The “safe-words” List January 4, 2009

One of the things that most people enjoy when they are abroad is that they can gossip about the other people without being understood. However, some languages are very related, so be careful! Below, you will find a safe-word list for Dutch to German. (constantly updated)

• lelijk – hesslich
• mottig – grauhaft
• janet – schwule
• stoep – bürgersteig
• loemp – dumm
• vent – typ
• frak – jakke
• …

Disclaimer: the person that you are talking about might be multilingual, or a fellow from your own country. Discretion is advised!

Cartier-Bresson and Maceo Parker January 4, 2009

Yesterday, I felt the urge to buy a book and a CD. Dussmann is not so far away, so I hopped in the S-Bahn and got out at Friedrichsstrasse.The Maceo Parker CD and the little book with pictures of Cartier-Bresson were quickly chosen.

Cartier-Bresson is one of the most famous Magnum photographers. I think that it is a bit of a pitty that he only took black and white pictures. Nevertheless, his photos are very strong and very well composed. I especially enjoy how he sees lines and shows them in his pictures. Lines are always mentioned in “how to compose your photos” tutorials, and Cartier-Bresson really masters the art.

Cartier-Bresson's most famous

Maceo Parker is perhaps lesser known to the general public, but he is a hero in the saxophone/brass band/jazzy world, I think. My interest in him was awakened by S., a new German acquaintance. The CD is full of good-humoured shuffles and grooves, easy and very understandable. Sometimes, James Brown and Ray Charles can be heared!

Berliner Schnauze December 22, 2008

The famous “Berliner Schnauze” is something that you have to experience yourself. Either you appreciate it, or you don’t. I do.

I went out to the local Eckert, a newspaper kiosk. The shopkeeper speaks Berlinerisch and addresses his custumers like that. Usually, I feel pretty confident in German, and I am not afraid of speaking it. So I went to the shopkeeper, with a Christmas card I still had to buy and the current Tip Berlin.

He says: “Det is aber ooch keen Grossankoof, wa!”

He laughs and I do not really know what to say. I know that I am supposed to say something witty back to him, but that’s hard in a foreign language. Instead, I ask him for one stamp that I need for the card.

- “Bitte noch eine Briefmarke dazu, danke.”

* “Ene Briefmarke? Det is ooch nit viel. Wat willste denn mit Ene Briefmarke? Janz dolle!”

He laughs out loud, I pay. It will take some time before I am able to Berliner back to him.