It’s “Chinese New Year” because I’m Chinese and that was the ticket to lots of red envelopes when I was a kid. Since then? It’s a habit.
I see people using “wrap” a lot for what is obviously a burrito, just with non-Mexican ingredients.
Regarding the Savannah Guthrie / Today Show poll:
It lacked an accurate option for me. I used to watch Today regularly, years ago. I will, on occasion, now catch a few minutes of it. I know Savannah Guthrie’s name (and knew it before the kidnapping), but honestly know very little about her.
I know Guthrie from when she was on MSNBC.
Oh no, I forgot to include the “other” option!
Also not sure the point of declaring whether I like or dislike a person who is currently experiencing a nightmarish and traumatic crisis.
I call it the lunar new year because I’m not Chinese, and I’m sometimes talking to people of other ethnicities who celebrate it. But I’m also going to my brother’s Chinese new year party this weekend, because his wife is Chinese, and her father is cooking. If you refer to it either way, I’ll know what you mean.
I’m not familiar with the spring festival one.
I knew Guthrie well from her appearances on MSNBC (now “MSNOW”), but not from the Today Show, which I haven’t seen since my grandmother was alive in the 1980s.
I’ve seen chunks of the Today Show from time to time over the years but have never been a regular watcher. Before the kidnapping, I did know who Savannah Guthrie was but didn’t know anything about her other than “Today Show person.”
I know Savannah Guthrie from stuff. I can’t tell you which stuff but I’ve seen her over the years. I can’t remember the last time the TV was on when it’s Today Show time. I wouldn’t be able to tell you the current lineup.
It’s not asking if you like her as a human being, but as a celebrity. And i don’t think she’s likely to see or care about those poll results. Yes, it’s rude to criticize people in the midst of a crisis, but “rude” only matters if it affects the person.
I always say “please” and “thank you” to Gemini. I do so when talking to my employees, no need to fall out of the habit.
A ‘Point & Pray restaurant’ - Point at something & pray you’ll like it. I’m not ordering Haggis here, I’m not ordering it in another country, at least intentionally.
This. I could maybe order in the native language but if/when they start asking me questions I’d be in over my head & then would look like a gringo fool pretending I know whatever language.
Change English to native language & I agree 100%. I’ve heard that American Chinese isn’t like Chinese Chinese food, but what is German Chinese like? She spoke German & Chinese & I spoke English, back in the day of dead-tree translation dictionaries. I wanted non-sparkling water; took a hell of a time trying to figure out the right word - Flat? flip-flip-flip; nope. Tap? flip-flip-flip; nope. Eventually made her understand I wanted dishtil wasser
I do think dotcom company seems dated but I’m also not up on terminology and might easily be wrong.
I think whether it’s Chinese or lunar New Year or possibly something else depends on who you’re talking with and the context.
Google Translate is entirely good enough to read menus in most countries. For instance, in Japan, it not only told me what the items were, but also the food safety warnings. (Friends took me to a chicken sashimi place. I kid you not, they fed me raw chicken.) So I’m not really praying, i usually know exactly what I’m pointing at. I just don’t trust myself to say it with a clear enough accent for the server to understand me.
IF you have access to it. I was in a bar/restaurant Friday evening; had no choice but to watch the TVs on the wall because the one bar my phone was showing me wasn’t enough to pull up any intertubez, & that was in the US in a small city with population in the upper-teens where I had such crappy reception. I also looked, they had wifi but it was password protected so I couldn’t get on that, either w/o assistance. Add in a foreign country where a specific phone plan may or may not work & I wouldn’t count on it working 100% of the time.
Even with being a native English speaker & an English menu there was one item I couldn’t figure out. I think it was some sort of loaded fries, but loaded with what? There was no description; I’m sure the regulars know what it is & was probably named after some long-ago patron who like it but what was it?
- i also have Google Fi, which works in most countries
- if you download a language before you leave, you don’t need Internet access to use Google translate.
Oooh, that brings up a good point, we have xfinity (becuase it’s dirt cheap), a MVNO of Verizon. Probably takes some extra digging to see what’s included / turn something on if I want to use it internationally. (Canada is the only thing currently in our foreign travel plans but I believe they are included in domestic Verizon…need to confirm, though)
Anyway, my experience is that waiters, salespeople, etc. want to take your business, and so long as you are unambiguous in your request, and you treat them with respect, they will deal with your lack of language ability fairly gracefully.
Sure, their are rare exceptions. But smiling apologetically and pointing almost always work. And everyone understands Hindu-Arabic numerals, and will show you the price using them.
I’m fine with “drive safely” but here in Wisconsin we say “watch out for deer”.