Bon appétit

[Paul Evensen]

Hello all,

Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases. Here's
what I have so far:

"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

Would anyone care to make any contributions? Latin-based or other alphabets
and / or writing systems are also welcomed.

Thanks!
Paul

[Evertjan.]

Post by Paul Evensen
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

No! not -kk-

smakelijk eten

or

eet smakelijk

==========

Greek: kali orexi
Indonesian: selamat makan
Malaysian: selamat makan

[Arkadiusz Koselak]

Post by Paul Evensen
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

polish: smacznego!
spanish: que aprovechen!
lithuanian: skanaus! gero apetìto!

[Nick Worley]

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases.

Here's

Post by Paul Evensen
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

It's true you may hear a waiter/waitress or chef say "Enjoy your meal" (or
just "Enjoy") to people eating in a restaurant, although I don't think it's
used anywhere near as commonly as "Bon appétit" or "Guten Appetit" are in
French and German-speaking countries and I doubt very much you'd hear people
say this to each other eating at home (there may be people who do, but I'd
say they're in a very small minority). Waiters/waitresses/chefs in
English-speaking countries may even use the French term, but again I'd say
it's not used as commonly as in France. I've often thought it odd that there
isn't an English-language equivalent to "Bon appétit" or "Guten Appetit".
"Good appetite" sounds odd when you first hear it, but maybe if people
started using it, it may catch on (you never know).

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

Or "Dinner time!"

Also: "Supper time!", "Tea time!". This is a class thing in the UK - working
class people tend to use the word "tea" to mean an evening meal, whereas
middle class people tend to use the word "supper" (confusingly, working
class people also use the word "supper", but to mean a late-night snack
before going to bed).

A more slangy way of saying this is "Food's up!", which would work for any
meal at any time of the day, but it's the sort of thing friends or family
would say, rather than when giving (say) a dinner party (in such a setting,
"food's up" would sound very odd and/or humorous).

An even slangier version would be "Grub's up!", but again only in informal
contexts.

In very formal contexts, I could imagine a butler announcing "Dinner is
served", which means that everyone is to go to the table.

Regards
Nick

[John Woodgate]

I read in sci.lang.translation that Nick Worley <nick-ARE-YOU-THE-

Post by Nick Worley
whereas
middle class people tend to use the word "supper"

Yes, I've noticed this as an increasing trend. For me, the evening meal
is 'dinner'.

Post by Nick Worley
In very formal contexts, I could imagine a butler announcing "Dinner is
served", which means that everyone is to go to the table.

I always say that if I'm asked to call people to table. Not snobbery,
it's a sort of slightly comic formality.

[Peter Twydell]

Post by Nick Worley
"Good appetite" sounds odd when you first hear it, but maybe if people
started using it, it may catch on (you never know).

I do hope not!

Post by Nick Worley

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

Or "Dinner time!"

Why not just "Dinner's ready" or "Lunch is ready"?

I'm struggling with the whole concept of expressing the wish that
someone enjoy their meal, as if they need encouragement or possibly
reassurance.

I do get bored with hearing "Eet smakelijk" or "eet ze" every time I sit
down to eat when in NL, but not from the family, thank goodness. It's
about as sincere as "Bless you" or "Have a nice day".

Yours curmudgeonly,

[Nick Worley]

[snip]

Post by Nick Worley

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

Or "Dinner time!"

Why not just "Dinner's ready" or "Lunch is ready"?

Nothing wrong with either of those.

I'm struggling with the whole concept of expressing the wish that
someone enjoy their meal, as if they need encouragement or possibly
reassurance.

LOL (well, smiling out loud anyway)

I do get bored with hearing "Eet smakelijk" or "eet ze" every time I sit
down to eat when in NL, but not from the family, thank goodness. It's
about as sincere as "Bless you" or "Have a nice day".

I know exactly what you mean. I wrote a post a few hours back, but didn't
post it, but rather saved it.
I wanted to chew it over for a bit.
Anyway, for what it's worth, I wrote:

"Maybe it's got something to do with the fact that English-language speakers
don't
want to go through the ritual of having to say "Good appetite" (or similar)
*every time* they sit down to eat. Maybe they'd consider it a *hassle* or
too formal or something. I think I probably would anyway. And if that's the
case, what does that say about the psyche of English-language speakers?
(Just thinking out loud)".

