Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2021 July 17

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July 17

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A large one

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In a Viivi & Wagner comic strip, Viivi and Wagner are at a restaurant terrace together. Viivi offers to get the drinks, asking Wagner "Mitä otat?" ("What will you have?") Wagner replies "Ison" ("A large one"). Viivi immediately understands Wagner wants a large (1/2 l instead of 1/3 l) glass of beer. Does a similar thing occur in other countries than Finland too? JIP | Talk 02:18, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

"A tall one" is the English North American equivalent. Clarityfiend (talk) 08:08, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Not sure that would be understood in the UK, where "pint or half" would be usual for beer or cider, the measures for which are strictly regulated by law; the head (froth) on the beer is not allowed to be more than 5% of the pint. An Imperial pint is 568 ml and larger than the US pint of 473 ml. Australians have a much more complicated system of beer glass sizes, which one of our editors from there will hopefully explain. Alansplodge (talk) 09:32, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
In several countries, raising one's hands while holding them horizontally separated by about 15 cm (6 in) serves as a signal that can be given from a distance in a bar for ordering a tall glass of beer of whatever type and size is locally common (half a litre of lager in much of the European continent).  --Lambiam 09:56, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Note that what Wagner says translates literally to "large". Finnish does not use articles or placeholder nouns, so in the translation "a large one" the first and last words are only added to make the translation correct English. I believe that in Swedish or German, the translations would have been "en stor" and "ein Grosses", respectively. JIP | Talk 14:53, 21 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Where I live ordering "äs Grosses" (a large one) means 0.5 l beer, if you want the smaller version, usually 0.3 l, you ask for "ä Schtange" (a rod). What do you say in Finland when ordering the smaller glass? ---Sluzzelin talk 15:05, 21 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
The word for "small" is pieni. Because of the Finnish conjugation rules, the exact word you say depends on context. If you just walk up to the bar and order a small glass of beer, you say just Pieni. But if, for example, Viivi asks you Mitä otat? and you want a small glass of beer, you reply Pienen. That's because in this case, a small one is the object of having something. JIP | Talk 03:45, 22 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Cool, thanks JIP. For no good reason we only order "a large one", but use a different word for "a small one" when meaning beer. --Sluzzelin talk 07:18, 22 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
In Australia:
Schooner Size – 425 ml.
Pint Size – 570 ml. ...
Pony Size – 140 ml. ...
Pot or Middy Size – 285 ml. ...
Not all of these are used in any one state. [1]
Alansplodge (talk) 12:22, 23 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

What does "see" refer to?

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Lorriane approached Father Kastner to find the demon which possessed Arne:

  • Lorriane: We came to you for help and you knew this whole time?
  • Father Kastner: She's my daughter. I couldn't...I didn't want to see.

What does "see" refer to? Rizosome (talk) 07:09, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

"I didn't want to acknowledge it, or admit to it, or concede the truth of it, or take responsibility for it". Cullen328 Let's discuss it 07:18, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I am asking about the word "see". Rizosome (talk) 09:07, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Cullen328 explained the meaning of "see". What Father Kastner didn't want to see was the truth of how he had not only passed on his occultist obsession to his daughter Isla, but that she had become an evil occultist. By the way, it should be "Lorraine".  --Lambiam 09:29, 17 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Rizosome, since a lot of your questions include quotes, could you also include what you are quoting in your original posts? In certain cases it will make it easier to answer, and it's also just common decency to credit the source (see also Wikipedia:COPYQUOTE. ---Sluzzelin talk 11:16, 18 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]