Re: Words/ambidickstrous/Sharon

[Guest guest]

We were both down with the cold, but we are both feeling better now. Not well, but close enough (still some coughing etc., but basically functioning again).love/Reb > > I know that the English language has the expression "perfect stranger".> > Which is an interesting expression in itself, perfect in what sense, kind> > of? ... But the Swedish equivalent wold literally be translated as "wild> > stranger" (or possibly "wildly strange"). > > > > > > We happened to use that expression in a conversation yesterday, and it just> > suddenly hit me: "WILD strangers" now if that isn't a "wildly strange"> > expression, I don't know what would be... The obvious question is, are there> > any tame strangers? We reached the conclusion that the tame strangers must> > be the ones you invite for dinner . By which we were referring to that the> > slightly old fashioned Swedish word for "guests" is "strangers", as in "We> > have strangers here tonight, the Jonssons came over for dinner." In that> > context "strangers" shouldn't be understood as "people we don't know", but> > only as "people who don't live here and/or don't belong to the family". > > > > > > OK. "Wild strangers" the kind you meet on the street, "tame strangers", the> > kind you invite in... > > > > > > Words and language are such entertaining subjects some times, aren't they...> > ; ) > > > > > > love > > /Reb> >>