Exit through the backside (English/Swedish)
My favourite Swedish word is fart, which means speed, pace. You can find quite a few interesting signs with this word when driving in Sweden, for example infart, entrance or utfart, exit. On the motorways there are signs saying fartskontroll where you can get pulled over if you're doing it too fast - driving that is.
Sent by: Dina
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I'll never forget a shop in the centre of Gdansk which was called fart, which in Polish means "good luck". There also used to be a fizzy drink of the same name. Not very appetizing for native English speakers!
I taught English in Finland for a few years and was very amused when one of my students said he liked 'backside music' ! He was translating literally from the Finnish word takapuoli and he actually meant 'background music' such as you hear in shops or planes !
Some corrections to Dina's initial message and Ian's contribution: fartskontroll is New Norwegian (nynorsk) spelling, fartskontrol Literary Norwegian (²ú´Ç°ì³¾Ã¥±ô) and Danish. In Swedish we say fartkontroll (no 's').
The correct spelling is baksida with long 'a' to rhyme with 'hawk'. Backsida means literally 'side on which to reverse'. Makes no sense in Swedish, nevermind English. In all fairness, we do use back, but in constructions such as backspegel, rear mirror, and ²ú²¹³¦°ì±¹Ã¤³æ±ð±ô, reverse gear. Swedish maritime terminology has att slÃ¥ back, to go astern, and in the same vein halv/full kraft back, half/full speed astern. Soccer terminology's back is the same, though.
Backsida means the side of a hill (hill = backe). The correct Swedish spelling of the word the author refers to baksida, i.e. no 'c' before the 'k'.
The majority of Swedes speak excellent English, but I have found a sure way of testing their ability.
Most Swedes use the word 'backside' when meaning reverse side/other side etc. Only the most advanced speakers seem to have recognised this. I think it is because in Swedish the only suitable word is backsida. When I explain that 'backside' really only refers to one thing in English, it usually causes some mirth.
I want to add to Dina's speedy Swedish fart that the word for speed bump is farthinder.
If you go over one at 50kmph it has quite the opposite effect.
I work with lots of Pakistanis in Saudia Arabia and they also use 'backside' to mean at the back or behind.
I used to find this amusing also, now I often use it myself as it is simpler than saying 'at the back'!
We all now understand the double entendre and have a chortle over it's use!
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