Commoners guide to avoid those mess-ups...er...faux pas, when travelling in F
Apr 21, 2018, 3:38 am
#1
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Commoners guide to avoid those mess-ups...er...faux pas, when travelling in F
Being from a working class family (an ex-postman for 21 years myself) I never imagined the day when I'd be drinking Champagne while sitting in a First Class cabin. But to the amazement of my family this is something that I quite often experience these days - mostly thanks to the kind and helpful information from the folk at Flyertalk of course. With the aim of injecting a bit of weekend fun, but also educating those who break into a sweat at the thought of having to pronounce some of those foreign descriptions, I thought it would be useful to collect together a few important words and names.
Perhaps some know the feeling, you get the menu and immediately become anxious at the idea of having to read what is on the card, so you just say 'the chicken', or maybe even not choose what you really want!
Last year when I was in the Flounge I asked for some g-notch-chi, only to be answered with a wry smile and told that it's actually pronounced as n(j)ok-key.
Needless to say my face went red, I would have quite happily scuttled out of the dining room.
This week, and just in time for a QR F flight, I discovered that in Krug the 'u' is not pronounced as in jug, but actually as in venue. So potential embarrassment saved there!
Of course many of you will find it amusing that some of us here are not familiar with such pronunciations, but I would love to hear any stories of others' pronunciation faux pas.
Perhaps some know the feeling, you get the menu and immediately become anxious at the idea of having to read what is on the card, so you just say 'the chicken', or maybe even not choose what you really want!
Last year when I was in the Flounge I asked for some g-notch-chi, only to be answered with a wry smile and told that it's actually pronounced as n(j)ok-key.
Needless to say my face went red, I would have quite happily scuttled out of the dining room.This week, and just in time for a QR F flight, I discovered that in Krug the 'u' is not pronounced as in jug, but actually as in venue. So potential embarrassment saved there!
Of course many of you will find it amusing that some of us here are not familiar with such pronunciations, but I would love to hear any stories of others' pronunciation faux pas.
Last edited by headingwest; Apr 21, 2018 at 4:27 am Reason: grammar!
Apr 21, 2018, 3:43 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: UK/France
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I once asked the Cabin Crew in F what a Financier was (beyond the obvious moniker of some of my fellow travellers I guess). Blank looks all round. Great post!
Apr 21, 2018, 3:59 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
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An exchange between myself an a BA CW cabin crewmember with a noticable French accent:
Me: For my drink may I have the <Australian mangling of a French wine region>?
Him: certainly, would you like ice in that?
Me: ... Is that normal in white wine?
Him: oh, you meant the <same name to my uncultuted ears>! My mistake!
I was a little embarrassed, but I don't think I got it that wrong!
Me: For my drink may I have the <Australian mangling of a French wine region>?
Him: certainly, would you like ice in that?
Me: ... Is that normal in white wine?
Him: oh, you meant the <same name to my uncultuted ears>! My mistake!
I was a little embarrassed, but I don't think I got it that wrong!
Last edited by jerub; Apr 21, 2018 at 4:04 am
Apr 21, 2018, 4:00 am
#4
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Apr 21, 2018, 4:20 am
#8
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Well for the benefit of one particular highflying youngster very occasionally in our midst, the black mug is not intended as an alternative vessel for LPGS.
[As I'm a farm labourer who went to a bog-standard comp. I should not complain, but I do know where the possessive apostrophes should go!]
[As I'm a farm labourer who went to a bog-standard comp. I should not complain, but I do know where the possessive apostrophes should go!]
Apr 21, 2018, 4:26 am
#9
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Great thread!
Not on BA, but once was in a hotel restaurant in London and asked for a glass of the Merlot. The waiter looked confused and when I pointed it out he said “oh the Mer-lot!’
I think he was new.
Not on BA, but once was in a hotel restaurant in London and asked for a glass of the Merlot. The waiter looked confused and when I pointed it out he said “oh the Mer-lot!’
I think he was new.
Apr 21, 2018, 4:26 am
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Apr 21, 2018, 4:30 am
#11
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A bit like the BA CC who pronounced the white wine as Sea Million
Apr 21, 2018, 4:47 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Madrid
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Before retiring and shuttling between Madrid (home), Paris (office) and Aberdeen (birthplace), I was used to ordering a Cafe con leche templada (half hot and half cold milk) or a Cafe au lait.
At Aberdeen airport my mind went completely blank and I blurted out "A milky coffee please". The barista politely said "We call that a Latte sir".
Red face!
At Aberdeen airport my mind went completely blank and I blurted out "A milky coffee please". The barista politely said "We call that a Latte sir".
Red face!
Apr 21, 2018, 4:54 am
#15
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My first ever op-up from Y to J was on Northwest when I was a KL Gold Elite - they must have been seriously oversold that day to reach me.
Now, I’d been used to everything being plonked down in front of me on a single plastic tray at meal time, so all this ordering off a menu thing was a bit strange. I decided on a meat dish, but was surprised when a reasonably large fish offering arrived instead. Not wishing to create too much fuss in the circumstances, I think I gently said it couldn’t be mine, I’d ordered something different. The very kind member of CC wasn’t too cruel in pointing out that this was, in fact, my starter ...
I decided not to question anything else until I’d got the hang of things a bit more.
Now, I’d been used to everything being plonked down in front of me on a single plastic tray at meal time, so all this ordering off a menu thing was a bit strange. I decided on a meat dish, but was surprised when a reasonably large fish offering arrived instead. Not wishing to create too much fuss in the circumstances, I think I gently said it couldn’t be mine, I’d ordered something different. The very kind member of CC wasn’t too cruel in pointing out that this was, in fact, my starter ...
I decided not to question anything else until I’d got the hang of things a bit more.