I've chewed it over for a bit and I still feel pretty much the same. It's
like in France where you have to "faire la bise" (i.e. kiss) every time you
meet someone. It started to get on my nerves after a bit because it was
*expected* and because it was a *ritual* and I don't like that stuff (I got
sick to the back teeth of hearing "On fait la bise?" every time I didn't out
of sheer bloody-mindedness!).

Anyway, who cares what an uncultured limey thinks, right? :o)

Regards
Nick

[Nick Worley]

[snip]

Post by Peter Twydell
I'm struggling with the whole concept of expressing the wish that
someone enjoy their meal, as if they need encouragement or possibly
reassurance.

And I've just remembered what my initial thought was...

I thought that maybe the reason why there's no English equivalent for "bon
appétit" was because UK food was so bad. Or at least traditionally anyway
(bland, tasteless, uninspired). In which case, saying "Bon appétit" would be
a kind of piss-take/wind-up/practical joke.

I remember reading a while back about the French chef Raymond Blanc (who
owns the two-star Michelin restaurant "Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons" ("The
Four Seasons Manor") in Great Milton, Oxfordshire) reminiscing about his
first food experiences in the UK and thinking he'd come to "culinary hell".
Maybe I'm misquoting him, but that's how I remember the article anyway. But
whatever, that's what he *meant*, whatever he actually said. (Like the old
joke about hell where the cooks are British, the comedians German, the
organizers Italian, etc).

According to people I've spoken to here in the UK who are considerably older
than me, certain things that now are considered standard like (say)...
- olive oil (extra virgin or otherwise)
- balsamic vinegar
- parmigiano reggiano (spelling OK?) (i.e. parmesan cheese, the Real McCoy,
not the stuff you buy ready-grated in tubs)
- and mushrooms (e.g. truffles, chanterelles, oyster musrooms, etc) (as
opposed to the ubiquitous button mushrooms)
... were either unavailable in the 70s or so rare that they were not easily
accessible by the vast majority of the population.

So things have certainly changed a lot in the UK in the past 30 odd years or
so.

But anyway, whatever, I'm just thinking/blurting out loud (for what it's
worth).

Regards
Nick

[Nick Worley]

[snip]
- and mushrooms (e.g. truffles, chanterelles, oyster musrooms, etc)

Are truffles mushrooms?
Not sure...
Anyway, whatever...

[Jan Willem]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 01:48:51 -0000, "Nick Worley"

Post by Nick Worley
"Maybe it's got something to do with the fact that English-language speakers
don't
want to go through the ritual of having to say "Good appetite" (or similar)
*every time* they sit down to eat. Maybe they'd consider it a *hassle* or
too formal or something. I think I probably would anyway. And if that's the
case, what does that say about the psyche of English-language speakers?
(Just thinking out loud)".

Well, the English are widely known for their contempt for rituals :-)

Jan Willem from Odijk, Netherlands
e-mail in From-field is wrong, real e-mail is:
jw.van.dormolen @ hccnet.nl (without the spaces)

[John Woodgate]

Post by Jan Willem
Well, the English are widely known for their contempt for rituals :-)

Yes, forget the rituals, let's get at the victuals.

Thanks for the lead-in to that one.

[Einde O'Callaghan]

Post by John Woodgate

Post by Jan Willem
Well, the English are widely known for their contempt for rituals :-)

Yes, forget the rituals, let's get at the victuals.
Thanks for the lead-in to that one.

It looks good in print, but doesn't quite rhyme.

Regards, Einde o'Callaghan

[John Woodgate]

I read in sci.lang.translation that Einde O'Callaghan

Post by Einde O'Callaghan

Post by John Woodgate

Post by Jan Willem
Well, the English are widely known for their contempt for rituals :-)

Yes, forget the rituals, let's get at the victuals.
Thanks for the lead-in to that one.

It looks good in print, but doesn't quite rhyme.

When I rhyme, it maybe an eye-rhyme. OK?

