Comments on: The worst language mistake in history. http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/ Firefly in Japan. Back. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:53:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Firefly in Japan » Never, ever, trust a bored martial arts master. http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-892 Firefly in Japan » Never, ever, trust a bored martial arts master. Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:42:36 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-892 [...] happened to be training at the honbu dojo (head dojo), and our teacher, Togara-sensei (famous from worlds worst language mistake) was teaching a class soon after this class. Ordinarily, we would have to make our own way to the [...] [...] happened to be training at the honbu dojo (head dojo), and our teacher, Togara-sensei (famous from worlds worst language mistake) was teaching a class soon after this class. Ordinarily, we would have to make our own way to the [...]

]]> By: Tori http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-80 Tori Wed, 23 May 2007 19:33:33 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-80 <p>HAHAHA! I turned red trying not to laugh (since I was reading this at work)<br /> Your's is a mistake that will live on in infamy! :)</p> <p>Wow. That really makes my best mistake (or worst rather) seem lame.<br /> But I will relate it here in case any one needs something less funny to calm them down.</p> <p>Once, during my 1st year in Japan, I went with a Japanese college friend of mine and another gaijin from our school to visit his relatives and go to onsen.</p> <p>Well after spending ackward hours stark naked in a hot water pool being stared at by envious wrinkley old Japanese men, we left the onsen and sat down to a delicious home cooked Japanese supper at my mate's Aunt's house.</p> <p>The other gaijin, the Aunt, her son, my Japanese friend and I were all sitting around the table chatting about onsen when I had the bright idea to ask my friend if he had ever been to a "public bath." What possessed me to ask such a pointless question I don't recall, it was probably just small talk to fill an ackward silence. As you'll see it did anything but.</p> <p>I couldn't remember the word for public baths (or I didn't know the word) but I knew it was something like Ofuro (it is ofuroya-san or sento), so turned to my friend and sounded of the my question:<br /> "Wataru,<br /> Ofuro ni haitta koto ga arimasu ka?"<br /> ---<br /> Shiiiinnnnnnnnnn...(silence)<br /> The silence seemed to last forever, with his relatives staring, confused, at me.<br /> Then Wataru, turned to me with an pissed look on his face and asked,<br /> "Do you know that you just asked me 'have you ever bathed'?!"</p> <p>Just one of many stupid things I've done in Japan. So don't feel bad firefly. We not the only one. :)</p> HAHAHA! I turned red trying not to laugh (since I was reading this at work)
Your’s is a mistake that will live on in infamy! :)

Wow. That really makes my best mistake (or worst rather) seem lame.
But I will relate it here in case any one needs something less funny to calm them down.

Once, during my 1st year in Japan, I went with a Japanese college friend of mine and another gaijin from our school to visit his relatives and go to onsen.

Well after spending ackward hours stark naked in a hot water pool being stared at by envious wrinkley old Japanese men, we left the onsen and sat down to a delicious home cooked Japanese supper at my mate’s Aunt’s house.

The other gaijin, the Aunt, her son, my Japanese friend and I were all sitting around the table chatting about onsen when I had the bright idea to ask my friend if he had ever been to a “public bath.” What possessed me to ask such a pointless question I don’t recall, it was probably just small talk to fill an ackward silence. As you’ll see it did anything but.

I couldn’t remember the word for public baths (or I didn’t know the word) but I knew it was something like Ofuro (it is ofuroya-san or sento), so turned to my friend and sounded of the my question:
“Wataru,
Ofuro ni haitta koto ga arimasu ka?”
—
Shiiiinnnnnnnnnn…(silence)
The silence seemed to last forever, with his relatives staring, confused, at me.
Then Wataru, turned to me with an pissed look on his face and asked,
“Do you know that you just asked me ‘have you ever bathed’?!”

Just one of many stupid things I’ve done in Japan. So don’t feel bad firefly. We not the only one. :)

]]> By: Annonimoose http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-79 Annonimoose Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:47:03 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-79 <p>Almost a year ago, I lived in Berlin as an exchange student. My guest family was kind enough to feed me all the good German foods every day (you know, bread, meat, cheese, and beer). So, after a particularly filling meal I was slumped into my chair trying to digest all the food I had just consumed, my host mother asked if I had had enough food. I tried to put together the first thing to come to mind, which was "ich bin voll" combined with an emphatic nod.</p> <p>Host mother, father, brother and his girlfriend, host sister and boyfriend all gave me the strangest look, then glances at each other, and belly laughs all round except my confused self. </p> <p>A simple enough phrase, but I didn't know that I had told them I was (sexually) satisfied. Gotta remember "Ich bin satt".</p> Almost a year ago, I lived in Berlin as an exchange student. My guest family was kind enough to feed me all the good German foods every day (you know, bread, meat, cheese, and beer). So, after a particularly filling meal I was slumped into my chair trying to digest all the food I had just consumed, my host mother asked if I had had enough food. I tried to put together the first thing to come to mind, which was “ich bin voll” combined with an emphatic nod.

Host mother, father, brother and his girlfriend, host sister and boyfriend all gave me the strangest look, then glances at each other, and belly laughs all round except my confused self.

A simple enough phrase, but I didn’t know that I had told them I was (sexually) satisfied. Gotta remember “Ich bin satt”.

]]> By: Roaf http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-78 Roaf Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:39:47 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-78 <p>Haha, I might try and say those to someone myself, and pretend it's an innocent mistake.</p> Haha, I might try and say those to someone myself, and pretend it’s an innocent mistake.

