A blackboard for one
I was attending a job interview in Switzerland. The interview took place on the Friday, and I spent the weekend looking around the local area. On the Saturday night I went to an Italian restaurant that had been recommended to me. On the way to the restaurant I was trying to recall my GCSE German for 'I would like a table for one'. As I scoured my brain the word Tafel popped into my head.I walked into the restaurant and with wy best Oldham/German accent said Ich möchte eine Tafel für eine Person, bitte. Blank looks followed and some gesturing eventually got me my table. As I sat eating my pizza I suddenly remembered that Tisch was 'table', rapidly followed by the realisation that I had just asked for 'a blackboard for one, please'!
Editor's note: Andy actually wasn't that far off the track. Tafel is a slightly antiquated word for 'table' and still used for grant dinners - the kind a king would hold! The more common meaning for Tafel today is indeed 'blackboard'.
Sent by: Andy
Comments
Yes, and we still refer to certain kinds of German music meant for playing while people were dining as Tafelmusik, table music.
Tafelwein is the word for table wine, and Table Mountain in Cape Town is Tafelberg.
If Tafelwein can help you remember what NOT to say, then maybe Tischtennis can help you remember the correct word!
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