[Lexicog] Re: Changes in German usage

[Patrick Hanks]

'Niet op het gras lopen' sounds more friendly, don't you think? 

In Germany, there are notices in parks which appear to _give permission_ 
for lying on the grass -- "Liegewiese", literally something like "lying-on meadow".  
This, too, strikes a Brit. as odd, but maybe there is a pragmatic implication that 
dogs should not be allowed to foul it, nor bicycles ridden over the recumbent 
persons stretched out there in the sunshine.  

One can also find grassy areas specifically allocated to dogs -- "Hundewiese". 
I suppose no sane person would want to lie on a Hundewiese.  It's all very 
orderly and organized. 

Patrick 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Miel Slager 
  To: billposer at alum.mit.edu 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 5:14 PM
  Subject: Re: [Lexicog] Re: Changes in German usage





  On Wednesday, August 24, 2005, 16:39:49, billposer at alum.mit.edu wrote:




        >
       >The Dutch version was actually 'Het is (streng) verboden het

        >gras te betreden', later it probably was 'Niet op het gras lopen'




        Am I correct in thinking that the change in what is prohibited

        adds to the weakening of the prohibition? To me, the use of "betreden"

        suggests the interpretation: "Don't you dare even step on it.", while

        the use of "lopen" suggests "Don't stroll around on it. (Lightning will

        not strike if you should happen to touch the grass.)".
       







  It is true that 'betreden' is explicitly inchoative, like 'to step on', but in those days you could also find the slightly ridiculous prohibition 'Het is (streng) verboden zich op het gras te bevinden' (it's forbidden to be [situated/located] on the grass). The true difference every native speaker of Dutch will immediately see is that 'Niet op het gras lopen' is unmarked with respect to formality, or even a little bit informal, whereas the former phrases were very formal. And of course the formal phrases explicitly say 'it's forbidden', whereas the informal phrase at least opens the question why I shouldn't do it: because of the prohibition by some stupid authority or rather out of necessity, practical reasons, common sense, etc.




  Miel Slager

  url: http://home.wanadoo.nl/e.slager



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS 

    a..  Visit your group "lexicographylist" on the web.
      
    b..  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
      
    c..  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lexicography/attachments/20050824/b4be29d4/attachment.htm>