Tom Smit wrote:I see what you mean Bill. After Frederic's response, I actually read what I had posted...and realized that "obtenir " looks like "obtain" (Latin root word?), so therefore I should have looked for another possiblilty.
This demonstrates that a more international language that leaves no doubt takes precedent and sign language does just that.
Here's an example;
And as you can see, it's so simple even guitarists can use it
Semi-retired: Former Australia and New Zealand Authorised BFM cab builder.
Tom Smit wrote:I see what you mean Bill. After Frederic's response, I actually read what I had posted...and realized that "obtenir " looks like "obtain" (Latin root word?), so therefore I should have looked for another possiblilty.
This demonstrates that a more international language that leaves no doubt takes precedent and sign language does just that.
Not exactly. The finger sign and the V-sign (the English longbowmen one as opposed to the Churchillian victory-V) are met with incomprehension and confusion at least in northern China. The 'toss pot' sign too. And I have researched comprehensively!
Not really. They just don't have those gestures. They are meaningless to Chinese. Sorry Harley.
Maybe music is the only international language? And music is the food of love, as old 'Guillaume' Shakespeare wrote...er, so maybe there are two international languages, then?
UROK wrote:
Not exactly. The finger sign and the V-sign (the English longbowmen one as opposed to the Churchillian victory-V) are met with incomprehension and confusion at least in northern China. The 'toss pot' sign too. And I have researched comprehensively!
OTOH the western sign for 'O.K.' will get you in trouble in some parts of the world.
Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:Computer software translation? I used one of those once to translate some phrases into Russian. When I translated the Russian back to English I got a totally different phrase. I discovered the only way to be sure it was right was when the phrase would translate in both directions with the same result. Doing so required very simple text. French to English and vis-versa is a pain, the one using Latin grammar rules and the other Germanic. It's worse going between Germanic and Slavic, as even the alphabets are different.
It can funny as well though. Take a piece of text, long enough though for it to have some start, meaning and an end. Run it through several online translators, preferrably crossing borders like the Latin, Germanic and Slavic languages. More = better. Finally translate back to your own speak. Great fun.
Phill Mauricebitz wrote:Translation software? From these words I am transferred to Russian. 1 in English, while Russia, no other. The right of way is that I have found in no other way to return to will be the same. Must needs be too great meals. Backup pain Englishman Germany Latin grammar to be released from the French. The Germans and Slavs, further, another is a more grievous the alphabet.
AntonZ wrote:
It can funny as well though. Take a piece of text, long enough though for it to have some start, meaning and an end. Run it through several online translators, preferrably crossing borders like the Latin, Germanic and Slavic languages. More = better. Finally translate back to your own speak. Great fun.
Around the world in 88 seconds:
It was a pleasure. Use a piece of text so long. But at the beginning, meaning and purpose. Translated on the Internet, and visitors to the border, like Latin, German and some Slavic languages more = better last went to talk with him very well.
Here in Australia we went to metric in about 1966 I think and the imperial is pretty much dead in the water now. I must admit I was a bit surprised to see all the measurements in my new Jack 12 plans in the old currency.
Looks like the other tool I'll be needing is the imperial steel rule. Mostly I do calculations on my fingers, which works out nicely for metric It reminded me of this story...
Convert fraction to decimal and add in the whole part. Then multiply by 25.4 and you got mm.....
Ouch that was hard.
Anyone heard of a calculator or even better type into web browser for example "4 5/8 in in mm".... The Pain the Agony........ you get an answer in millimeters.
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage, to move in the opposite direction."
CafSentryGnome wrote:Depends where you live and what job you do. where i am both systems are used even by people my age and younger.
I don't know how old you are but same applies here. In fact, I find more and more people are mentioning inches more often these days. Miles have disappeared though to a great extent expect in figures of speech ( I could see for miles ).
I work happily in both systems.
Semi-retired: Former Australia and New Zealand Authorised BFM cab builder.
CafSentryGnome wrote:Depends where you live and what job you do. where i am both systems are used even by people my age and younger.
I don't know how old you are but same applies here. In fact, I find more and more people are mentioning inches more often these days. Miles have disappeared though to a great extent expect in figures of speech ( I could see for miles ).
I work happily in both systems.
im almost 24.
i'll explain it a bit more, i grew up and live in a farming community. the schools taught us metric but our parents still taught us to use imperial as they were more likely to ask for a few inches or feet of something when we were helping out on the farms. i think imperial is mainly used for rough estimates and metric is used for exact measurement. even now the students at work still talk in inches and feet (if they come from a farming background). speakers are still sold in inches so are computer monitors but TVs are in centimeters.
i suspect that if you live in the city you wont have had much exposure to imperial.
In Texas, we measure distances using phrases such as:
dang near
o'var (over there)
smidgen
Because of the size of this great state, we tend to think of distances in different terms....A yankee comes to Texas and buys a ranch. He's bragging to an old Texan about how big it is saying, "It took me three days just to drive around the outside!"
To which the old Texan replied, "Yeah, I had a crappy truck like that once."
"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."
Bruce Weldy wrote:In Texas, we measure distances using phrases such as:
dang near
o'var (over there)
smidgen
poofteenth (its a poofteenth of a mm out)
whisker (a whisker closer)
bee's d_ck (it needs to go a bee's d_ck more)
songs (he did the trip in 3 songs)
cans/bottles/drinks (its 2 cans/bottles/drinks to the next town)
Semi-retired: Former Australia and New Zealand Authorised BFM cab builder.
It reminded me of this story...
