one.. two.. three, go!

[arabarra]

Hi all,

I wanted to share with you a little detail of current Basque usage that I noticed recently.

In English and Spanish sometimes one "counts to three" to coordinate with other people when starting doing something, I don't know: you want to move a heavy table with the help of many people, you'd usually go: "one.. two... three.. go!" and you start lifting the table when yo hear "go" (or when you hear "three"? that I do not know hope hodeiki or Sean can help me about that ) .

In any case, in Basque I have always counted to four in these situations "bat... bi... hiru... ta LAU!". You start applying force to the table when you hear the "LAU".

But a couple of weeks ago I was in Vitoria and I saw a couple of young people trying to move a fallen heavy motorbike. I went to help them (I am a very nice person):
-Tira, ba, oraingoan bai: nik hemendik heldu ta zuek handik, ta aitaren baten altxatuko dugu... baina aldi berean hasi e?
(I take this side and you the other.... but let's start together ,e?)
-Benga, ba: Baaaat.... biiii.... HIRU!!!
I was waiting for the LAU!!! when they started moving the motorbike from their side , taking me by surprise and almost risking to crunch my hand against the road...
-What the hell are you doing, you stupid brats!! Wait for me!!
-Well, I said "hiru"! You're supposed to start pushing!!
-No, i'm not! You start pushing at "LAU"
-No!
-Yes!

So, even though they actually spoke fluent Basque, as learnt in the school, they had no idea of the traditional Basque way to count. They were sincerely puzzled to know that we do not use the spanish way "a la de una... a la de dos... a la de tres!! "

Well, that is an example of how the degradation of the traditional structures of an ancient language are not only a pitty, but also a source of physical danger.

So, do not call me purist any more. It is just self defence.

[loqu]

Lol, that was crazy. Anyway I just wanted to point out that not even in Spanish is that clear. In those situations I recall always having to clarify if it will be at the 'tres' or afterwards when people will make the move together.

PD: LOL at the 'Benga, ba'

[pep2]

Lol, that was crazy. Anyway I just wanted to point out that not even in Spanish is that clear. In those situations I recall always having to clarify if it will be at the 'tres' or afterwards when people will make the move together.

haha sometimes even this isn´t enough and some people wait for the "ya!" after they´ve heard the number 3.

Those basque kids arabarra´s talking about probably didn´t know NG´s song:
"kantatzen dun herri bat ez da inoiz hilko
Bat, bi, hiru, lau
Gora Herria!!!"

[Sean of the Dead]

For like when you're lifting things, you say "one, two, THREE", but for like starting a race you'd say "3, 2, 1, GO!!" or "ready, set, GO!".

What do Basques say when starting a race (foot race, cars, whatever).

[arabarra]

Thanks Sean!

For like when you're lifting things, you say "one, two, THREE", but for like starting a race you'd say "3, 2, 1, GO!!" or "ready, set, GO!".

Looks like I integrated the two forms in one! In Basque I'd say we use (or used to use, in view of my recent experiences ) the samen form for the two situations: Bat, bi, hiru, LAU.

But let's see eventually what other Basque speakers say, as this issue could be again one of the many that change from dialect to dialect. At least in the area between Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa I'm pretty sure that counting to LAU is the traditional and normally used form for all these situations.