The word 'Vrede' jumped out at me from this 'Peace' installation. 'Vrede' is Danish for anger, fury, wrath. I wondered if it was an artistic provocation. But it seemed too confined to chance, that someone who happens to understand Danish happens to see this German artwork. So I looked it up and learned that 'vrede' is Dutch for 'peace'.
Vrede. Peace in Dutch. Wrath in Danish. I wonder if there's a word for words like these, that mean the opposite in different languages.
@CiaraNi The expression that springs to mind is ‘false friends’, but I’m not sure that covers what you mean.
I agree there should be a word for this, in English, Dutch and Danish.
@cassana @HenkvanderEijk Eng eng eng eng - deilightful. I didn't know 'eng' meant 'scary' in Dutch. That has an opposite feeling too, compared to the calm of the word 'meadow'. Now I'm reminded of this descriptive dissonance from Douglas Adams. I've been using the phrase 'like getting mugged in a meadow' for relevant situations ever since I first read this.
'The Galaxy, which had been enjoying a period of unusual peace and prosperity at the time, reeled like a man getting mugged in a meadow.'
@HenkvanderEijk @CiaraNi @cassana
Sometimes, you don't even need a full language shift.
'Cute' has very different meanings in British English and Hiberno-English
@twobiscuits This made me laugh actually out loud and also laugh in horror. Oh no! Must've been awful for her, thinking a colleague was saying that and not feeling she could speak up. Good job you turned up and she could ask and you could explain.
This reminded me of my regular phrase for saying goodbye or signing off, especially to someone who's going through a difficult time. 'Mind yourself.' For years, I didn't realise that, to those unfamiliar with it, it can sound like a mafia threat.
Ciara
Henk van der Eijk
Cassana 🍻
Gerard Cunningham ✒️
Twobiscuits🚴♂️ 