Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2013 September 11

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September 11

What does this mean?

Two very nice travelers I talked to on the train, neither of whom spoke English, wrote this in my notebook: [1].

Can anyone translate the phrases into English? I think they're in either Hungarian or Slovak, but I'm not sure. Thanks in advance! --Bowlhover (talk) 16:47, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

I can't translate them, but I'm pretty sure the top one is in Hungarian, the bottom one in a Slavic language such as Slovak. What language did you talk to them in if they didn't speak English? Aɴɢʀ (talk) 16:55, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

We didn't talk in the usual sense of the word. They knew a few words of English and French, the only European languages I speak. Besides that, we used a combination of hand gestures, drawings, pointing to maps, and Google Translate (which wasn't as helpful as you'd think). That's why they wrote these messages for me--because they couldn't communicate those ideas in any other way. --Bowlhover (talk) 17:14, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

The Hungarian part translates to "I wish you a nice day / All the best in life" ---Sluzzelin talk 17:08, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

Thanks! That's sweet! --Bowlhover (talk) 17:14, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

The Slovak text starts with Prajem Ti pekný výlet pre celom svete which translates to "Have a nice trip around the world". --Pp.paul.4 (talk) 17:52, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

And apparently Bruce Lee lives. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 19:41, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

Yeah, what's with that? I actually met and took summer classes with a Bruce Lee briefly in the late 80's. (His brother later died under mysterious circumstances.) Immigration agents had told his parents Bruce was a popular name when they immigrated from Mainland China. μηδείς (talk) 20:46, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

Do not accept invitations to Slovakia, see Hostel (2005 film). --Pp.paul.4 (talk) 22:39, 11 September 2013 (UTC)

I *think* the Bruce Lee part was because they thought I looked like Bruce Lee. I'm Chinese, but roughly half his age at the time of his death. I'm guessing that because the Hungarian and Slovakian haven't encountered many Chinese people before, I look somewhat like Bruce Lee to them. --Bowlhover (talk) 00:00, 12 September 2013 (UTC)