hungarian and pink currency

[Lynne Murphy]

Barry said:

>     I have no idea if Hungarian is or is not a Slavic language.  The
>first thing you're told is that it's Budapesht, not Budapest.  Then
>you're told that Hungarian is not a Slavic language.  There's my
>tour guide, the driver, plus one Hungarian speaking tourist (she's
>been away 30 years).  She told me that there are Hungarians in
>Nepal, and that she could understand the Nepalese alphabet.

Hungarian is a Finno-Ugric language, which means it's not Slavic, and
it's not even Indo-European.  It's related to Finnish.

>--------------------------------------------------------
>PINK DOLLARS
>
>    The FINANCIAL TIMES, September 23-24, 2000, pg. 28, has a column
>about gay Australia, "Sydney in the pink."  Col. 2:
>
>    Gyms, shops, bars and cafes buzzed as coveted "pink dollars", an
>estimated A$100m (Ł39m) were spent on workouts, souvenirs and
>parade outfits...

This is old.  Used in the US (and I wouldn't doubt Australia) since
at least the late 80s.  (I think I remember a cover story in _The
Advocate_ about it.)  Pink Pound has been used in/of Britain for
probably at least as long.  I've also heard Pink Peso and Pink Rand
(but then, I would).


>FASHION TIMES
>
>"D" BAG, pg. 36, col. 2.  "...honey-coloured leather tote or 'D'
>bag..."  What could "D" mean?  Surely not the term we all used in
>grade school?

"Diana bag"

 From http://www.dolcevita.com/fashion/acc/desire.htm

J.P.Tod's D.Bag
 From 1.190.000 to 7.900.000 lire
approximately $700 to $5000

 From Milano to Paris, NY to LA, there's not a Tod's
boutique anywhere that hasn't opened a D.bag waiting
list, chalking up the reservations for the most sought
after bag of the season. At the Milano location in Via
Spiga, there won't be a bag in sight for at least a couple
of months. Brought out by Diego della Valle several
years ago, the D-bag (the 'D' stands for Diana) has
become standard VIP issue. It is a simple item,
consisting of 2 pieces of leather joined at the center.


>BUM BAG, pg. 53, col. 3.  Americans call it "fanny pack."

And the Brits are quite horrified/amused that the Americans call it that.

Lynne
--
M. Lynne Murphy
Lecturer in Linguistics
School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 3AN    UK
phone:  +44(0)1273-678844
fax:    +44(0)1273-671320