I fear no beer

Argh, only days into this blogging thing and already my creation is running away from me! Before large hoards of evangelical Christians start flagging my page (either to threaten eternal damnation or attempt to save me from the afore mentioned) I'm going to steer conversation away from religion and onto another subject which is very dear to my heart - words.

I love words - can't get enough of 'em. Long ones, short ones, little ones, big ones: words rock. It was with delicious glee then, that I read an article in this month's Australian about an English lad (Adam Jacot de Boinod - Lordy, with a name like that he really had to get into linguistics didn't he?!) who'd just published a compendium of all the world's most unusual, and often untranslatable, words. The article is no longer available on the website but the book is called 'The Meaning of Tingo' and is published through Penguin.

Anyway the article made reference to a Danish word listed in the book, olfrygt, which translates to, 'a fear arising from lack of beer'. Classic, right?! Being the only foreign national in this very Danish office, and one who is (quite rightly) regularly ribbed for her poor Danish skills, I decided to pin the article to the notice board, so they could all marvel at how their language was basking in international fame. Well nothing could have prepared me for the response - or should I say lack of response.

First I was met with blank stares, then complete denial (they've made that up, it's a nonsense word!) and then a grudging acceptance of the possibility that it could maybe perhaps be a word used in a small part of the country somewhere up north where there are only a couple of hundred farmers & pigs... and they really only speak on alternate Fridays... in June. Well ok people, don't all start patting yourselves on the back at once! The following day I noticed someone had smartly crossed out the offending word and replaced it with the correct spelling: Ølfrygt. Well gee, that 'ø' clears everything up for me Aage, how about you Gry - oh yeah I'm on board now, just couldn't recognise it, what with the 'o' instead of the 'ø'...

Here's an Australian word for you all: Twats!