[O]

Post by Nick Worley
I've often thought it odd that there
isn't an English-language equivalent to "Bon appétit" or "Guten Appetit".

well, I suppose that you never have eaten in England ;-)

Olivier
http://aaftt.free.fr

[Christian Erwig-Straughan]

It's true. There really isn't a word for Bon appétit in English. You can
either use the French, which is quite common, or you can say something like
"Enjoy your meal" or simply "Enjoy".

Christian

--
Check out my Information Guide for translation services at
http://www.translation-and-languages.com/

Post by O

Post by Nick Worley
I've often thought it odd that there
isn't an English-language equivalent to "Bon appétit" or "Guten Appetit".

well, I suppose that you never have eaten in England ;-)
Olivier
http://aaftt.free.fr

[Andrew Morgan]

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"

German: "Miracoli ist fertig!"


SCNR

Been watching too much TV

andy M

[Rømer]

Post by Paul Evensen
"Enjoy Your Meal:"

Danish - dansk : God appetit!

But for the polite this would probably not be used.
It is a correct translation and you would probably hear it at the beginning
of a meal, just upon serving.
If you pass by a table where someone is eating - or if you want to leave a
table where people are dining - you would say "Velbekomme!", most likely
said without the last -me, so "velbekom", literally meaning "may it do you
good".
This is also used to answer the standard phrase after finishing eating "Tak
for mad" - "thanks for food" - "velbekom" - may it do you good!

Calling someone to the table would be "der er serveret" or more informal "Vi
skal spise" - we are going to eat, but I think the word "Vaer så god ~
vaers'go'" "be so kind or here you are" covers the use of both "dinner is
served" and "help yourself" when dining.

I find it rather challenging, that we in Denmark are often called rude,
unpolished or unpolite, but are in fact some of the very few, who actually
thanks the host or hostess for the food. ;-)
Personally I have found it very difficult to leave table without doing this
when dining with other nationalities, but I find much pleasure in giving my
compliments for whatever I know is the "fingerprint" of my host/hostess.
Dining out is somewhat different "All my best to the shareholders!"

[Jan Willem]

On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 11:49:49 +0100, "Paul Evensen"

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases. Here's
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

Incorrect, the Dutch is 'Eet smakelijk', 'Smakelijk eten', 'Tast toe',
'Dat het u wel moge bekomen' or 'Dat het de goede weg moge vinden',
in order of probability of encounter.

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

? The English and the French are not the same thing, though closely
related.
Dutch (time for dinner): 'Etenstijd'
Dutch (à table): 'Aan tafel'

Jan Willem from Odijk, Netherlands
e-mail in From-field is wrong, real e-mail is:
jw.van.dormolen @ hccnet.nl (without the spaces)

[Russtrim]

<< Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases. >>

"Chow down" comes to mind, as does the blessing, "Godo food, good meat, good
God let's eat."

Russ

[Mikhail]

Russian: "Priyatnava appetita!"

[João Luiz]

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases. Here's
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit

Portuguese: bom apetite!

JL

[Kevin O'Donnell]

Ite dakimasu - Japanese

[Anthony J. Bryant]

Post by Kevin O'Donnell
Ite dakimasu - Japanese

Not really.

"Itadakimasu" means, literally, "I will receive" -- the people who commonly say
it are not those making/preparing/presenting the food (which is implied, I
think, by the "bon appetite").


Tony

[LEE Sau Dan]

Anthony> "Itadakimasu" means, literally, "I will receive" -- the
Anthony> people who commonly say it are not those
Anthony> making/preparing/presenting the food (which is implied, I
Anthony> think, by the "bon appetite").

"Bon appetite" is not only said by those who serve the meals, but also
those who consume the meals.

[Anthony J. Bryant]

Post by LEE Sau Dan
Anthony> "Itadakimasu" means, literally, "I will receive" -- the
Anthony> people who commonly say it are not those
Anthony> making/preparing/presenting the food (which is implied, I
Anthony> think, by the "bon appetite").
"Bon appetite" is not only said by those who serve the meals, but also
those who consume the meals.

The point is, it's not a "here's the food, enjoy it" phrase. It's a "we (active
participants) will now eat."

It's one reason why I hate translating "itadakimasu" as "bon appetite" or
something like that; it's nothing like it in meaning, or intent. Just because
it's said before dining doesn't make it a direct port or even a good analogue.


