Another Monty Python Question

[Colin_Trainer]

This one involves the “worlds funniest joke” episode. After killing many people with the joke, it is translated into german. And you have all these people saying the joke in german killing the nazis. Is it just german gibberish that they are saying or is it a really a joke translated. If it was translated what the heck is it?

[astorian]

It’s pure nonsense- a few real German words, mixed in with some phony, German-sounding words.

The “joke” wouldn’t make sense, even if it COULD be translated.

[furryman]

The correct translation is hack gasp arrgh <thump>

[Chas.E]

Hey, I used to use The Joke as my .sig but I dropped it.

It is complete gibberish, it is made of parts of real german words so it sounds like german and uses (vaguely) german sentence structure, but it means nothing.

[rowrrbazzle]

*Originally posted by Gilligan *
From the alt.fan.monty-python FAQ

Q4. What’s the closest translation into English you can make?

A4. [taken from an article to a.f.m-p by Dirk Rehberger]…

 I've seen it, I'm German, and here's the translation:

 Wenn ist das    -   If is the  (note: "Wann" means "when", which would make slightly more sense, since  it's a question)
 Nunstueck       -   nun = now, Stueck = piece

 git             -   that's obviously English! (but similar to "gibt"
                     meaning "gives" or, in the phrase "es gibt", "there is".)

 und             -   and

 Slotermeyer? -   DOESN'T MAKE SENSE  (Meyer is a common German surname)

 Ja! -   Yes!

 Beiherhund      -   Hund = dog, Beiher doesn't make any sense (Bayer means Bavarian, but you can't say "Bayerhund" for "Bavarian dog", you would have to say "bayrischer Hund")

 das oder die    -   the or the  (das is neuter, die is feminine) (or: "that")

 Flipperwaldt    -   Flipper = pinball, Wald = wood/forest

 gersput         -   DOESN'T MAKE SENSE ("ge" and "ver" are very common German prefixes for past participles, but not "ger".)

 All in all: If is the now-piece (git) and (Slotermeyer)? Yes! ...(Beiher)dog that or the pinball wood (gersput)!