I saw a funny thing on Twitter (I think) some time ago. Someone posted "Before we had calculators we used" and then photos of ABBA and Kiss.

Nobody seemed to get it. Many didn't even recognize the groups. And those who did, still didn't get it.

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...


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On 12-08-21 13:24, Björn Felten <=-
spoke to All about Calculators <=-

I saw a funny thing on Twitter (I think) some time ago.
Someone posted "Before we had calculators we used" and then
photos of ABBA and Kiss.

Nobody seemed to get it. Many didn't even recognize the
groups. And those who did, still didn't get it.

I might not have recognized a photo of ABBA, but do seem to remember
Kiss -- and don't think that anyone could not recognize their wierd
makeup.

But as a mathematician, I do get the pun. You have to say the words
outloud.

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...

Who is she?

Dale Shipp
fido_261_1466 (at) verizon (dot) net
(1:261/1466)


... Shipwrecked in Silver Spring, Maryland. 01:20:22, 09 Dec 2021
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30

--- Maximus/NT 3.01
* Origin: Owl's Anchor (1:261/1466)

Hello Björn,

On Wednesday December 08 2021 13:24, you wrote to All:

I saw a funny thing on Twitter (I think) some time ago. Someone posted "Before we had calculators we used" and then photos of ABBA and Kiss.

Nobody seemed to get it. Many didn't even recognize the groups. And those who did, still didn't get it.

I sure would recognise ABBA and Kiss on a picture, but I don't get it either. I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty making it across a language or cultural barrier.

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...

Never heard about Brandon...


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

But as a mathematician, I do get the pun. You have to say the words outloud.

You got it! I knew that we had smarter people here in Fidonet than they have on Twitter, :)

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...

Who is she?

LOL! Yes indeed...



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MvdV> I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty making it across a
MvdV> language or cultural barrier.

No, I don't think you so. It's pretty universal.

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...

MvdV> Never heard about Brandon...

It seems to some word famous USAian thing.



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MvdV> I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty making it across a
MvdV> language or cultural barrier.

Come to think of it, it gets even better in German and much much better in Dutch. 8-)



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Michiel,

I sure would recognise ABBA and Kiss on a picture, but I don't get it either. I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty making it across a language or cultural barrier.

Read it out loud .... Abacus ...

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...

Never heard about Brandon...

Something else our US-brethren and sisters think the whole world understands, and is even remotely interested in ... that's 4% of the world's population ...

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - Dec 5 2021
* Origin: Hou het veilig, hou vol. Het komt allemaal weer goed (2:292/854)

MvdV> I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty making it
MvdV> across a language or cultural barrier.

Come to think of it, it gets even better in German and much much
better in Dutch. 8-)

The Antwerp-dialect tops it all ...

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - Dec 5 2021
* Origin: Hou het veilig, hou vol. Het komt allemaal weer goed (2:292/854)

You got it! I knew that we had smarter people here in Fidonet than
they have on Twitter, :)

Kinda reminds me of that Chris Farley movie which he hands over the latest technology to this guy. The box has the word "Sucaba" making it sound
legit and awesome...

Edmund

... The person who snores the loudest will fall asleep first

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/01 (Linux/32)
* Origin: Eagle's BBS (1:153/7083)

Hello Dale,

On Thursday December 09 2021 01:17, you wrote to BjöRn Felten:

But as a mathematician, I do get the pun. You have to say the words outloud.

That's the first hurdle. How DOES one say it out loud? What I find difficult about English is the gap between the written and the spoken form. For me as a non native speaker it is next to impossible to link the one to the other. When "fish "is written as "ghoti", when "glochester" is pronounced as "gloster", worchester as "wooster" and "fetherstonehenge" as "fenshaw", how does one pronounce "ABBAKiss"? The written and the spoken form of English are almost two different languages. To me ABBAKiss" does not sound like "Abacus" at all.

Next hurdle: I call the device a "telraam". While in Dutch it is also known as an "abakus" that is not a word I would use. I associate it with Latin.

