Talk:Blinkenlights

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Contents 1 Blinkenlights 2 German translation 3 it's more English than German 4 Wikiversion 5 Swabian Version 6 Older, other versions of Blinkenlights 7 Internet version of Lookenpeepers 8 Cotton Picking

[edit] Blinkenlights

Hey Berliners, anyone willing to take a "screenshot" of the actual Blinkenlights installation? Etz Haim 04:30, 21 Sep 2004 (UTC)

There is one for click the link at the bottom of the page.

Please note that the question was asked a year ago. mikka (t) 18:46, 25 Jun 2005 (UTC)

[edit] German translation

I'm adding a psuedo-translation of sorts: how a German-speaker might "read" the message. P 15:32, 18 September 2005 (UTC)

Rubber-necking is a more accurate colloquialism than rubber-necked. 203.59.16.17 13:33, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

Hi, I don't speak German so I require more explanation. The German version appears to have English syntax — which is not stated in the article —, but are the inflections on the words correct, and the words understandable to German speakers? Does a German need to understand some English to get the joke? Rintrah 08:22, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] it's more English than German

Regarding: "It is important to note that because the text mixes English vocabulary with German grammar and word structure, someone without a working knowledge of both languages would be unable to interpret the text as above;" My knowledge of German is pathetically little, and yet I was able to mostly make this out before reading the 'translation'(to the point where I laughed so hard and long I'm now having a bit of trouble breathing!) It could be I know more than I think I do(though I couldn't form a sentence, or even read any but a few rare ones), or something...but it wasn't that hard for me to figure out without knowing German! -Graptor 66.161.207.91 21:18, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree -- you need a little knowledge of certain characteristic or stereotyped structural differences between English and German, but you don't need a "working command" of German. A German-speaker, on the other hand, would need an intimate acquaintance with 1940s/1950s English slang terms ;) AnonMoos 21:27, 24 September 2006 (UTC)

also agree! I don't know any German, so I can't speak to how Germans would view it, but my English is fine and I have no trouble reading it. The article should be changed to say that it is English to sound like German immigrants. The article also says that such signs were common in the post WWII period: I don't doubt it, so I'm not asking for "sources and citations", but I have a sense that it might go back farther than that: the Katzenjammer Kids, for example. Until recently and probably even now, German DNA is the leading ethnic contribution to the US gene-pool (and not to mention the British royals are Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg) so there is a long tradition of finding German accents humorous. I mean seriously, their capital city is "Jelly Donut place". —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 82.81.94.69 (talk) 17:42, 30 January 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Wikiversion

If you go to my user subpage you will find my attempt to create a wikipedia version of it.Myrtone (the strict Australian wikipedian)

[edit] Swabian Version

This reminds me to a similar german (swabia) version:

"Achdung!! Dieser Raum is voll bis unner de Deck mit de dollste un vollelektronische Anlaache. Staune un gugge derf jedder, awer romworschtele un Gnöbsche drügge uff de Gombjuder dörfe nur mir!! Die Experde" <-- It's not really Swabian German, but it sounds like.

(Translated in Standard German: "Achtung! Dieser Raum ist voll bis unter die Decke mit der tollsten und vollelektronischen Anlage. Staunen und gucken darf jeder, aber rumwurschteln und Knöpfchen drücken auf dem Computer dürfen nur wir! Die Experten")

--Rollo rueckwaerts 19:47, 12 November 2006 (UTC)

That's funny! "romworschtele un Gnöbsche drügge" :-)

I've found a slightly different version in a forum:

Uffgepaschd !

Dieser Raum is voll bis unner de Deck mit de dollste elegdrisch und elegdronische Anlach.

Staune und gugge derf jeder, aber rumwurschdele und Knöbge drügge dürfe nur mir.

Die Äkschperde !

Shinobu 07:26, 16 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Older, other versions of Blinkenlights

For many years my father had a framed copy of this hanging in his ham shack. One difference, however, is that he must have obtained it prior to the invention of computers, as the second word of the second paragraph after the Achtung! line was MASCHINE, rather than KOMPUTERMASCHINE. I guess it was intended as a warning to visiters to his ham shack to not mess with the transmitters as they contained very high voltage which could cause spitzensparken.
ChardingLLNL 21:07, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Internet version of Lookenpeepers

ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!

Das Internet is nicht fuer gefingerclicken und giffengrabben. Ist easy droppenpacket der routers und overloaden der backbone mit der spammen und der me-tooen. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen! Das mausklicken sichtseeren keepen das bandwit-spewin hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das cursorblinken.

Ommos (talk) 21:27, 24 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Cotton Picking

It would be nice if someone could explain the usage of "COTTONPICKEN" in the German and subsequently the translation. I'm not sure if that is intentional or if it has some other meaning in German, but it does seem to have vaguely racial undertones, at least in American culture. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.227.130.5 (talk) 09:04, 31 May 2008 (UTC)