The Fatal Joke
Michael Scott
first episode is the classic Fatal Joke sketch. I've seen it before and for
years I've wanted to know what it is. Thankfully, the subtitles pop up when
the British troops are reading the joke to the Germans but the only thing I
can say it German is "hurray up." Is there anyone here who can translate
this into English?
"Wenn ist das nunstuck geht und slotermeyer."
"Ja! Bayerhund das oder die flipperwaldt gespuhrt."
What the smeg does this mean!
Mike
Kai Schreiber
<BK1P4.41112$fV.25...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>:
Nothing. Now go away.
To be more specific, you could translate it thus:
When is the nowplaster go and slotermeyer.
Yes. Cornwalldog that or the flipperwood tracked.
Are you sure about the wording though? I remember it a bit different, but I
admit that it's been a long time.
"Venn ist das Nurnstuck git und Slotermeyer.
Yo! Beigerhundt das oder die Flipperwaldt gersput."
Can someone look that up in the book?
Kai
--
http://www.genista.de
Death to all fanatics!
MrmmmBongo
>this into English?
>
>"Wenn ist das nunstuck geht und slotermeyer."
>"Ja! Bayerhund das oder die flipperwaldt gespuhrt."
>
>What the smeg does this mean!
I played this sketch once for my friend's German mother, and she said, "Ach!
Dat ees notting!"
it was cute.
Bonnie
(what the smeg - HAHAHAHAHAHA!!)
thinker_451
"it's that hound from bayer who thinks he's the flipper-merchant"
Michael Scott <gum...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:BK1P4.41112$fV.25...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> Okay, I have the Monthy Python Flying Circus episodes on DVD and on the
> first episode is the classic Fatal Joke sketch. I've seen it before and
for
> years I've wanted to know what it is. Thankfully, the subtitles pop up
when
> the British troops are reading the joke to the Germans but the only thing
I
> can say it German is "hurray up." Is there anyone here who can translate
> this into English?
>
> "Wenn ist das nunstuck geht und slotermeyer."
> "Ja! Bayerhund das oder die flipperwaldt gespuhrt."
>
> What the smeg does this mean!
>
> Mike
>
>
wuz
HTH
wuz
[FROM:]afmp FAQ Part Four: Specific Monty Python Questions
[snip other chapters]
G. Deadly Joke
Q. What is the funniest joke in the world?
A. Wenn ist das Nunstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das
Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!
Q. What does it mean?
A. [Taken from "The First 200 Years of Monty Python" by Kim "Howard"
Johnson]: "It was actually German gibberish," Eric Idle explains.
"It's written-down gibberish, because we all had to learn the same
thing, yeah, but it's gibberish! It doesn't mean a thing at all. At
least, I don't think it does…"
Q. Isn't some of that actual German?
A. Yes, some of the words used were real German words. Others were
pseudo German-sounding words. It's mostly nonsense.
Q. What's the closest translation into English you can make?
A. [Taken from an article to a.f.m-p by Dirk Rehberger]: I've seen
it, I'm German, and here's the translation.
Wenn ist das - If is the (note: "Wann"means "when," which
would make slightly more sense, since it's a question)
Nunstueck - nun = now, stueck = piece
git - that's obviously English! (but similar to "gibt" meaning
"gives" or, in the phrase "es gibt," "there is")
und - and
Slotermeyer? - Doesn't make sense! (Meyer is a common German
surname)
Ja! - Yes!
Beiherhund - hund = dog. Beiher doesn't make any sense.
Bayer mean Bavarian, but you can't say "Bayerhund" for "Bavarian dog;"
you would have to say "Bayrischer hund."
das oder die - the or the (das is neuter, die is feminine) or
that
Flipperwaldt - Flipper = pinball, wald = wood/forest
Gersput - Doesn't make sense! "Ge" and "ver" are very common
German prefixes for past participles, but not "ger."
All in all: If is the now-piece (git) and (Slotermeyer)? Yes!
(Beiher)dog that or the pinball wood (gersput)!
Note that your translation may vary, depending on which
transcription you use and how hard you try to make sense of it.
[snip rest of FAQ]