]]> By: Abriel http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-77 Abriel Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:02:49 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-77 <p>Firefly and Amanojack, you guys are legendary. Just told these stories to my girlfriend, she laughed her ass off.</p> <p>Beautiful. The beauty of language. In all honesty, its better to try because you come out a better person.</p> <p>Why is it, however, that most language mistakes that people make always relate to sex. Morning Wood/Holding Dick/Doing You...</p> Firefly and Amanojack, you guys are legendary. Just told these stories to my girlfriend, she laughed her ass off.

Beautiful. The beauty of language. In all honesty, its better to try because you come out a better person.

Why is it, however, that most language mistakes that people make always relate to sex. Morning Wood/Holding Dick/Doing You…

]]> By: The ShanMonster http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-76 The ShanMonster Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:31:06 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-76 <p>This reminds me of the time I went to a restaurant in Quebec City and decided to make my order in French. I wanted the five-fruit pie, and instead of saying, "J'aimerai de tarte au cinq fruit," I goofed up my pronunciation and said, "J'aimerai de tarte au sang frite."</p> <p>The waiter blinked and stared blankly. I repeated myself. He looked shocked, then said, "You would like five fruit pie?"</p> <p>"Yes, please."</p> <p>It was afterwards that my companions informed me I'd asked for fried blood pie.</p> This reminds me of the time I went to a restaurant in Quebec City and decided to make my order in French. I wanted the five-fruit pie, and instead of saying, “J’aimerai de tarte au cinq fruit,” I goofed up my pronunciation and said, “J’aimerai de tarte au sang frite.”

The waiter blinked and stared blankly. I repeated myself. He looked shocked, then said, “You would like five fruit pie?”

“Yes, please.”

It was afterwards that my companions informed me I’d asked for fried blood pie.

]]> By: Frank http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-75 Frank Fri, 26 Jan 2007 20:00:22 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-75 <p>My first year in Nagoya, I wanted to buy contact lense fluid, and found this small, mom-and-pop drug store near my homestay house. It was just me and this grizzled, old guy behind the counter. I looked around awhile for the item, and noticed he was giving me the eye --- he had probably never had a gaizin in there before, and I'm white and really tall. In fact, he was old enough and traditional enough that I wouldn't be surprised if he had never met a gaizin at all.</p> <p>Anyway, I couldn't find the fluid, so I asked him if they had any: "Anou, kontakuto ketsueki oite arimasu ka?" His brows furrowed and eyes widened, and he barked out: "Sonna mono wa utt'oran!" ("We don't have that sort of thing!") I was taken a bit aback by his violent reaction to my reasonable request, so I just nodded meekly "OK" and left.</p> <p>Later as I was walking home, I realized my mistake. I had meant to ask for contact lense fluid ("ekitai") but had asked for BLOOD ("ketsueki"). I had to laugh. I wonder if that guy thinks we sell that sort of thing over the counter in the West; maybe he thought I was a "vampyre"!</p> My first year in Nagoya, I wanted to buy contact lense fluid, and found this small, mom-and-pop drug store near my homestay house. It was just me and this grizzled, old guy behind the counter. I looked around awhile for the item, and noticed he was giving me the eye — he had probably never had a gaizin in there before, and I’m white and really tall. In fact, he was old enough and traditional enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if he had never met a gaizin at all.

Anyway, I couldn’t find the fluid, so I asked him if they had any: “Anou, kontakuto ketsueki oite arimasu ka?” His brows furrowed and eyes widened, and he barked out: “Sonna mono wa utt’oran!” (”We don’t have that sort of thing!”) I was taken a bit aback by his violent reaction to my reasonable request, so I just nodded meekly “OK” and left.

Later as I was walking home, I realized my mistake. I had meant to ask for contact lense fluid (”ekitai”) but had asked for BLOOD (”ketsueki”). I had to laugh. I wonder if that guy thinks we sell that sort of thing over the counter in the West; maybe he thought I was a “vampyre”!

]]> By: MarkD http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-74 MarkD Mon, 15 Jan 2007 23:23:55 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-74 <p>Not nearly so funny, and in the opposite direction, but have you ever tried to correct a Japanese school girl's pronunciation of "penis butter" without bursting out laughing in front of the entire class?</p> Not nearly so funny, and in the opposite direction, but have you ever tried to correct a Japanese school girl’s pronunciation of “penis butter” without bursting out laughing in front of the entire class?

]]> By: Pachipro http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-73 Pachipro Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:17:10 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-73 <p>Firefly that is a really funny story. I laughed my ass off and so did my wife when I relayed it to her.</p> <p>Amanojack, you should put that story in your blog. Very funny! Put it under the catagory of "Language Mistakes" or something.</p> Firefly that is a really funny story. I laughed my ass off and so did my wife when I relayed it to her.

Amanojack, you should put that story in your blog. Very funny! Put it under the catagory of “Language Mistakes” or something.

]]> By: Alex http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-72 Alex Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:10:17 +0000 http://firefly.your-japan.com/2007/01/09/the-worst-language-mistake-in-history/#comment-72 <p>Not a blunder of the magnitudes described here, but anyway...</p> <p>I was selling myself as a professional French to English translator, and doing pretty darn well.</p> <p>One day a new client (a *huge* agency in New York) called with a first job for me, and I asked casually:</p> <p>"How much words?"</p> <p>It still haunts me. Though they gave me the job anyway and I did great.</p> Not a blunder of the magnitudes described here, but anyway…

I was selling myself as a professional French to English translator, and doing pretty darn well.

One day a new client (a *huge* agency in New York) called with a first job for me, and I asked casually:

“How much words?”

It still haunts me. Though they gave me the job anyway and I did great.

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