Tis' The Season: Day 19
Today's Topic: Joy To The World
I got a list of holiday greetings in several different languages. Some look "friendly" to my simple American English. Others....mind blowing. Let's take a look.
French: Joyeux Noël Et Heureuse Année or Joyeux Noël Et Bonnee Année
Easy enough, I took French in high school and college.
Argentina: Feliz Navidad Y Prospero Año Nuevo
Pretty close to Spanish, and I've heard it in lots of holiday songs.
Brazilian: Feliz Natal E Prospero Ano Novo
Gettin' a little further from home....does "Natal" have to do with the Baby Jesus? Hmm...
Italian: Buon Natale E Felice Anno Nuovo or Buon Natale E Felice Capodanno
Ok...see some romance language similarities. I think one of those words is the name of a pastry.
Catalan: Bon Nadal I Feliç Any Nou
Whoa! Ok, still close. "Any Nou" sounds like a question phrase I would say if I were in Catalan looking for transit. "Excuse me sir.....uhh....Any Nouuuu? Darn, I don't think he's understanding me...."
Chinese (Cantonese): Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun Sing Dan Fai Lok
No idea. Let's try a different approach.
Chinese (Mandarin): Kung His Hsin Nien Bing Chu Shen Tan Sheng Dan Kuai Le
Much better. Makes perfect sense now.
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce A Stastny Novy Rok
No relation to anything I've seen before, other than the presence of letters. Further proof to me that Czech is impossible to understand. Although "Novy Rok" sounds like the title of an 80's Russian metal band that would've opened for The Scorpions.
Bulgarian: Chestita Koleda Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo Tchestita Nova Godina
Nope. "Nova Godina" sang for "Novy Rok" I believe.
Dutch (Netherlands): Prettig Kerstfeest
I'm pretty sure this is just a Dutch compliment for "I enjoyed your festival." "Prettig Kerstfeest!" "Me too! Come again next year!"
Estonian: Roomsaid Joulu Phui Ja Uut Aastat
"What did Room say? I can't believe that, what nerve."
Gaelic (Irish): Nolag Mhaith Dhuit Agus Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise
Gaelic (Scot): Nollaig Chridheil Agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur
Gaelic (pronounced "Gah-lick", per Sam Boyd) culture has a cool history, filled with things that remind me of what Braveheart looked like. Still, their language, completely unintelligible to me. Except "Nolag". I could get down with that word.
Greek: Kala Khristougena Kai Eftikhes To Neon Ethos
"Neon Ethos" refers to a new designer fragrance for men, just in time for Christmas 05'.
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Wait a sec, Christmas is NOT about any kind of holy war....ohhhh, that says "JADIDAH". Right.
Hindi (India): Shubh Christmas
That's cheating, India.
Danish: Glaedelig Jul
I think this is a Dutch greeting for Independence Day.
German: Frohe Weihnachten Und Ein Glückliches Neues Jahr or Fröhliche Weihnachten Und Ein
Although cordial, I bet this sounds tough as nails in German, as most things do.
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi
Wrong holiday guys. Your time comes in April.
And my favorite greeting...
Norse (Danish): Gledlig Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar
Because it's Norse. Probably spoken by a 7 foot tall guy on a horse wearing a helmet with horns, and eating something raw.
Merry Christmas.
I got a list of holiday greetings in several different languages. Some look "friendly" to my simple American English. Others....mind blowing. Let's take a look.
French: Joyeux Noël Et Heureuse Année or Joyeux Noël Et Bonnee Année
Easy enough, I took French in high school and college.
Argentina: Feliz Navidad Y Prospero Año Nuevo
Pretty close to Spanish, and I've heard it in lots of holiday songs.
Brazilian: Feliz Natal E Prospero Ano Novo
Gettin' a little further from home....does "Natal" have to do with the Baby Jesus? Hmm...
Italian: Buon Natale E Felice Anno Nuovo or Buon Natale E Felice Capodanno
Ok...see some romance language similarities. I think one of those words is the name of a pastry.
Catalan: Bon Nadal I Feliç Any Nou
Whoa! Ok, still close. "Any Nou" sounds like a question phrase I would say if I were in Catalan looking for transit. "Excuse me sir.....uhh....Any Nouuuu? Darn, I don't think he's understanding me...."
Chinese (Cantonese): Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun Sing Dan Fai Lok
No idea. Let's try a different approach.
Chinese (Mandarin): Kung His Hsin Nien Bing Chu Shen Tan Sheng Dan Kuai Le
Much better. Makes perfect sense now.
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce A Stastny Novy Rok
No relation to anything I've seen before, other than the presence of letters. Further proof to me that Czech is impossible to understand. Although "Novy Rok" sounds like the title of an 80's Russian metal band that would've opened for The Scorpions.
Bulgarian: Chestita Koleda Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo Tchestita Nova Godina
Nope. "Nova Godina" sang for "Novy Rok" I believe.
Dutch (Netherlands): Prettig Kerstfeest
I'm pretty sure this is just a Dutch compliment for "I enjoyed your festival." "Prettig Kerstfeest!" "Me too! Come again next year!"
Estonian: Roomsaid Joulu Phui Ja Uut Aastat
"What did Room say? I can't believe that, what nerve."
Gaelic (Irish): Nolag Mhaith Dhuit Agus Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise
Gaelic (Scot): Nollaig Chridheil Agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur
Gaelic (pronounced "Gah-lick", per Sam Boyd) culture has a cool history, filled with things that remind me of what Braveheart looked like. Still, their language, completely unintelligible to me. Except "Nolag". I could get down with that word.
Greek: Kala Khristougena Kai Eftikhes To Neon Ethos
"Neon Ethos" refers to a new designer fragrance for men, just in time for Christmas 05'.
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Wait a sec, Christmas is NOT about any kind of holy war....ohhhh, that says "JADIDAH". Right.
Hindi (India): Shubh Christmas
That's cheating, India.
Danish: Glaedelig Jul
I think this is a Dutch greeting for Independence Day.
German: Frohe Weihnachten Und Ein Glückliches Neues Jahr or Fröhliche Weihnachten Und Ein
Although cordial, I bet this sounds tough as nails in German, as most things do.
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi
Wrong holiday guys. Your time comes in April.
And my favorite greeting...
Norse (Danish): Gledlig Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar
Because it's Norse. Probably spoken by a 7 foot tall guy on a horse wearing a helmet with horns, and eating something raw.
Merry Christmas.
posted by cory cavin @ 4:26 PM
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