Tony

[LEE Sau Dan]

Anthony> It's one reason why I hate translating "itadakimasu" as
Anthony> "bon appetite" or something like that; it's nothing like
Anthony> it in meaning, or intent. Just because it's said before
Anthony> dining doesn't make it a direct port or even a good
Anthony> analogue.

And it would be hard to explain to them the differences between:
"domo", "arigato", "arigatogozaimasu", "domoarigatogozaimasu",
"arigatogozaimashita", "domoarigatogozaimashita".

It is strange to me that some people always assume that every word or
expression in one language must have an exact translation in another.
They can't even understand that a mere cultural difference would
render most words not directly translatable unless you limit it to a
very specific context.


A German Turk once asked me and my friend how we say "Gesundheit!" in
Chinese. We could only tell him that there is NO translation for that
(in that context). We have a word for "Gesundheit" in general, but
not in that context. Indeed. We don't make that noise after
someone's nose runs. Why do that? We find that a strange thing!

[John Woodgate]

Post by LEE Sau Dan
Why do that? We find that a strange thing!

Because sneezing was a symptom of possible infection with plague, or,
more generally, an affliction by the Devil. So, wishing someone
'Health!' after a sneeze is 'quite logical'.

[Bettina Price]

Post by Kevin O'Donnell
Ite dakimasu - Japanese

Itadakimasu, surely.

Bettina

[Kevin O'Donnell]

What interesting nuances the word surely can convey ...

Bettina Price wrote in message ...

Post by Bettina Price

Post by Kevin O'Donnell
Ite dakimasu - Japanese

Itadakimasu, surely.
Bettina

[Alex Wilding]

Post by Paul Evensen
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!
Would anyone care to make any contributions? Latin-based or other
alphabets and / or writing systems are also welcomed.

German: Hau 'rein, Kapella
:) - but true, all the same

[Nigel Greenwood]

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases. Here's
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

English: "I hope it's all right -- I left it too long in the oven".

Nigel

[Nigel Greenwood]

An alternative English version often heard in certain circles:

"Bon appétit, as the French say -- isn't it odd that we don't have a
phrase for it in English!"

Nigel

[Anna MCM]

Post by Paul Evensen
Italian - buon' appetito

In Italian it is "buon appetito" and not "buon´appetito".

Ciao,

Anna Maria

[Tony Vella]

Post by Paul Evensen
Italian - buon' appetito

In Italian it is "buon appetito" and not "buonŽappetito".
Ciao,
Anna Maria

Anna Maria, me facett' allicurdà' 'na cosa!

In the early 70s I used to hang around the Italian community in Oshawa
whenever I found time to get away from Ottawa. There I met a guagliò who
insisted that someday he would marry a woman by the name of Concetta because
he could think of nothing more romantic that arriving home, sticking his
head inside the door and shouting "Eh Cuncè, è pronn' 'a pasta?" (Hey
Connie, is the pasta (supper) ready?). He sincerely believed that shouting
"Eh Mariù, è pronn' 'a pasta?" just wasn't the same thing. I know, it takes
all kinds to make a zoo! A couple of years ago I was back in Oshawa for a
baptism and tried looking him up but I couldn't remember his last name to
save my life so nothing came of it. I wonder....

Growing up in Malta we always used "bon appetit" when speaking Maltese. The
strange thing is that in all other expressions for the word appetite, the
word used in Maltese is aptit. Ex. I haven't got the appetite (I don't feel
like it) = m'ghandiex aptit! HTH ;-)

[Anna MCM]

Post by Tony Vella
Anna Maria, me facett' allicurdà' 'na cosa!
In the early 70s I used to hang around the Italian community in Oshawa
whenever I found time to get away from Ottawa. There I met a guagliò who
insisted that someday he would marry a woman by the name of Concetta because
he could think of nothing more romantic that arriving home, sticking his
head inside the door and shouting "Eh Cuncè, è pronn' 'a pasta?" (Hey
Connie, is the pasta (supper) ready?). He sincerely believed that shouting
"Eh Mariù, è pronn' 'a pasta?" just wasn't the same thing. I know, it takes
all kinds to make a zoo! A couple of years ago I was back in Oshawa for a
baptism and tried looking him up but I couldn't remember his last name to
save my life so nothing came of it. I wonder....

