translation
Chicken!
'Da lachen ja die Hühner,' cackle the Germans. 'Even chickens would laugh!' - it sounds so ridiculous that it's actually unbelievable! But don't undermine the global power of chickens, you cowards; these south-east Asia originating birds have oft harmed global markets and relations
Uncommon first names: 'Europa'
As the launch of a new online database exploring the origins of strange surnames is announced in the UK, we think of the Scarletts, Nikes and Solidarities in this EU world
translation, parents, children, society, language, tower of babel
Rings a bell
The French will call you a poor bell, the Italians will warn you to stay in earshot of a bell and the Spanish will advise you not to swing it too high. Idiom of the week
translation, christmas, henning studte, tower of babel, languages
Knecht Ruprecht and his motley crew of Christmas meanies
Santa Claus is coming to town...and so what? Europe’s christmas traditions don’t always bring nice surprises
translation, religion, christmas, children, language, italy, tower of babel
Baby language
Scientists and parents were shaken by a recent discovery: newborns cry in tune with the melody line that they have most often heard while still in their mothers’ placenta. To that, we say ga ga - baby phrases of the week
translation, eurovision song contest, henning studte, children, expressions, language, tower of babel
Catchy songs
Creepy-crawly expressions for the irritating musical attacks of the ear-worm in Europe. Expression of the week
translation, health, ohrwurm, animals, music, henning studte, songs
It's like talking to a Berlin wall
140 kilometres of wall crumbled in 1989 and hundreds of European expressions arose as it fell. The idiom of the week is flavoured by the 9 November event
translation, cold war, best of cafebabel.com, berlin wall, berlin, iron curtain, poland
Sourpuss
Being 'as sour as vinegar' is a saying that's recognisable across the continent, but why? It starts with the word itself - vinum acetum means 'wine turned sour'. Idiom of the week
translation, food, rome, expressions, language, tower of babel
Is your gran a 'silver surfer'?
French grandmas in stinging nettles, German grandpas at the European parliament and Polish grannies working in communist toilets - there's a visually colourful variety of 'ageing' expressions across the European continent
translation, work, age, pensioner, consumers, expressions, europa
The Beatles rock again in videogame
On 9 September 2009, a remastered version of their albums and the videogame 'The Beatles: Rock Band' was released. The Beatles jukebox hasn’t stopped since. And what better date than 09/09/09 to release revamped versions of a group that on average released an album every nine months. Long live The Beatles!
translation, uk, chanson, video gallery, europop, concert, culture
Bun in the oven
According to Eurostat, 5.4 million babies were born in 2008. Lithuanians are the most industrious breeders, while Germans are at the bottom of the chart. Some of Europe's expressions for motherhood
translation, italy, tower of babel, germany, languages, europe, spain
All good things come in small packages
French and Italian heads of state Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi are shorter than average but, depending on the country, this is not necessarily a fault! High heels ahoy: it's the weekly tour of European expressions
Tree huggers
The times in which eco-warriors and nature lovers raged unrest in the downtown areas whilst kitted out in hand-knitted wool jumpers and Birkenstocks are now over. Now that the trend of being eco-aware has come to the forefront of society, the whole of Europe is witnessing a bloom in eco-green ‘cusswords’
translation, bioethics, lifestyle, food, poland, united kingdom, idioms
Europe's fugly munters and mingers
'Ugly' is relative. Europe is creative with names when someone is ‘offensive to the eyes’. Tuna fish, veils, mussels or middle-aged pop stars beware - when Europe maligns ugliness they all have to pay the price…
translation, animals, music, expressions, language, tower of babel, audio
Throw your toys out of the pram
The Irish kick off after a 'scathing electoral defeat', whilst the Germans can be heard to 'wail like cats'. Weekly language expressions from around Europe
translation, identity, declan ganley, european elections 2009, expressions, elections, language
The principle behind 'fishing for compliments'
That’s what our outgoing Italian editor was constantly doing to us at cafebabel.com. In tribute (to herself), she looks at how the act itself is about man hunting for humanity, especially when confronted with globalisation and the atomisation of modern society
translation, best of cafebabel.com, relationships, globalisation, friendship, tower of babel, languages
Europe’s ‘women drivers’
Women in the EU enjoy cheaper car insurance than men, because they take less risks. So what of these sexist clichés about how they drive? Round-up of cliches ranging from Russia to Spain. Weekly tour of Europe's expressions
EU election expressions: politics makes for strange bedfellows
As a third of voters in Europe get set to vote in the European elections between 4-7 June, we ponder expressions ranging from 'election sausages' in Poland to 'rolling balls around' in France. Weekly sayings
translation, european elections 2009, eudebate2009, elections, tower of babel
Tongue twisters
Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry - and its European counterpart expressions to say over, and over, again. From Poland's Jerzy to Spain's coconuts, it's the weekly language tricks
Describing a graduate all-rounder in Europe
The Germans have coined young, entry-level employees in Europe 'the egg-laying woolly milking sows' - rundown of other timely nicknames for other young European graduates in these times of crisis
translation, animals, henning studte, job seekers, tower of babel
