LL-L "Idiomatica" 2004.11.13 (06) [E]

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From: Ingmar Roerdinkholder <ingmar.roerdinkholder at worldonline.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Orthography" 2004.11.13 (03) [E]

>>>>> Okay mate!
But I'm just curious what would you say then if you meant "silly", if you
didn't want to use that word ?
Our beloved Princess Máxima Zorreguieta, made a famous lovingly remark once
to her spouse, the future King of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Willem
Alexander "Je was een
beetje dom", with her charming Argentine accent. Een beetje dom - a little
bit dumb, is one way to express silly in Dutch.
In that case I wouldn't mind. Ingmar

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Orthography
>
> No worries, Ingmar.  I thought it was all in good fun, and I assumed that
> this would apply to our beloved queen of the peanut gallery as well.
Sorry
> if I overstepped the bounds.  I wouldn't use words like "silly" if I
really
> meant it.
>
> Reinhard/Ron

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Idiomatica

Ha, die Ingmar!

> But I'm just curious what would you say then if you meant "silly", if you
> didn't
> want to use that word ?

Had I been serious I wouldn't have horsed around and would have sent you a
set of challenging questions that would have put you on a spot.  (And I
easily could have, you know?)  I'm not in the habit of calling people names
in earnest and would certainly not do so here and violate one of the most
important rules of the List.  Furthermore, I'm not one of those people that
disguises aggression with smiles and seemingly playful banter.  I'm more
honest than that.

Humor is definitely slippery ice in international, intercultural and
interlinguistic communication, and written communication adds to the
slipperiness.

What I meant by "Are you being a silly goose?" (alternatively "... a silly
Billy?") was something like "Are you kidding us right now?", "Are you
horseplaying with us?" or "Are you saying that because you are challenging
us in a playful mood?"

"Silly" and "dumb" or "stupid" are rarely identical in meaning.  "Silly"
often comes with the added connotation of "playful" or "giddy," does not
imply mental deficiency, is much like German _albern_ or _ausgelassen_, or
Lowlands Saxon _dalverig_, _dwallerig_, _dwaller-watschig_, _kalvsch_ or
_kalverig_, all of which can be used seriously but often are said in jest.
"Silly" is rarely meant seriously especially in expressions like "silly
goose," certainly when said *to* a person rather than *about* a person
(behind their back).

> Our beloved Princess Máxima Zorreguieta, made a famous lovingly remark
> once to her spouse, the future King of the Netherlands, Crown Prince
> Willem
> Alexander "Je was een
> beetje dom", with her charming Argentine accent. Een beetje dom - a little
> bit dumb, is one way to express silly in Dutch.
> In that case I wouldn't mind.

I see.  So coming from *me* it wouldn't quite do it for you.  I feel crushed
crushed, to be sure.  ;-)

Hold fast!
Reinhard/Ron

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