You could contact all the Concetta and Concettina in Oshawa and ask them
about their husbands :-D
Come si dice... il mondo e´ bello perche´ vario!
How we say... the word is beautiful because variated! (sorry for the
translation).

Post by Tony Vella
Growing up in Malta we always used "bon appetit" when speaking Maltese. The
strange thing is that in all other expressions for the word appetite, the
word used in Maltese is aptit.

Maybe you adopted the French expression, as in many other countries :-)

Stamm´e bbuono.. (is this right? I am from Northern Italy)

Anna Maria

[Frances]

Scríobh Anna MCM

Post by Anna MCM
Stamm´e bbuono.. (is this right? I am from Northern Italy)

Statt' accuort'
o
stamm' bbene
:)

[Tony Vella]

Post by Tony Vella
Growing up in Malta we always used "bon appetit" when speaking
Maltese. The strange thing is that in all other expressions for the
word appetite, the word used in Maltese is aptit. Ex. I haven't got
the appetite (I don't feel like it) = m'ghandiex aptit! HTH ;-)

*My mistake.*
"I do not have" in Maltese is spelled "mghandix" not "m'ghandiex". Only
verbs ending in "a" take the long "iex" in the negative. Sorry ! :-(

[Frances]

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases.
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

In italian it would sound "Il pranzo (la cena) è in tavola!" (lunch -
dinner) or "Il pranzo (la cena) è pronto(a)!"
Oh, and, that's "buon appetito", without '.
An old way to say "enjoy your meal" or similar stuff is "Buon pro ti
faccia", but you'd only find that in pretty "ancient" books (to mention one
which should be sufficiently wide known, Collodi's Pinocchio is stuffed
with that kind of expressions).

[Shirin]

Uzbek:

Enjoy your meal
yoqimli ishtakha!

The meal is ready
Ovqat tayyor

To invite people to the table you say
Markhamat stolga o'tiring (literally "please sit at the table")

Shirin

Post by Frances

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases.
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

In italian it would sound "Il pranzo (la cena) è in tavola!" (lunch -
dinner) or "Il pranzo (la cena) è pronto(a)!"
Oh, and, that's "buon appetito", without '.
An old way to say "enjoy your meal" or similar stuff is "Buon pro ti
faccia", but you'd only find that in pretty "ancient" books (to mention one
which should be sufficiently wide known, Collodi's Pinocchio is stuffed
with that kind of expressions).

[Mikhail]

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!

As for "Time for dinner", the Russian is "Kushat' podano"

[Ken Translations]

Spanish:

"Enjoy Your Meal:"
¡Que aproveche! / ¡Buen provecho!

Time for Dinner:"
¡A comer!

Basque:

"Enjoy Your Meal:"

On egin!

"Time for Dinner:"

Jatera!

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases.

Here's

Post by Paul Evensen
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten
"Time for Dinner:"
French - à table!
Would anyone care to make any contributions? Latin-based or other alphabets
and / or writing systems are also welcomed.
Thanks!
Paul

[LEE Sau Dan]

Ken> Spanish:

Ken> Time for Dinner:" ¡A comer!

Can this Spanish expression also be used for lunch, breakfast, supper,
etc.?

[Oliver Walter]

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases. Here's
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

Swiss German: en guete
(with the u and e pronounced separately in guete, not together like
u-umlaut; should perhaps be written "en guëte)

Oliver

[MH]

Post by Paul Evensen
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

No, 'smakelijk eten' (no double k ! - 'smakken' means to make smacking
sounds when eating, that may be OK in China, it's not in NL).
Or; 'eet smakelijk'
Indonesian; 'selamat makan' (good eat/food)

Post by Paul Evensen
"Time for Dinner:"

Dutch; 'etenstijd'
Indonesian; 'jam makan' (time eat/food)

-------------
MH

[Oliver Walter]

Post by Paul Evensen
Hello all,
Some friends of mine have asked if I can get ahold of as many ways of
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related

phrases. Here's

Post by Paul Evensen
"Enjoy Your Meal:"
French - bon appétit
German - guten Appetit
Italian - buon' appetito
Dutch - smakkelijk eten

Swiss German (dialect): en guete
(with the u and e of "guete" pronounced separately, so perhaps there
should be a diaresis on the e)
or often: en guete mitenand (to several people)

Oliver

[Michael Hemmer]

Post by Oliver Walter

Post by Paul Evensen
wishing someone enjoys his/her meal and other food related phrases.

