English word means different in other language

Status
Not open for further replies.

naomiwatts

New member
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Nice way to learn any other language is searching those words which we use in our daily life but they have different meaning in other language.

I found a word "Brat" which actually means "Childish or Kiddish" but in Russian "Brat" means "Brother".

Brat is sometimes found as a name as well.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Doesn't that presuppose knowing the meaning of the word in English as well as the other language? In which case, where does the learning come in? I have know the English word brat all my life without having any idea that there was a word that was possibly related in Russian.
 

naomiwatts

New member
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Doesn't that presuppose knowing the meaning of the word in English as well as the other language? In which case, where does the learning come in? I have know the English word brat all my life without having any idea that there was a word that was possibly related in Russian.


Exactly that is what I mean, there are many words which we use in our daily conversation, but they mean something very strange in other language. Learning such words is really interesting to me. Don't you find it interesting? Well I liked it when I came across such words.
 

ericchurch

New member
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Yes, It sounds interesting. This way we can learn same words for other language. I have also searched some. Like in German "Gift" means "Poison".
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
A nice way to learn [STRIKE]any other[/STRIKE] another language is [STRIKE]searching[/STRIKE] to search for words which we use in our daily life but [STRIKE]they[/STRIKE] have a different meaning in other languages.

I found the word "brat", which [STRIKE]actually[/STRIKE] means "childish or kiddish", but in Russian "brat" means "brother".

Brat is sometimes [STRIKE]found[/STRIKE] used as a name as well.

[STRIKE]Exactly[/STRIKE] That is exactly what I mean. There are many words which we use in [STRIKE]our[/STRIKE] daily conversation (no comma needed here) but [STRIKE]they[/STRIKE] which mean something very strange in other languages. Learning such words is really interesting to me. Don't you find it interesting? Well, I [STRIKE]liked[/STRIKE] like it when I [STRIKE]came[/STRIKE] come across such words.

Yes, it sounds interesting. This way, we can learn the same words [STRIKE]for[/STRIKE] in other languages. I have also searched for some. [STRIKE]Like[/STRIKE] For example, in German "Gift" means "poison".

Please note my multiple corrections in the posts above.

Also, note that "kiddish" does not exist and that "brat" does not mean "childish". It usually means a badly behaved child.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Don't you find it interesting? Well I liked it when I came across such words.

It is indeed interesting to find familiar words in other languages.
 

Boris Tatarenko

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
As a Russian I can confirm that the word "Brat" or "Брат" means "brother". :-D
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I find I can remember French words easily when they're cognates of English words but have somewhat different meanings. This works best when literally translating the French word results in the same basic meaning with a very odd construction. For example, the French phrase for (approximately) "Go ahead and sit down" is installez-vous. Translated literally, we get "install yourself"; a very odd thing to tell someone, but a strangely accurate way to express the thought.

Humorous connections seem to lodge in my mind better than dry, factual ones.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Cat in Lao is meow. It's an easy one to remember.
 

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
NOT A TEACHER

When people have a meal at a bistro (small restaurant), they may not know this story:

Reportedly, when Russian troops marched into Paris after the defeat of Napoleon, they demanded that food be served to them fast. So they used the Russian word for "fast": bistro.
 

Boris Tatarenko

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
NOT A TEACHER

When people have a meal at a bistro (small restaurant), they may not know this story:

Reportedly, when Russian troops marched into Paris after the defeat of Napoleon, they demanded that food be served to them fast. So they used the Russian word for "fast": bistro.

I heard this version at school. :-D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top