Last hurdle: when you were to ask me what I used before there were calculators, I would have answered "pen and paper" because that is how I learned it back then. I have seen a "telraam" but I have never used it. I do not know how to use it. To me it is an archaic device that was used /before/ they had pen and paper.

Too many hurdles to bridge the language and cultural differences.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Hello Björn,

On Thursday December 09 2021 11:26, you wrote to me:

MvdV>> I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty making it
MvdV>> across a language or cultural barrier.

Come to think of it, it gets even better in German and much much
better in Dutch. 8-)

Sory, you have lost me. Of course when you have to explain a joke....


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Hello Ward,

On Friday December 10 2021 00:47, you wrote to me:

I sure would recognise ABBA and Kiss on a picture, but I don't get
it either. I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty
making it across a language or cultural barrier.

Read it out loud .... Abacus ...

Abacus does not sound like "ABBAKiss" to me. But then I have never heard the spoken form of either.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Dale Shipp wrote to Bj÷Rn Felten <=-

I might not have recognized a photo of ABBA, but do seem to remember
Kiss -- and don't think that anyone could not recognize their wierd makeup.

Just because the two ladies went a little heavy with the eye shadow doesn't mean you couldn't tell Agnetha from Anni-Frid.


... Are there sections? Consider transitions
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
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Michiel van der Vlist wrote to Bj÷rn Felten <=-

I guess they were all into that Brandon stuff...

Never heard about Brandon...

She did that song "Gloria", didn't she?

Oh, that's Laura Brannigan.


... Are there sections? Consider transitions
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Michiel van der Vlist wrote to Ward Dossche <=-

I sure would recognise ABBA and Kiss on a picture, but I don't get
it either. I guess it is one of those jokes that have difficulty
making it across a language or cultural barrier.

Read it out loud .... Abacus ...

Abacus does not sound like "ABBAKiss" to me.

Then you're not doing it correctly.

But then I have never heard the spoken form of either.

So, how would you know if they sound alike?

Your second sentence invalidates your first.



... If it weren't for Edison we'd be using computers by candlelight
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On 12-10-21 13:29, Michiel Van Der Vlist <=-
spoke to Dale Shipp about Calculators <=-

But as a mathematician, I do get the pun. You have to say the words outloud.

MVDV> That's the first hurdle. How DOES one say it out loud? What I find
MVDV> difficult about English is the gap between the written and the spoken
MVDV> form. For me as a non native speaker it is next to
MVDV> impossible to link the one to the other. When "fish "is
MVDV> written as "ghoti", when "glochester" is pronounced as
MVDV> "gloster", worchester as "wooster" and "fetherstonehenge"
MVDV> as "fenshaw", how does one pronounce "ABBAKiss"? The
MVDV> written and the spoken form of English are almost two
MVDV> different languages. To me ABBAKiss" does not sound like
MVDV> "Abacus" at all.

You are right in your comments.

MVDV> Next hurdle: I call the device a "telraam". While in Dutch
MVDV> it is also known as an "abakus" that is not a word I would
MVDV> use. I associate it with Latin.

MVDV> Last hurdle: when you were to ask me what I used before there were
MVDV> calculators, I would have answered "pen and paper" because
MVDV> that is how I learned it back then. I have seen a
MVDV> "telraam" but I have never used it. I do not know how to
MVDV> use it. To me it is an archaic device that was used
MVDV> /before/ they had pen and paper.

MVDV> Too many hurdles to bridge the language and cultural differences.

That is even true for English speaking countries. It has been said
that America and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language.

Humor (AKA Humour), especially puns, is something that often does not
cross the boundary between any two countries.

Dale Shipp
fido_261_1466 (at) verizon (dot) net
(1:261/1466)



... Shipwrecked in Silver Spring, Maryland. 01:46:25, 11 Dec 2021
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30

--- Maximus/NT 3.01
* Origin: Owl's Anchor (1:261/1466)

On 12-09-21 06:52, Kurt Weiske <=-
spoke to Dale Shipp about Re: Calculators <=-

Dale Shipp wrote to Bj÷Rn Felten <=-

I might not have recognized a photo of ABBA, but do seem to remember
Kiss -- and don't think that anyone could not recognize their wierd makeup.

