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From: "Paul J. Kriha" <kriha_p@actrix.gen.nz>
Subject: Re: what foreign people say when they're pausing
Message-ID: <D3Kzv6.KE8@actrix.gen.nz>
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Date: Mon, 6 Feb 1995 13:52:17 GMT
References: <1995Feb3.132330.12946@relay.acadiau.ca> <D3IIot.B1q@world.std.com>
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dbucher@world.std.com (Daniel B Bucher) wrote:
>
> In article <1995Feb3.132330.12946@relay.acadiau.ca>,
> Alan McKay <alan@dragon.acadiau.ca> wrote:
> >I find it interesting that both German and Russian have a real word
> >that people say when they are pausing:
> >German	- also
> >Russian	- Nu
> >
> >Are there any other languages that have one?
> 
> Japanese - anno   
> 
> which really surprised me because it seemed rather phonologically 
> complex (three phonemes, two syllables) for something with no
> semantic content. But apparently German goes beyond this (four phonemes).
>  

Czech - "tak" (also), "a tak"  (and also),  or "a" (and)

In case of Czech "aaaaah" it's difficult to say whether
it is a real word (and) or just a meaningless sound.
Usually it is in the place where one would or could
say "a" (and).

-------

There is a tag some German speakers in Austria and
Southern Czech speakers append to a guestion which 
I find really annoying.

German "aber" = Czech "nebo" = English "or"

They say things like "Would you like some coffee, OR?".
I cringe.

Paul JK



        

