I’m not sure whether this is the right forum in which to post this, but:
Over in GQ, someone has asked about drink machines and cold conditions. Lance Turbo posted a link http://www.straightdope.com/columns/950505.html which mentioned this and How do non-english speakers make animal noises?. My comment - well really just a treasured memory - refers to the animal noises.
In 1977 I was 7 or 8, and my parents were visiting Taiwan. We were basically visitng old folks’ homes (my parents are social workers). At the time, Taiwan was very isolated, since many countries had recently recognised mainland China. As a consequence, we as semi-official types were afforded great status, and given official escorts where ever we went.
On one long minibus trip, we were accompanied by the six-year-old daughter of a senior bureaucrat. As the only little children around, we naturally got together.
The problem was of course, that we had no language at all in common. What we did, for the whole three hour trip, was to compare animal noises.
I would do a pig (or whatever) in English, she in her language (Cantonese, I think). Then we would laugh at each other and move on to the next animal.
The interesting thing is that whilst the noises were different, they were recognisable to both of us. We both knew that the funny-sounding noise was a pig, and could appreciate how funny the differences were, but how nice it was that we could understand and amuse each other.
This probably doesn’t add much to Cecil’s column. It may belong in MPSIMS, but hell, it does remind me of why I come here - to see and get reminded of interesting stuff.
picmr