Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Absurdities of Language

English has many absurdities and oddities and statement of a surreal nature.  Here are a number from French and Afrikaans.


French
Ciel, mon mari!    Sky, my husband!  [Caught in the act.] 

Avoir le geuele de bois   to have a wooden face.  [to suffer a hangover] 

Marcher a cote de ses pompes.  To walk next to your shoes.  [to be out of it] 

Afrikaans
Die koeel is deur die kerk.  The bullet is through the church.  [The decision has been made] 

Jy sal lag aan die anderkant van jou gesig.  You will laugh on the other side of your face.  [You will regret it.]  

'n Feit soos 'n koei.  A fact like a cow.  [Something very obvious]  


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