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Engineering humor in foreign languages
2

Engineering humor in foreign languages

Engineering humor in foreign languages

(OP)
With all the serious threads lately about speaking in a foreign language in work I thought I would share this sign often posted in plant control rooms being commissioned by our German speaking brethren.  No matter how many times I see it I get a kick out of it and especially like to watch the expression on those non techs that happen to have the occasion to read it:

ACHTUNG!!!!

Alles touristen und Non-technischen Lookens Peepers!

Das machine control is nicht fur gerfingerpoken und mittengrabben

Oderwise is easy schnappen der springwerk , blowenfuse und poppencorken Mit spitzensparken.

Der machine is diggen by experten only

Is nicht fur gerverken by das dumnkopfen

Das rubbernecken sightseenen keepen das cottenpicken hands in das pockets.

So relaxen und watchen das blinkenlight.

Any others like this out there???

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Q: Is Daimler-Chrysler pronounced "Day-mler-Chrysler" or "Dime-ler Chrysler"?

A: It's pronounced "Dime-ler".  The "Chrysler" is silent.

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

I have a video of German Coast Guard.  A new chap is put into the radio room and the supervisor leaves.  A few minutes later, there is a mayday - in English, the ship radioman says "Mayday, Mayday - we are sinking".  The German seems bewildered.  Again, "We are sinking."  The German is a bit more clued in now and says "Hello, Hello - what are you thinkink?"

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages


GTstartup - great joke.  I sent it to a German, but he didn't laugh.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Not just for engineers, but definitely a foreign language

Semper in excretia sumus, solum profundum variat

Stephen Argles
Land & Marine
www.landandmarine.com

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

I thought the faux German warning sign was funny when I first saw it ... but I was a teenager then.  Now I think it makes (us) Americans look ignorant and insensitive.  I'd expect an actual German to be offended, but too polite to react with anything but silence.  






Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

(OP)
Mike

Funny you should say that, because any time I've seen it, it was put there by the German speaking personnel.  In fact I think it pokes more fun at the English speaking reader.

Plus I am curious why you think it makes Americans seem insensitive. Do you know the origins of it? Was it written by an American? Or is it that Americans have to take the blame for any offense that non English speaking people suffer.

I'm not American so please don't take this as defensive.

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Sounds like something straight off that comedy Allo Allo that was shown throughout the 80's in the UK.  That lambasted both types of foreigners: French and Germans.  I wonder if it ever crossed the pond?

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages


I took it as self deprecating humor by an English speaker.  To me it’s subtle and entirely good humored.  It’s probably funniest to native English speakers who know a little German.  I’d even go a far to say American English because of the  colloquial words like ‘mittengrabben’ and ‘cottonpicken’.  But maybe Brits use them as well.

And as far as Germans reacting with silence to it, from my experience during a 15 year marriage to a German, near immersion in a German-speaking household at my in-laws and several trips to Germany, that’s how they react to ALL subtle jokes. winky smile

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

   You used to be able to buy a sticker for your car dashboard as follows...

   "Achtung!  Snappen das seatbelten.  Geschmashen der windshieldt mit der noggin ist verboten!"

   My guess is that this stuff goes back to the post WWII period when Germans were regarded as bloody mindedly authoritarian.  

                        JHG

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Quote:

Germans were regarded as bloody mindedly authoritarian

Where would we be if we had no rules?

Where would we be if we had too many rules?

(Appologies to non-Brits or those without access to Brit TV)

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

I dunno about the "bloody-minded authoritarian" characterization.  

I've seen that little sign posted in many a ham radio shack over the years, and I always figured it's because of the characterization of Germans as particularly fine technicians and engineers, a la Werner von Braun, et. al.

old field guy

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

I am married to a German.
I work for Siemens.
I used to work for Klockner Moeller.
I have been closely associated with Germans for most of my adult life.

There is nothing stereotypical I have not seen confirmed!



Oops, gotta go, Der Obergruppenführer beckons...



RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Hier Hier...

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Just back from a weeks holiday to Lanzarote (in the Canary Islands - Spanish islands off the coast of north-west Africa, for those Americans that only have Ronald Reagan's map of the world).

One of the tourist treats is a small submarine, which they take you out into the Atlantic in and down to about 100 feet or so, you see the pretty fish and then go back. It's painted yellow.
http://www.submarinesafaris.com/

Now, the people that run the thing have a sign in several languages, describing the vessel.
I think the word 'submarine' was used in all the descriptions (sorry to the French and some Canadians - "sous-marin", and Italians - "sommergibile").

However, some Spaniard had a sense of humour and for the German description used the expression "U-boat".

Bill

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

I think there is a huge difference in British and US humour
I'm not from USA but I'm astonished about the things You are not supposed to write.
I weren't very rude (I think) but things are censored and removed from my replies.
I don't dare to make a joke again.

Greetings

Here is a neath one:

A Piping Designer dies in a car accident on his 40th birthday and finds
Himself at the Pearly Gate.
A brass band is playing; the Angels are singing a beautiful hymn,
There is a huge crowd cheering and shouting his name and absolutely everyone wants to shake his hand.
Just when he thinks things can't possibly get any better, Saint Peter himself runs over, apologizes for not greeting him personally at the pearly gates, shakes his hand and says:
"Congratulations son, we've been waiting a long time for you!"
Totally confused and a little embarrassed, the piper sheepishly looks
At Saint Peter and says "Saint Peter, I tried to lead a God fearing
Life, I loved my family, I tried to obey the 10 commandments, but
Congratulations for what?
I honestly don't remember doing anything really special when I was alive."
"Congratulations for what?" says Saint Peter, totally amazed at the
Man’s modesty.
"We're celebrating the fact that you lived to be 160 years old!
God himself wants to see you!"
The piper is awe struck and can only look at Saint Peter with his mouth
Agape. When he regains his power of speech, he looks up at Saint Peter and says "Saint Peter, I lived my life in the eternal hope that when I died I would be judged by God and be found to be worthy, but I only lived to be forty."
"That's simply impossible son," says Saint Peter. "We've added up your
Timesheets."

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

I know that piper.  winky smile


I don't mind having the rude and stupid stuff trimmed from my writing; it makes me appear smarter and more polite than I actually am.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Strange feeling for ´rude and stupid´

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

Hi, Happy to say hello!

Very agree comunicatoin very immportant!

Engineers correct using Eglish very impotant!

We very careful witting User Intrusions and Band Hooks to teach user know how use us product!

Us staffs all have training class hlep to write best Hand Books!

RE: Engineering humor in foreign languages

europipe Spot on! Have substituted Piping designer for BT engineer for forwarding to friends. BT engineers included so don't jump on me!

Fred and George (two engineers) are having a chat about Fred's new bike:
"Where'd you get your new bike Fred?"
"Well, this beautiful woman rode up to me threw the bike on the ground, ripped off all of her clothes and told me to take whatever I wanted!"
"Blimey! She must've known the clothes wouldn't fit you though..."

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