• Russian anectode about Germans

    From Alexander Koryagin@2:221/6 to All on Thu Nov 9 13:48:28 2023
    Hi, All!

    Two Russian immigrants who lived in Germany saw that at the nearby building site there were a lot of bricks and no watchmen. They decided to stole bricks and make a sauna. At night they took a car, went to the building site and loaded the car trunk with bricks. Suddendly there came German policemen and stricty asked the men, what the hell they were doing there. The Russians said that they had built a sauna and some bricks remained. It was a pity to throw it out, and they decided to carry it to this building site. The German policemen became very angry. They said it was unlawful to utilise bricks in such an a way. They said to the men, to take the bricks back and get lost.

    Bye, All!
    Alexander Koryagin

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    * Origin: nntp://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/6.0)
  • From Anton Shepelev@2:221/6 to Alexander Koryagin on Thu Nov 16 23:51:42 2023
    The subject line is:
    Russian anectode about Germans

    I don't think `anecdote' means what you think it means.
    Check "anecdotal evidence" and "historical anecdote".

    Two Russian immigrants

    emigrants?

    who lived in Germany saw that at the nearby building
    site

    /a/ nearby buildin site.

    there were a lot of bricks and no watchmen.

    Well-said!

    They decided to stole bricks

    to /steal/

    and make a sauna.

    to build a sauna, perhaps?

    At night they took a car, went to the building site and
    loaded the car trunk with bricks. Suddendly there came
    German policemen and stricty asked the men, what the
    hell they were doing there. The Russians said that they
    had built a sauna and some bricks remained. It was a
    pity to throw it out, and they decided to carry it to
    this building site.

    /had/ decided, I think. Also, referring to /some bricks/
    with /it/ seems wrong.

    The German policemen became very angry. They said it
    was unlawful to utilise bricks in such an a way. They
    said to the men, to take the bricks back and get lost.

    ....told the men to take...

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    * Origin: nntp://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/6.0)
  • From Alexander Koryagin@2:221/6 to Anton Shepelev on Fri Nov 17 09:20:56 2023
    Hi, Anton Shepelev! -> Alexander Koryagin
    I read your message from 17.11.2023 00:51

    I don't think `anecdote' means what you think it means.
    Check "anecdotal evidence" and "historical anecdote".

    Probably it is simply a "joking story". Do you know funny Russian stories about Chapaev, Stirlitz etc? How do you think, is there something similar in America? How do they call such stories?

    Two Russian immigrants
    emigrants?

    Why do you think that Russians cannot be immigrants in Germany?

    who lived in Germany saw that at the nearby building site
    /a/ nearby buildin site.

    buildin[g]. ;) I also think that when I speak "the nearby building site" I mean that it is a single site.

    there were a lot of bricks and no watchmen.
    Well-said!
    They decided to stole bricks
    to /steal/

    Yeah! ;)

    and make a sauna.
    to build a sauna, perhaps?

    Sauna (in understanding of a Russian countryman) is a small thing, theoretically. :) If you want a kennel for your dog should you build it or make it?

    At night they took a car, went to the building site and loaded the
    car trunk with bricks. Suddenly there came German policemen and
    strictly asked the men, what the hell they were doing there. The
    Russians said that they had built a sauna and some bricks
    remained. It was a pity to throw it out, and they decided to carry
    it to this building site.

    /had/ decided, I think.
    When we narrate a story with many events in the past we probably should use the Past Simple. Shouldn't we?

    AS Also, referring to /some bricks/ with /it/ seems wrong.

    Do you think "to carry them"?

    The German policemen became very angry. They said it was unlawful
    to utilise bricks in such an a way. They said to the men, to take
    the bricks back and get lost.

    ... told the men to take...

    Why "tell"? They have no a story to tell them. They exactly said to them, or ordered them to get out.

    Bye, Anton!
    Alexander Koryagin
    english_tutor 2023

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    * Origin: nntp://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/6.0)