Sunday, October 01, 2006

Needin' Some Translation Help...

I found an advertising flier in our mailbox a few days ago - it was for an Oktoberfest that took place yesterday at a restaurant in Binningen.

The thought of an Oktoberfest is very appealing to me. However, since most of the words were in Swiss-German, I found that I was only able to understand the fact that it actually was an Oktoberfest, the date and time, and the location. My German dictionary was no help whatsoever.

So, could somebody (maybe Canadian-Swiss?) please tell me what the following words mean?

Guggemuusig
Horburgschlurbi
Spanferkel
Baggemugge
Miggelischränzer
Nachtwandler
Quätschkomode


I'm noticing a definite absence of any words that look like "beer" and "sausages". Maybe that's why the place seemed a bit dead as Mrs. TBF and I passed by on the No. 10 tram late yesterday afternoon.

...2+ years of German lessons. What was the point of that?

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Wish I could be of more help as I'm sure CS can help ya here... But, I'm certain the first one Guggemuusig: means the music they play for Fasnacht.

And Nachtwandler - I'm guessing this might have to do with Night wandering.. But maybe I'm way off....

Unknown said...

LOL - now that I'm looking these up on the web, I found another...

"Spanferkel" is a German word that literally means "sucking pig." It has come to mean a gathering at which a whole pig, calf, or steer is roasted.

Somehow all of these words are tied into Guggemuusig and costumes etc...

Anonymous said...

I wish we could go to Hans' Bavarian Lodge for Oktoberfest! That place was great. Alas it is closed. I will have to settle for a trip to the Brat Stop in Kenosha. MMMMMM German potato salad is yummy

CanadianSwiss said...

What?? Can't Sal take over the translation??? Well okay, sure thing. That's easy:

Guggemuusik is the brass music bands you hear at Fasnacht (the ones that play off-key)

Horburgschlurbi is - from what I can read - one of the "Guggemuusig" bands playing that evening

Spanferkel: Whole roasted piglet

Baggemugge, Miggelischränzer, Nachtwandler and Quätschkomode are the other "Guggumuusig" bands that performed that evening

If we had known before, we would have gone for the raosted piglet.

Off subject, but I have to tell you two things: 1)You're coriander pesto was amazing - had all by myself while Orange was in Montreux - and 2) they were all out of your scrub at the spa at Montiboli. They had "another one, but not the same" so we decided not to bring you the "not the same" :-D

Anonymous said...

i sympathise with the 2 years german lessons, but high german which is what we learn is not the language of the people here - it's like trying to learn chinese in japan. I've just spent a few days in Germany and it's been fantastic to be able to undersrtand the windfall conversations that I can't follow here.

The DP said...

wah wah wah wait...coriander pesto...how did I miss the recipe? Was it posted? Am I so blonde that I commented on in then forgot? Must have coriander pesto, please send recipe.

christina said...

Wow, you're not the only one - the only thing I got out of that was "Spanferkel" but if the rest of them are only band names, then we are all excused.

The Big Finn said...

ET - Thanks for the Spanferkel. I already knew the Guggemuusig, but I was hoping that if I pretended I didn't know what it meant that it would just go away...forever! God, that music is awful.

TMS - Mrs. TBF and I went to Hans Bavarian Ripoff (that's what we called it) one time - we didn't like it.
Also, you could just fly to Munich next year for Oktoberfest and we could meet you there. What? No? ...didn't think so.

CS - Thanks for the translation services. Maybe you can find out where we can buy a whole piglet, and then we can do it ourselves. ...first dibs on the cracklin'! I'm glad you enjoyed the pesto.

Heather - I agree with you 100% regarding the language thing. One of these days we're going to have to make an effort to travel in Germany so I can actually hear what high-German is supposed to sound like.

DP - I just sent the cilanto pesto recipe to you via e-mail a few minutes ago.

Christina - See what us foreigners have to put up with around here? The Swiss don't want us in their "club". That's why they keep speaking their secret language.