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If you've ever interacted with someone who speaks a different language, what is the funniest misunderstanding you've had? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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An example of what I mean:

I, in China, told an English speaking Chinese friend I needed to stop off in the bathroom to "take a shit."

He looked appalled and after I asked why he had that look, he asked what I was going to do with someone's shit.

I had not laughed so hard in a while, and it totally makes sense.

I explained it was an expression for pooping, and he comes back with, "wouldn't that be giving a shit?"

I then got to explain that to give a shit means you care and I realized how fucked some of our expressions are.

What misunderstandings made you laugh?

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I don't have an anecdote, but I do have a good joke.

Late at night, a German coast guard radio operator gets a distress call. A British ship has capsized and is quickly taking on water.

"We're sinking, we're sinking!!" The panicked sailor yells over the radio.

Confused, the German operator takes a minute then responds "What are you... sinking about?"

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I know I am completely ruining the joke, however that is not even remotely proper radio protocol - and yes I am German, how did you know?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

You only have your own countrymen to blame, since that video came from you guys.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The video is pretty good too

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I read a really interesting article in the past by one of the designers of the ad, talking about how it got made from start to end, and almost didn't come to be. Unfortunately google is so shit now I can't seem to find any trace of it.