In an earlier episode, we discussed linguistic false friends, those words in foreign languages that look like familiar English words, but mean something quite different. Martha reads an email response from a listener who learned the hard way that in Norway “Tann Paste” is not the same as “tanning cream.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Norwegian Tann Paste”
Not long ago, we were talking about linguistic false friends, those words that look like they translate into English, but they don’t, like the German word gift, which means poison in German.
We got a great letter about this from Liz, who listens to us in Cape Cod.
She says, when I was a student at the University of Oslo summer school, my Norwegian language skills were apparently far beneath my confidence level.
One Saturday, another American friend and I decided to go to the municipal swimming pool.
Being very fair-skinned, I stopped at the drugstore to buy a tanning cream.
After looking at all the products, I found one that said tan paste and another one that said tan cream, T-A-N-N.
It seemed self-evident that this was their version of a tanning product, so I bought one.
When we got to the pool, I rubbed it all over the exposed areas of my body.
The Norwegians at the pool seemed to be staring, and small children were peeking at me and giggling.
After about 20 minutes, the cream had become hard and rather flaky.
It was also light green.
All of this seemed part and parcel of the Scandinavian foreignness to which I had become accustomed.
After a few uncomfortable hours in the sun, I returned to the dorm,
And the person checking me in asked what in the world was on my skin.
When I showed her the tube of tanning cream, she went wild with laughter.
In Norwegian, tan is the word for tooth.
My body was covered with toothpaste.
That’s brilliant.
That’s fantastic.
That’ll teach you, right?
Never assume.
Yeah, let’s hear about your linguistic misunderstandings, 1-877-929-9673,
Or send your horrible tales of getting it wrong to words@waywordradio.org.
