05/26/2003   English German
  Edition # 44  
San Francisco, 05-26-2003

Learn To Speak English With the Pros

Michael What is the name of the flatulence-like sound that is produced by sticking the tongue out a little from a slightly open mouth while simultaneously releasing turbulent air? It is undoubtedly an international gesture that mostly means 'I don't like it, but there's nothing I can do about it' or also stands for 'You can kiss my ass.' However, as far as I know, there is no German word for it. In English, however, there are two expressions: 'Bronx Cheer' and 'Raspberry.'

The "Bronx Cheer" (a celebratory gesture from the New York Bronx) undoubtedly comes from the working-class fans of the New York Yankees (a baseball team from New York City), who apparently produced the sound en masse during the surely boring baseball games (as reported by the newsletter).

But "raspberry" is the English word for "Himbeere". What does that fruit have to do with the derogatory gesture just mentioned? Well, my dear friends, it pays off to receive a daily email from the so-called "Wordsmith," like I do, with a rarely used word from Webster's Dictionary, along with its origin and meaning. Recently, "raspberry" was featured, and it was explained that it is an old British slang term.

It comes from the fact that "Raspberry Tart" rhymes with "Fart," but the English ladies and gentlemen did not like to use the latter, indecent word. As a kind of secret language, they chose "Raspberry" for the similar-sounding tongue noise. Furthermore, as the "Wordsmith" explained, in England, instead of "look," people also like to say "butcher's." Why? Because "butcher's hook" rhymes with "look." Therefore, "Can you take a butcher's?" is understandable British English, although such expressions would likely only cause raised eyebrows in America.

By the way, if you want to receive a daily email from Wordsmith, you can sign up at wordsmith.org. Sign up. It doesn't cost anything, but you always get smarter from it and eventually can speak English in a way that would leave any high school teacher stumped.

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