Another learning experience
Posted by Guano & Associates | Posted in | Posted on 8:31 PM
I was listening to the last Harry Potter book again this week (yes, that is the level of entertainment I'm reduced to!) and there was this exchange between Hermione and Ron that was peculiar to me at the time:
When Hermione exclaims "Merlin's pants!"
and then Ron retorts "what in the name of Merlin's most baggy Y Fronts"
At the time, I thought Ron's response was oddly and unnecessarily titillating. Maybe it was that my D&D nerdiness (that's Dungeons and Dragons, Mom!) was offended by the irreverant reference to His briefs. But then during my weeks in London this year, I learned that in Britain, "pants" refer to underwear, not trousers. I guess it would have been funnier at the time if I had understood the reference!
Other English to English mistranslations:
UK pavement = US sidewalk
UK metalled road = US gravel or paved road
When Hermione exclaims "Merlin's pants!"
and then Ron retorts "what in the name of Merlin's most baggy Y Fronts"
At the time, I thought Ron's response was oddly and unnecessarily titillating. Maybe it was that my D&D nerdiness (that's Dungeons and Dragons, Mom!) was offended by the irreverant reference to His briefs. But then during my weeks in London this year, I learned that in Britain, "pants" refer to underwear, not trousers. I guess it would have been funnier at the time if I had understood the reference!
Other English to English mistranslations:
UK pavement = US sidewalk
UK metalled road = US gravel or paved road
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