Have you ever done anything embarrassing due to a language barrier?

2015-10-13T11:05:03-04:00

http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/10/marine-regrets-confusing-kabuki-bukakke/?utm_source=Duffel+Blog+Fans&utm_campaign=a2094de767-Duffel_Blog_Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6d392bc034-a2094de [login to see] 7&goal=0_6d392bc034-a2094de [login to see] 7&mc_cid=a2094de767&mc_eid=a900ecfa17

Marine In Japan Regrets Confusing 'Kabuki' With 'Bukakke'

These are terms you do not want to mix up.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 11:10 AM

2015-10-13T11:10:59-04:00

In Germany, I once walked into and used the female bathroom instead of the mens bathroom. Massive brainfart on the DAMEN and HERRAN signs.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Oct 13 at 2015 11:12 AM

2015-10-13T11:12:05-04:00

1985, In Colombia I requested chile for my food, the waiter asked me if that is what I wanted I said yes, so he brought me a sack of potatoes. When I asked what is that he said chile.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 13 at 2015 11:33 AM

2015-10-13T11:33:05-04:00

PO3 Steven Sherrill Hah, well, I was stationed in Japan for my first station, and, well, let's just say that that was REALLY...interesting...for a young man at the time. Deciding I wanted to learn Japanese, I began having female friends (mostly because I wasn't all that interested in male ones at the time) teach me. Mistake.

Japanese has, essentially, a male version and a female version. Like, seriously, the pronouns are different, adverbs can change, etc, based upon the speaker's gender. For example, 'I' is 'bokku' for men, 'watashi' for women. Guess which version I learned? lol. For 6 months or so, until I figured it out, every time I tried to speak to a Japanese male they'd laugh at me. I initially thought it was because I was mangling it, but it was mostly because they thought I was gay, heh.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Oct 13 at 2015 11:35 AM

2015-10-13T11:35:57-04:00

Only on DuffelBlog! LOL!

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Oct 13 at 2015 11:47 AM

2015-10-13T11:47:15-04:00

Where is Ausfart?

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Oct 14 at 2015 1:53 PM

2015-10-14T13:53:38-04:00

I tried to avoid difficult words that I couldn't tell the diacritical marks on in my Levantine class. I didn't want to say the wrong thing since the same root was used for the words for Friday, sex, and together. Or the word for bathroom, drunk, and I believe pigeon also had similar sounds.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 4:13 PM

2015-10-14T16:13:54-04:00

PO3 Steven Sherrill I can't recall for how long I've been holding this meme waiting for the right moment to use it. If I start my list I think we will end up with a complete different discussion.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 14 at 2015 9:44 PM

2015-10-14T21:44:14-04:00

PO3 Steven Sherrill Ahhhh Memories

I am new to Germany, only been in country a couple weeks and some of the Lts in the unit drag me to a bar. Its standing room only and we are all standing around chatting over the music. There is a older German who walks by several times and steps on my foot.

I muster up my best German and am determined to give him a piece of my mind. A few minuets later he walks by again and not only steps on my foot but is standing on my foot. I tap his shoulder to get his attention and say "kook mal Arschloch das ist meine foote." my intent was look out as#hole, that's my foot. what I forgot (blame it on the bier) foot is foose in German. Bubba looked at me and started laughing... do habst ein foote...

Foote is a slang for a portion of female anatomy...

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 15 at 2015 1:38 AM

2015-10-15T01:38:10-04:00

Probably the worst thing I ever did was sit on a bus with one leg crossed in my lap thus showing the bottom of my shoe. This was somewhere in the Middle East, probably Bahrain.

Showing the bottom of your feet is a sign of disrespect in Muslim countries!

Response by MSG Michael Lange made Jun 20 at 2017 6:59 PM

2017-06-20T18:59:57-04:00

Being new to the site, I found this thread from a few years ago and it reminded me of my second day in Korea in 1962. We had just arrived after a 23-day troop transport voyage and a long ride on a train to Camp Casey. After a nice steak dinner, many of us went to the barbershop where they posted a long list of services. So I opted for the haircut and back massage. While the young lady was beating my back very nicely, I remarked that she probably "played the bongoes pretty good, too" referring to the drums. Well, most of the Koreans in the shop cracked up but she gave me a dirty look. Only when I paid my bill was I told that bongo is the Korean slang for fart.