I KNEW it would come in handy: ALWAYS know at least one person who speaks fluent Hungarian

[DFW]

Hungarian is not like any other language. Some prefer to call it part of the "Finno-ugric" group of
languages, which are somewhat similar in form, but in vocabulary? Fugeddaboutit. With Hungarian, or
"Mágyarul" as the locals call it, you either were born speaking it or you out SOL (or you have a
mind more disciplined than Rain Man).

I took my wife down to Budapest earlier this week, as she had never seen it. It had been 29 years
for me, too, and I was curious to see how it had changed since the end of Soviet domination.

While in a Post Office, I accidentally left a novel I was reading. I only remembered after it had
closed for the evening. I went back the next morning, but the woman who had sold me stamps was not
on duty. I tried in English, German, French and Russian. No luck. Nem értem Mágyarul. The closest
I got was a disinterested Soviet-era-style shrug of the shoulders and an offer of the use of the
Budapest phone book. I gave up.

I then got an idea. My best friend in Brussels is originally from Transylvania, and his native
language is Hungarian. I called him in Brussels and asked him to dictate to me the Hungarian for
"I left a book here yesterday afternoon." I wrote it down and returned to the Post Office, waited
in line and when it was my turn handed over the note as dictated by my friend in Belgium. Within
ten seconds I was walking out of the Post Office with my book.

For all of those planning to visit Hungary and do NOT have friends readily available to tell you
the Hungarian translation for stuff like that: don't leave books at the Post Office if you ever
want to see them again. Nem igaz?

[Kali]

1. palinka!

:P traveled down into Canyon de Cobre and northern Chihuahua with 3 Hungarians and 3 Germans a few years ago :9

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Great story, my dear DFW!

You did well!

Your choice of friends was outstanding too!

:toast:

[DFW]

3. Peggy--I have know this guy for over 35 years

He was the only Transylvanian at my wedding--a vegetarian Transylvanian, at that, so no one even
had to ask if he wanted some blood in his apéritif!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Do you have the Hungarian phrasebook? I need to translate:

My hovercraft is full of eels.

Drop your panties, Sir William; I cannot wait until lunchtime.

[DFW]

5. That is exactly why I do NOT have a Hungarian phrasebook

I'd probably end up saying something like that instead of what I wanted to say.

That's why I preferred to call a living friendly native speaker! Not only did
I get my book back, but I wasn't arrested in the process of trying.