nerdiness :P)

I also can't resist to post one more "I can't translate that well" question: When we saying something like "your mother is a whore", this is also called "xingar". But we are neither "yelling at" your mother nor "swearing" her, are we?

I was going to tell a story involving my father and bible verses, but couldn't, because of that. Maybe the word is "bash", but that sounds to me like "calumniate" and doesn't need "ugly words". Google translate is giving me "to scold" but I've never seen the word before.
2017 est l'année du (fr) et de l'(de) pour moi. Parle avec moi en eux, s'il te plait.

vijayjohn
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Re: Embarassing moments in language learning

Postby vijayjohn » 2017-01-07, 23:56

I'd probably just say "to insult."

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Re: Embarassing moments in language learning

Postby Osias » 2017-01-08, 0:11

I think "to call her names" would be closer.

Anyway, I can tell the story using "they insulted Zacchaeus' mother".
2017 est l'année du (fr) et de l'(de) pour moi. Parle avec moi en eux, s'il te plait.


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