The best examples that come to mind are when ordering food. As examples:

• You speak English and Spanish and are ordering a burrito
• You speak Thai and English and are ordering Tom Yum

I imagine it could depend on numerous things:
• You primary language or ethnicity
• What sort of restaurant
• Who you’re dining with
• Who you’re ordering from
• and probably a lot more…

  • ccunning@lemmy.worldOP
    2·
    15 days ago

    If you ask a Japanese person if they own a “computer” they will not understand. You have to call it a “con-puuu-ta” or even “pa-so-con” which is personal computer.

    In Thai it’s just ‘com’.

    If you’re ready for the bill at a restaurant it’s ’check bin’ which for some reason is ‘check’ and ‘bill’ combined. When I first learned this people were confused why I didn’t already know it, “but it’s English?!”