Seltsames, Skurriles und Merkwürdiges aus dem englischen Alltag



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Impressum

Abbey Road Webcam

Die unterhaltsame Webcam die den berühmten Zebrasteifen zeigt. Jeder kann kurz mal ein Beatle werden. Amüsant findet Sprachfetzen.

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Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher

Auch Sprachfetzen gibt seinen Senf zu Thatchers Tod. Die Frau war in Musikerkreisen wenig beliebt.
Elvis Costello wartete schon seit 1989 auf den Tag an dem er auf ihrem Grab die Erde festtreten kann (”Tramp The Dirt Down“), die Smiths’ Sänger Morrissey wünschte
Margaret on the guillotine und - vielleicht weniger bekannt: Elton John wartete ebenfalls hoffnungsvoll auf Thatchers Tod: Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher. “Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher We all celebrate today ‘Cause it’s one day closer to your death“.

Russell Brand schreibt im Guardian: “…. Her refusal to stand against apartheid, her civil war against the unions, her aggression towards our neighbours in Ireland and a taxation system that was devised in the dark ages, the bombing of a retreating ship – it’s just not British.”

Auch Sprachfetzen trauert nicht und eins ist sicher: “Dead men tell no tales” - “Ein toter Hund beißt nicht”.

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Zu Gast bei Sprachfetzen: David McIntire

Sprachfetzen freut sich das David McIntire heute hier Gast ist.

David McIntire ist Komponist und Musiker und hat einen eigene Website irritablehedgehog. Von 1987 bis 1992 war er Mitglied bei der von Sprachfetzen geliebten Band The Colorblind James Experience. Und die beschreibt Wikipedia als: “Often humorous (”The music stopped. And then it started again.”) and parodic, and just as often laced with a profoundly questioning spirituality; their music blended elements of polka, country, cocktail jazz, blues, rockabilly, Tex-Mex, rock & roll and other genres.” (Quelle).

David spielte dort Klarinette und Saxophon. Über seine Zeit dort berichtete er auf: rexhavoc.blogspot.de.  Bei Sprachfetzen erinnert sich David an seine Europatour mit Colorblind James Experience und erklärt die Redewendung: ”I could saw a dead dog in half”.

Vielen Dank David!

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I have been to both England and Germany several times, and like both countries very much. Indeed, my wife and I have discussed several times moving to Germany. She spent a few fond years in Berlin as a teenager, back when it was divided. My German is “nicht so gut,” but I can order food and get directions, though not always follow them! When I was in Colorblind James, we played in Hamburg a couple of times, and I liked that city quite a lot. We were supposed to perform in Berlin on the night that the Wall came down, but the gig was cancelled. I recall playing in Hannover and a few other cities, though I’ve lost my tour itineraries and can’t remember them all. We also had a gig fall through in Köln, but the promoter took us to dinner and the food was excellent.
I’ve spent more time in Britain than Germany, mostly touring with the group, but have made other visits as well. My ancestry is Scot-Irish and Welsh, so I’ve always felt right at home there. I grew up in upstate New York, and am possessed of a “Northern” sensibility, which probably explains why I like both countries so much.
I have several favorite sayings, but one I don’t get to use much is “I could saw a dead dog in half,” meaning that one is feeling energetic and capable of anything. It supposedly comes from Ontario and I first read it in a Robertson Davies novel.
I am reluctant to give anyone advice, but I would say that if there is something in your life that you’d regret not attempting, then you should probably try to do that thing, hopefully with people you love. I think this is preferable to seeking wealth or financial stability.

 

Heute komponiert er experimentell elektronische Klänge.

 

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It’s all gone Pete Tong

“It’s all gone Pete Tong” - das kann man ohne zu übertreiben zum Zypern Thema sagen.

Diese englische Floskel gibt es seit Mitte der 80er Jahre und wird sehr oft verwendet. Aus der Wikipedia: “The phrase “It’s all gone Pete Tong”, where the name is used as rhyming slang for “wrong”, was reputedly first coined by Paul Oakenfold in late 1987 in an article about acid house called “Bermondsey Goes Balearic” for Terry Farley and Pete Heller’s Boys Own fanzine. It’s All Gone Pete Tong is also the title of a 2004 film which portrays a fictional DJ’s experiences as he realizes he is becoming deaf.

Sprachfetzen meint, die beste Übersetzung ist: “Alles ist den Bach runtergegangen”, “alles ist schief gelaufen”.

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Zu Gast bei Sprachfetzen: Barry Brusseau

Barry Brusseau ist ein ausgesprochen sympathischer amerikanischer Singer Songwriter, dessen Musik Sprachfetzen sehr mag. Aber nicht nur seine charmanten musikalischen Geschichten alleine sind es, die Barry Brusseau’s Platten herausragen lassen, nein, dazu kommen auch die liebevoll in Eigenarbeit gestalteten Cover und Postkarten die den Platten beigefügt sind.

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Für Sprachfetzen beantwortete Barry die Frage ob er schon mal in England oder Deutschland gewesen sei, ob er ein Lieblingszitat hat und ob er einen Rat für die Sprachfetzen Leser hat.

“I’ve never been to Europe. Mexico is the farthest I’ve gone away from the USA. Though I am in the begining of  a possible short tour that would begin in Barcelona.  I am currently working on doing a song with a German history. The song is “Einsamkeit”.  It’s a poem that was wonderfully written by Wilhelm Muller, and put to music around the year 1826. Franz Shubert composed some beautiful music, and if I was a better piano player (with better discipline) I would have it down by now.  I have learned how to sing the song in German, but I would probably not pass the test in front of folks who spoke German as their first language.
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The surest way to succeed is try just one more time”. Thomas Edison said that, and it’s become  my favorite quote.  I apply it to my musical dreams, and it keeps me moving. The great thing about it is that it doesn’t give you an out. No matter how horribly you think you’ve failed it tells you to keep your head up and try one more time. It basical says as long as your breathing you have no excuse to quit, and also that you never know how close you are to something wonderful.
Breath deep, be honest, and don’t be afraid to keep reaching for something better.”

Danke Barry, hier könnt ihr seinen Song “Empty Head” hören

und hier geht es zu seiner Webseite, wo man auch die neue Platte bestellen kann.

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Englischer Wortschatz und interkulturelle Kompetenz Test

Mit der Sueddeutschen. Thema ist das Englisch ist im Job meist unabdingbar ist. “Wie fit sind Sie im Umgang mit der Weltsprache? Testen Sie Ihren englischen Wortschatz, Ihre Grammatik-Kenntnisse und Ihre interkulturelle Kompetenz!” Hier geht’s zum Test.

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Brass monkey

“It’s cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey” - “Es ist arschkalt.”

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Rhetorische Kniffe in Jodie Fosters Golden Globe Rede

(1) Anaphora: repetition of words or a phrase at the beginning of a clause or sentence.

(2) Polysyndeton: overuse of conjunctions.

(3) Ethos: attempt to establish authority or connection with the audience.

(4) Occultatio: a figure that brings in material while pretending not to talk about it.

(5) Tricolon: three units of speech put in a row.

(6) Peroration: final part of an argument.

(7) Chiasmus or antimetabole: four terms in a criss-crossed relation to each other.

Das hat nicht Sprachfetzen herausgefunden, sondern Sam Leith in seinem fundierten Artikel im Guardian.

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