She Is Ashamed Of Me....?

[Americano]

My wife says on the computer or off the computer. I have never said anything about it because there is nothing to turn. Its all push buttons. Push or press on the computer would be more accurate than turn on.

[Dave Hounddriver]

For me its niggard. I cringe when she calls me niggard in public but I chuckle at the same time. For me it sounds like a racist word but she has no idea of this. She means:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/niggardly

[Dougbert]

Haha! I love it. I was thinking about starting a new thread on unusual English usage...maybe we can just tack it on this thread? What does "she has a kidney" mean? I am guessing that "high blood" is along the lines of short-tempered or easy to agitate.

My GF uses "transfer" for all kinds of things whereas here in the US it usually is used in the context of moving money (e.g. bank transfer) or moving jobs within the same company (transferring to a new department or location). She uses it in place of "move" for everything from moving house to taking a cab or tricycle somewhere. Not technically incorrect, just confusing!

Oh, and she calls me "baby" as a term of endearment (I think she knows my name--haha), but based on the context and tone it can mean anything from "I'm so happy to see you today on Skype" to "excuse me, I didn't understand what you said, please repeat it" to "I can't believe you said that" to "watch out for that crazy tricycle driver who is about to run you over!"

[Thomas]

What does "she has a kidney" mean? I am guessing that "high blood" is along the lines of short-tempered or easy to agitate.

They seem to like shortenings :) E g origin "como esta usted" has become "kmusta" (=How are you)

So I suppose they mean:

/"she has a kidney"-stone.

/"high blood"-pressure.

Both are common illnesses in the Philippines, harder to avoid in hot climate.

(If you don't know, you better drink extra much - not alcohol :) - because otherwice it's big risk material to kidney stones are not flushed out before they stick together, become big making problems.)

[MikeeW]

I have been able to "translate" some of the English expressions i learned here. Makes sense in many cases. Just odd.

For example, it would drive me to distraction ( see how easy it is to do?) to hear someone use the expression "for a while". This was commonly done while on the phone and when said, the person who said it would not speak again....for a while. It was the equivalent to "please hold". I was irritated at first since I really didn't understand what was happening. Sometimes I could hear conversations going on, but no one would be speaking to me.

Of course, why is it that "please hold" makes any more sense? Or better, "just a moment".

"Has a kidney" is a short hand way of saying someone has kidney disease or a kidney ailment of some type. "High blood" is just hypertension. Of course, in some places that expression means they are of an important lineage.

What is equally amusing is to get a literal answer to a query. "What sort of medicines did the doctor prescribe for you?". That can be followed with the precisely correct answer, "they are pills, big, orange and taste bad". Question asked. Question answered.

I used to have a cranky response to the way English was messed up. But, for a while I helped to teach English to some Koreans, in Korea. This taught me some humility. Mostly I just chatted and let them try to listen and respond. I am not a instructor. It quickly amazed me just how much I messed up my own native language. If you happen to live on a street with house numbers, or know people who do, then just listen to the way you speak the house and street numbers. I live at thirteen oh two, hundred and first street. (1302 101st). Go ahead, try to explain why you use an "oh" and not a zero or why it is 101st and not just 101. Or better, why don't you say "one thousand three hundred and two"?

Oh well, that's Gangnam style.

[Thomas]

This taught me some humility. Mostly I just chatted and let them try to listen and respond. I am not a instructor. It quickly amazed me just how much I messed up my own native language.

(SOME having English as native language complain when we, who have an other native language, don't write perfect English, even a moderator in an OTHER forum took part in attacks against mainly people with some latin language as their main!!! When the latin guys tried to say something important in English, with errors but fully understandable, then it were common in that forum they got 4-5 posts with ONLY language attack answers before they got any answer about the topic... But it was funny when I found and posted a long list of all English language errors that English native speaking moderator had in one his such language complaing post with only five lines post... :mocking:

Good it isn't such crap posts in this forum.

Btw - I suppose e g Englishmen and Americans would have different oppinions what's corect in many cases :)

[i am bob]

I suppose e g Englishmen and Americans would have different oppinions what's corect in many cases

Oh would they ever! Good thing I'm Canadian and know what is correct in every case!!!

:mocking: :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

[Beachboy]

correct in every case!

Because I speak English I assume my version is the correct one (I know Bob's isn't -- haha). But who is to say that Filipino English is less correct that mine?

And what about accents? When I was visiting Scotland I remarked to my host that he had a "colorful" accent. With a straight face, he replied "You have the accent, not I."

Now if you really want to go crazy, try deciphering Filipino texting .. it's almost like a secret code. :bash:

[Thomas]

try deciphering Filipino texting .. it's almost like a secret code.

Yes, the mix of English, Filipino and their local language, and their spelling and shortenings don't make it easy.

(E g now I try to figuere out if a text can be a warning signal or a good joke :) What it mean depend of who the text refer to, which I haven't managed to solve. It don't become easier by they mix up "he" and "she". As I understand it, both refer to same person. But it's told in public, so I guess it's the refering, which make it a joke.)

[ekimswish]

She's just using the wrong preposition, as many Asians do. Not ashamed "of" u but personally ashamed, probably meaning "humbled" and grateful.

Edited November 16, 2012 by ekimswish