Swiss German (dialect): en guete
(with the u and e of "guete" pronounced separately, so perhaps there
should be a diaresis on the e)
or often: en guete mitenand (to several people)

"Appetit" is often left out in Germany as well: "Guten!" This is
probably because the full phrase sounds more formal - and puts the
actual meal off for another three syllables :-)

However, it seems to be used only among people sitting together at the
table. A waiter will usually use the whole phrase.

Michael

[LEE Sau Dan]

Michael> "Appetit" is often left out in Germany as well: "Guten!"
Michael> This is probably because the full phrase sounds more
Michael> formal - and puts the actual meal off for another three
Michael> syllables :-)

Funny. For "Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend" , people would leave out "Guten".
But for "Guten Appetit", they'd leave out "Appetit"?


Michael> However, it seems to be used only among people sitting
Michael> together at the table. A waiter will usually use the
Michael> whole phrase.

And I found it strange that when the teller comes to collect my
finished dishes, he'd ask me how the food tasted. Again, this is
something that have no translation into Chinese. In Chinese, the
teller will only ask you "Finished?". Oh! No. That's not
"Finished?". A bad translation. That should be something that means
"do you still want (to keep) this dish?", but much more concise. If
you want to get rid of the empty dish, you should shake your head or
say "no". (My mum, not English-speaking, would thus do this wrong
when asked "finished?" with an in-flight meal.)

[Michael Hemmer]

Post by LEE Sau Dan
Michael> "Appetit" is often left out in Germany as well: "Guten!"
Michael> This is probably because the full phrase sounds more
Michael> formal - and puts the actual meal off for another three
Michael> syllables :-)
Funny. For "Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend" , people would leave out "Guten".

I'm not sure whether "Guten Abend!" can be contracted that way at all.
There's "'n Abend", but there you still have a bit of the adjective
left. Anyway, the full form of "Guten Abend!" is certainly more frequent
than that of "Guten Morgen/Tag!"

Post by LEE Sau Dan
But for "Guten Appetit", they'd leave out "Appetit"?

There are indeed regions where the greeting as well may be contracted to
its adjectival part, e.g. "Gude!" (= "Guten!" in the dialect of southern
Hesse).

Michael

[Einde O'Callaghan]

Post by LEE Sau Dan
Michael> "Appetit" is often left out in Germany as well: "Guten!"
Michael> This is probably because the full phrase sounds more
Michael> formal - and puts the actual meal off for another three
Michael> syllables :-)
Funny. For "Guten Morgen/Tag/Abend" , people would leave out "Guten".
But for "Guten Appetit", they'd leave out "Appetit"?
Michael> However, it seems to be used only among people sitting
Michael> together at the table. A waiter will usually use the
Michael> whole phrase.
And I found it strange that when the teller

I think you mean waiter - you find a teller in a bank behind the counter.

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

[Michael Hemmer]

Post by Einde O'Callaghan

Post by LEE Sau Dan
And I found it strange that when the teller

I think you mean waiter - you find a teller in a bank behind the counter.

That makes it all the stranger when the teller comes to collect your
finished dishes and asks you how the food tasted.

Michael

[LEE Sau Dan]

And I found it strange that when the teller

Einde> I think you mean waiter - you find a teller in a bank
Einde> behind the counter.

Yeah. I was thinking about "Kellner" and don't know why I typed
"teller". :P

[John Woodgate]

Post by LEE Sau Dan
Yeah. I was thinking about "Kellner" and don't know why I typed
"teller". :P

Obvious: the Kellner bring the food on a Teller.

[LEE Sau Dan]

Yeah. I was thinking about "Kellner" and don't know why I
typed "teller". :P

John> Obvious: the Kellner bring the food on a Teller.
....................................^s

Yeah! Thanks! :D

[O]

Eskualduna : Gose gara

Might sound somewhat exotic, yet you must know that one can eat
delicious things in the bask country !

It is one of the most exquisite cuisines in Europe, and even the French
admit it !

Olivier
http://aaftt.free.fr