What was that? Clarification of dialogue...

sandiegojones

New member
caats said:
well i think we've established do sysvidanya means goodbye.

one thing Indy says is the only thing i don't get. but i think it's just a lingo i don't understand, when he first meets Spalko "but the way you're sinking you're teeth into those wabayous i'd say eastern ukraine"

what the heck is a wabayou?
It's W (double u). Russians and Germans pronouce their vowels differently (think of Star Trek - nuclear wessels) so he was making fun of her English.
 

The Golden Idol

New member
sandiegojones said:
Russians and Germans pronouce their vowels differently (think of Star Trek - nuclear wessels) so he was making fun of her English.

Actually, a person with a Russian accent would never say "nuclear wessels", because they tend to make W's sound like V's, not the other way around.

Example: A Russian-speaking person may pronounce George Washington as "George Vashington", but they wouldn't pronounce victory as "wictory".
 

sandiegojones

New member
The Golden Idol said:
Actually, a person with a Russian accent would never say "nuclear wessels", because they tend to make W's sound like V's, not the other way around.

Example: A Russian-speaking person may pronounce George Washington as "George Vashington", but they wouldn't pronounce victory as "wictory".
Tell that to Walter Koenig of Star Trek. I was just using it as an example (which is why I also used Germans since they do switch the V's and W's).
 

sandiegojones

New member
caats said:
OHHHHH "double u's"
Ha ha

light_bulb.jpg
 
sandiegojones said:
Tell that to Walter Koenig of Star Trek. I was just using it as an example (which is why I also used Germans since they do switch the V's and W's).
Uhm, no we don't. And please, don't use me.
 

sandiegojones

New member
Laserschwert said:
Uhm, no we don't. And please, don't use me.
Excuse me your highness! I thought that my German heritage gave me some insight, but I guess my grandparents German accent is all wrong. :rolleyes:

There are worse things to accuse a German of than mispronouncing a W!
 
Last edited:
sandiegojones said:
Excuse me your highness! I thought that my German heritage gave me some insight, but I guess my grandparents German accent is all wrong. :rolleyes:

There are worse things to accuse a German of than mispronouncing a W!

Why so formal? Did I sound offended in any way? Don't think so...

Anyway, confusing Ws and Vs isn't part of "the" German accent, it' just part of not being able to speak english properly (no offense). As there's no equivalent to the English W in the German language, "we" (as in "the Germans that know the words but not the pronounciation") would always use the V-sound (for Vs and Ws), since that's the only sound we have (German Vs are pronounced either like Ws or Fs, depending on the word). The same goes for a TH for example... we don't have such a sound, so it gets replaced with an S. Other examples a Rs and Ls, which sound different in German.

But there's Germans (like your grandparents) who know the words, and know the sounds, but don't know when to use which ("vile" / "while", "van" / "when", or whatever), at least not "on the fly" during speaking. This "group" probably covers most Germans, since they had English in school to learn the words, but don't get to use it that often to get the pronounciation right.

And now I'm interested to know, what else you could accuse "a German" of...
 

WeAreGoingToDie

New member
I've been confused about this exchange:

Indy: "A compass, you know: North, South, East-"
Mac: (slyly) "West."

Was this a knock on Russia? Was there a in joke I missed? :confused:
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
WeAreGoingToDie said:
I've been confused about this exchange:

Indy: "A compass, you know: North, South, East-"
Mac: (slyly) "West."

Was this a knock on Russia? Was there a in joke I missed? :confused:

It's certainly interesting, with Mac, the soon-to-be traitor, reminding Indy that "west" is a cardinal direction. I found it funny, but it's one of those things for which pinpointing why is strained.
 

The Man

Well-known member
During the Doomtown countdown, what do the Russkie soldiers say as they run for their car..?
 

WeAreGoingToDie

New member
Attila the Professor said:
It's certainly interesting, with Mac, the soon-to-be traitor, reminding Indy that "west" is a cardinal direction. I found it funny, but it's one of those things for which pinpointing why is strained.

Now I'm even MORE confused...
 

Benraianajones

New member
During Irina's death - what does she say?

When Irina sees the alien merge in front of her, after saying "No more" , there is a close up shot of Irina's face, and she says something like "karverit, kaverit" - am I mishearing English words, or is she speaking Russian, and if so, what is it? Is it "No-more", "Help" or "Enough" in Russian, or something else? I've always over looked it but I am interested in what she says.
 
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