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Holy water!

While staying in Germany, one of my friends wanted to get her hair cut. She went into the hairdresser's, having learnt a little German at school and confidently asked for her hair to be rinsed in heiliges Wasser. The hairdresser was a little shocked and muttered something about crazy English people until I explained to him that she meant heißes Wasser, hot water, and not heiliges Wasser, holy water. I have never let her live it down!

Sent by: Victoria

Comments

Clare 2007-01-11

This classic example of confusion actually cropped up in "The School at the Chalet", the first of the Chalet School series by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer, in 1926!

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