I love the FML. I discovered the difference between html and plain text
today via the FML - my first message returned - and I discovered my
Eudora text settings had been changed. I suspect a ferret went into
options and stepped on the "styled text" button. They love tapping on
laptop keyboards. I'd like to put ferrets in the Microsoft offices to
fix these kinds of problems - there'd be a quicker response. But I
digress.

I was fascinated to see the Latin quote in Alexandra's message from
Hebert to Mr Lipinsky - she has very erudite animals - mine have
trouble understanding English - although they do seem to understand
what screams of horror mean when they have been naughty.

Much as I tried, my 1 year of once a week Latin classes of (yikes)
50 years ago have failed me, and I was forced to ask help of my good
friend Google for translation of the phrase Hebert sent to Mr Lipinsky.
Google put me in touch with a great site.
http://www.alphadictionary.com/fun/latin_phrases.html (Latin phrases
for all occasions) where you can find Hebert's quote fourth in the
list. And all became clear - almost - I think - I'm actually still
thinking. I think Hebert is smarter than I am.

However (slightly off topic) I also found a reference in those "phrases
for all occasions" about possums - "Non possum credere me totum
edisse". The translation on the site was - "I can't believe I ate the
whole thing." IMO, it should have been, from my own admittedly poor
memory of Latin, "possums do not believe in totems"

I also liked "Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure"
Again, sounds like a possum hearing problem with bananas. They
translate it a little differently, but I prefer my version.

The only saying I found with what seems like a misspelled ferret (I
search for ferrets whenever I surf a new site) was "Animadvertisine,
ubicumque stes, fumum recta in faciem ferri". Has to do with smoke.

Then, re polecats in Xhosa (from South Africa) I found the tongue
twister saying - if you can speak Xhosa that is - Iqaqa laqabaleka
iqhini latyibalika laqhawula uqhoqhoqho.

Trans: The polecat went over the hill, slipped, and broke its voice
box. What a language!

Amazing how the FML gets us doing such great research!

Meryl

[Posted in FML 6214]