Correct, Dutch and German do it that way. I never regarded as keen to see time pass by, but more as "halfway towards 8 o'clock". This could both be interpreted, comparable to the glass either being half full or half empty, as "only just halfway" or "already halfway". I feel it as the last.
Kees. "Chris Mason" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>... > Paul, > > Regarding your difficulty with the lady. There are European languages - of a > generally Teutonic persuasion I believe - where the speakers are so keen to > see time pass that they anticipate the approaching hour by starting at the > half-way point. Thus, when literally translated, "half eight" means 7.30. > This, of course, is a recipe for confusion when "half past eight" is > trendily reduced to "half eight". > > Chris Mason > ********************************************************************** For information, services and offers, please visit our web site: http://www.klm.com. This e-mail and any attachment may contain confidential and privileged material intended for the addressee only. If you are not the addressee, you are notified that no part of the e-mail or any attachment may be disclosed, copied or distributed, and that any other action related to this e-mail or attachment is strictly prohibited, and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail by error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, and delete this message. Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij NV (KLM), its subsidiaries and/or its employees shall not be liable for the incorrect or incomplete transmission of this e-mail or any attachments, nor responsible for any delay in receipt. Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (also known as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) is registered in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, with registered number 33014286 ********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
