Apparently it is weird and hilarious, and possibly even quaint, that I say "fortnight". It seems to be a topic of endless fascination with the linguists. Also, they keep making me say things like "garage" and giggling. "Dodgy" makes them giggle too, but so far no-one's demanded that I repeat it several times... However, I forgive them as long as they continue to ply me with food and drink.
Adam and Andy know all the best places to eat in town. I will have to email Adam for the full list. I'm scoping out really good mexican places to take Miss Jessica when she comes to stay.
My flatmates and I have done some bonding over our love of food this weekend. They too seem fond of anzacs, especially once they saw how easy they are to make, and we're planning a house dinner for Chinese New Year.
Jelena and I had a bit of a bake-off for yesterday's girly movie night. Between us, we could probably put an elephant into a sugar coma. I am now running quite low on containers... but I still baked an extra batch of anzacs today. Because really, when is that a bad idea??
Remember last week when I said that it's annoying that people call the house phone late at night, but that mobiles were kind of ok because they can be turned off? Well I forgot - I use my mobile as an alarm, so I can't turn it off. And I STILL don't appreciate being woken by it at 2.45am! Someone may need to be shot soon.
I would give SO MUCH for a really juicy roast leg of lamb right now...
13 comments:
Yay, food! I baked a banana cake today - yummo!
What's so interesting about "fortnight"??
It's just not a word they use, apparently, although I tried to point out how useful it was, especially since we get paid fortnightly...
My phone's alarm still goes off when the phone is turned off... maybe yours does too?
Oh, and when I was travelling and met a bunch of Americans, they were fascinated by my use of the word 'reckon'. They thought it was so sophisticted!
I'll have to test that phone alarm theory Ren... but I still think it's just bloody rude to text people in the middle of the night!
I'm not sure I've thrown 'reckon' around nearly enough... I'll have to try it on a few. I'll be surprised if this lot grant me sophisticated over anything though. Today I got raised eyebrows over "fob (something) off (on someone)" and told that they don't say that in "real" English.
Bloody smug Americans! ;-)
I can't imagine a life without "fortnights". Bizarre!
I just tested my phone - the alarm still goes off when the phone is off. (Thanks Ren, I didn't know that!) Maybe give yours a try too.
I tested my phone and alas, the alarm does not work when the phone is turned off. So, we're back to shooting people in the head. ;-)
fob off (verb): To offer or put into circulation (an inferior or spurious item): foist, palm off, pass off, put off.
1. Sell or dispose of goods by fraud or deception, as in They tried to fob off the zircon as a diamond. [c. 1600]
2. Put off or appease by deceitful means, as in We needed her help but were fobbed off by promises. [c. 1600]
Maybe Americans just don't understand more historic words like that. I got quizzed about 'muddle through' the other day (and it wasn't even me using it).
Justine
Middle English
fob (v.)
"to cheat," 1583, from obsolete noun fobbe "cheat, trickster" (1393), perhaps from O.Fr. forbe "cheat." Alternative etymology holds that the word is perhaps related to Ger. foppen "to jeer at, make a fool of" (see fop); or from Ger. fuppen, einfuppen "to pocket stealthily," which would connect it to fob (n.). To fob (someone) off is first recorded 1597.
Yes, I've had the same giggles over 'fortnight' here in Canadia! And anzacs are also a huge success with my friends here, too! You should definitely get food happening in your meetings, luckily my year are big foodies, so we have a roster for basically every class to ensure that there is food. Phonetics is a lunch time class - yesterday Murray made a delicious rice dish that we had with tortillas, yum yum! It's so satisfying to know that linguists the world over are lovers of fine food ;-)
No fortnights? Egads, how do these people pay rent?
Rent is paid monthly here, for the most part, but we are paid fortnightly. Or "every two weeks" as they keep saying when I point out how desperately they're crying out for such a useful word. But really, "every two weeks" seems horribly inefficient in comparison, doesn't it?
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