Randahl FinkMar 7

Examples that Danish is the most confusing language for English speakers:

In Denmark, when washing machines are done, their displays write, "Slut!", which means "Finished".

When someone enters an elevator, the display changes to "I fart", which means "On the move".

Tourists have difficulty finding a nice WC, because the signs often say "Bad toilet", meaning "Bathroom and toilet".

In lobbies with multiple elevators, one sign may say, "Gods elevator", which means "Freight elevator".

#offtopic

Show threadSchneckbert 🐌Mar 7
@randahl Please explain the idea behind "your" numbers! It's fun, but in the most complicated way possible
Show threadPascal d'HermillyMar 7
@waldschnecke @randahl yeah its insane. Basically you divide all the numbers into 20 (snes, a score in english) like the french but then somebody got the brilliant idea to count half snes, so when you say 50 you say halvtres (deduce: half three snes) meaning 2.5 snes.
Yeah its just insane 😂
Show threadPetra van CronenburgMar 7
@Pascal_dher 😱 from France. 😅 @waldschnecke @randahl
Show threadDawn Ahukanna

@NatureMC

@Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl

I’m learning Danish as an English and French speaker and the “half of score(20) or 2 hands plus a number” mental model took some time to get used to - 😬!

Mar 7 at 9:20amPhanpy
Show threadPetra van CronenburgMar 7
@dahukanna It is interesting to observe that most people who work in the gastronomy sector often count in their native language, even if they are completely fluent in the other language.
@Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl
Show threadDawn AhukannaMar 7
@NatureMC @Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl
Instinctual, no cognitive effort to recall and time-effective system 1 vs deliberate, brain cognitive effort required to recall and slower system 2.
Show threadPetra van CronenburgMar 7

@dahukanna I have now mastered the French numbering system sufficiently to write cheques, but I always count in my head in German to save my brain for more important things. 🤭 Or I use the Belgian French ...

@Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl

Show threadDawn AhukannaMar 7

@NatureMC @Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl

From practice and lived experience:
- More than 100 - can count with no effort in English
- less than 100 - can count with no effort in English and French.
- less than 50 - can count with no effort in English, French, Danish and German.

Show threadPetra van CronenburgMar 7
@dahukanna Great! @Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl
Show threadWhiteHotaruMar 7
@dahukanna that is a lot of languages. German is pretty consistent above 30. Just take the single number and add a „zig/ßig“ drei(3)ßig, vier(4)zig, fünf(5)zig, sech(s 6)zig, sieb(en 7)zig, ach(t 8)zig, neun(9)zig. The weirdness of first saying the ones and adding „and“ is consistent as well. 71 is ein(1)und(&)siebzig(70) @NatureMC @Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl
Show threadDawn AhukannaMar 7

@whitehotaru thanks for sharing.
In Danish 71 is en(1) og (and) halv(half of a score-20=10) fjerds(subtracted from 80).

Enoghalvfjerds

@NatureMC @Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl

Show threadSecret SquirrelMar 7
@NatureMC @dahukanna @Pascal_dher @waldschnecke @randahl I see something similar in science. I use Celsius for anything science-y with no problem. But ask me what it's like outside and I have to think to convert from my native Fahrenheit. Code switching is fun.