4.11.2008

weißwein and Top Gun

I'm getting good at laughing at myself when I pronounce German words extra wrong. There's a wine shop next to my apartment and I went in yesterday in the mood for a dry Riesling.

This is how you say dry in German: trocken. Great, I can do that.

I figured I'd stand in front of all the white wines (weißwein or "vicevine"; I'm liking that word, too) and say "Trocken? Trocken?" and the wine seller would get the picture.

Our exchange ended up even more awesomely Neanderthal than I imagined. "Trocken?" I asked, holding up the Riesling. In lieu of saying "Very?" I made a face like I'd bitten into a lemon.

He answered, "Ja," and took A BITE OUT OF THE AIR. I get it, sir, it has a bite. But do you have any idea how happy you've made me by performing my favorite Val Kilmer/Tom Cruise exchange from Top Gun?

Danke, a million times danke.

5 comments:

The Librarian said...

The most amazing thing happened today. Someone just turned in a copy of Top Gun to the lost and found.

Best,
Matthew

ronckytonk said...

I'm praying that you bit the air in thanks.

Best,
RT

Unknown said...

do you remember when we used to pretend to speak german in our weird interpretative guttural utterances? it was when we took the boat over to muisne...i think, though memory is shady. we were soooo convinced that andar-ing on the coast, we were totally indistinguishable from german tourists.
now you're one upping me with all this practice. guten nacht adelweiss.
aj

ronckytonk said...

OH SHIT, you said muisne...I thought I had forgotten about that place but I actually thought about you ecua-style today when I was studying food words in German and saw Wodka, it reminded me of sitting in some beach bar laughing about costeno talk (wodka, shorss, pehcaoh) nice to hear from you alli

Unknown said...

you forgot "donas"
LOVE 'EM
and i think there's an e in front of shorss...e-shorss,
hey! i just joined jocardo's ranks.
i megradumatated too. presented my final ayer.
yippee!