Just because the two ladies went a little heavy with the eye shadow doesn't mean you couldn't tell Agnetha from Anni-Frid.

I have no idea who you are talking about.

Dale Shipp
fido_261_1466 (at) verizon (dot) net
(1:261/1466)



... Shipwrecked in Silver Spring, Maryland. 01:47:48, 11 Dec 2021
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30

--- Maximus/NT 3.01
* Origin: Owl's Anchor (1:261/1466)

MvdV> To me it is an archaic device that was used /before/ they had pen and
MvdV> paper.

To a lot of people all, over the world, it's still the preferred way to do everyday calculations -- such as in market places. It's also been demonstrated over and over again, that it's faster and less prone to mistakes, than a modern calculator. Especially today, when most "calculators" are touch screen apps...



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Hello Dale,

On Saturday December 11 2021 01:47, you wrote to Kurt Weiske:

I might not have recognized a photo of ABBA, but do seem to
remember Kiss -- and don't think that anyone could not recognize
their wierd makeup.

Just because the two ladies went a little heavy with the eye
shadow doesn't mean you couldn't tell Agnetha from Anni-Frid.

I have no idea who you are talking about.

ABBA > Agneta, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid.

Agneta and Anni-Frid are the female members of ABBA. You were refering to the make up of Kiss, not ABBA. Kurt is mixing it up.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Hello Dan,

On Friday December 10 2021 09:07, you wrote to me:

I sure would recognise ABBA and Kiss on a picture, but I don't
get it either. I guess it is one of those jokes that have
difficulty making it across a language or cultural barrier.

Read it out loud .... Abacus ...

Abacus does not sound like "ABBAKiss" to me.

Then you're not doing it correctly.

So you say. But where is the authoritive source on the pronounciation of "ABBAKiss"?

But then I have never heard the spoken form of either.

So, how would you know if they sound alike?

Your second sentence invalidates your first.

You are missing the point. Which is that the pun only works for those who pronounce "ABBAKiss" as "Abacus". Which is not true for most non-native English speakers and probably not true even for some native English speakers.

Making jokes cross language and cultural difference is very difficult.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Hello Dale,

On Saturday December 11 2021 01:41, you wrote to me:

Humor (AKA Humour), especially puns, is something that often does not cross the boundary between any two countries.

Exactly my point.


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Making jokes cross language and cultural difference is very difficult.

Lee Lofaso is a joke ...

\%/@rd

--- DB4 - Dec 5 2021
* Origin: Hou het veilig, hou vol. Het komt allemaal weer goed (2:292/854)

Hello Björn,

On Saturday December 11 2021 10:14, you wrote to me:

MvdV>> To me it is an archaic device that was used /before/ they had
MvdV>> pen and paper.

To a lot of people all, over the world, it's still the preferred
way to do everyday calculations -- such as in market places.

Really? I do not have enough data to challenge your claim, all I can say is that I have never seen someone actually /use/ an abacus. But then I have not seen all of the world.

It's also been demonstrated over and over again, that it's faster and
less prone to mistakes, than a modern calculator. Especially today,
when most "calculators" are touch screen apps...

There is a problem with these "modern" calculators that might explain for the errors, at least when the user grew up with classic calculators.

The "classic" calculator has a keyboard with 7 8 9 at the top and 1 2 3 just above the 0. The "modern" calculator, whose prime functionality is a telephone has 1 2 3 at the top and 7 8 9 at the bottom just above the 0.

7 8 9 1 2 3
4 5 6 vs 4 5 6
1 2 3 7 8 9
0 0

The latter arrangement is a relic from the rotary telephone dial where zero comes after 9. On a rotary dial the "zero" is actually a "ten". The dial mechanism generates ten pulses when dialing a "zero".

Cheers, Michiel

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* Origin: http://www.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

On 11/12/2021 23:10, Ward Dossche : Michiel van der Vlist wrote:

Making jokes cross language and cultural difference is very difficult.

Lee Lofaso is a joke ...

I don't get it....

--
Regards
David

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