May 2, 2013

Mirth Watch Thursday: Bilingual Dogs, er, Chiens

Remember when The Onion "reported" that Kim Jong Un was the Sexiest Man Alive of 2012, and People's Daily Online in China thought it was a real story? Well, something similar has happened only this time it involves dogs, the hub's homeland, and New York magazine.

A Canadian radio show called "This is That" (sort of a Daily Show-type fake news program for radio) aired a bit that was supposed to be an interview with a faux Montreal City Councilor, Benoit LaDouce, who said the "smoked meat city" needs a law requiring dogs using public parks to understand commands in both French and English. (The hubs has long contended that all dogs speak French, so this shouldn't be a problem.)
"Oh yeah... and I even know some sign language! Mon dieu."

New York magazine picked the story up as true, although a reader quickly pointed out the error of their ways and it was corrected.

The bit is pretty funny (you can listen to the whole thing here if you like - more of a Mirth Listen then Mirth Watch post today...), with "LaDouce" saying - with his thick French accent - that the "current situation in Montreal dog parks is untenable chaos."

He tells of being in the park with his own dog, when a "large Anglo dog, he leaped up onto my shoulder, and begin to lick and kiss. So I look him in the eye, and I said, ‘Va-t’en, bon homme*! Allez!’ Which means, roughly translated, ‘Hey, you know, go out of this place, uh, fun guy. Go!’ And the dog looked back at me — total incomprehension — I mean, our alienation from each other was absolute."

He goes on to say that the city isn't insisting dogs become fully bilingual; it's just the "bazic stuff: 80 to 90 commands that they would speak in both French and in English. ‘Lay down,’ ‘Roll over,’ ‘Do you want to go for a walk.'" He suggests that rather than a challenge, owners should see it as an "opportunity" to learn something themselves: "Hey, I didn't know that was how you say walkies in French."

He ends by saying he hopes to have this wrapped up by "tennis ball season in the summer."

* This "bon homme" part cracks me up cuz the hubs calls Rita's Greenies treats "bon homme verts", or basically "good green guys."

How about you? Does your dog know commands in any other languages? 

28 comments:

  1. LOL funny. Mind you some of the stories I see I have to take a second look cause they sure can't be really but actually the are. Have a terrific Thursday.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. It's true! It's getting harder and harder to know what's true and what's not. After all, as they say "The truth is stranger than fiction."

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  2. While I know a good bit of French (Kindergarten through freshman year of college! Well, at least what I still remember!) and a good bit of Spanish, I only talk to the boys in English. But it never fails to amaze me how much they understand, esp. Jimmy!

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    1. Wow - that's a lotta years of French! Wish I'd taken some French in school since I ended up with a French-speaking hubby. But since I have a Spanish speaking dog, I guess those years of high school Spanish weren't completely wasted! :)

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  3. Have to say that Max does know some Spanish as does Chloe but Ma sure hasn't even come close to being bilingual much less trilingual ;)....and English ain't all the hot neither ;)

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  4. That's so funny! I haven't heard that episode, but that show is constantly getting callers who believe the idiotic stories they air - I love it when they play back all the crazy calls!

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    1. Too funny. There were some comments on the New York magazine post that obviously believed it as well. Stuff like "Well, I'm glad to see Canada's government is as crazy as ours!"

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    1. Yeah, I think Rita is sometimes thinking "No se" (I don't understand), no matter what language I use on her!

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  6. *sigh* We live in America, people. All dogs should be required to speak ENGRISH. Geez. Well, my dogs actually speak Quack. They only know a few commands, though. Biting they totally get.

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    1. Heeehee. I suppose you are going to be cranky now about my "illegal alien" dog too. (Actually - she's not illegal anymore... but she was for a little while...)

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  7. Excellent mirth post. Jon listened to the radio show and got such a kick out of it. Please ask Mike -- how DO we say "walkies" in French??

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    1. The whole bit is pretty funny, isn't it? I was wishing the "city counselor" would say how to say that! I asked Mike and he said as far as he knows there's not a direct translation - he'd just say "marche" (walk). One thing we do say is "Frapper la rue" (I may be butchering the spelling of that...). It means "let's hit the street." (funny that 'frappe' - that setting on the blender I never use - means 'hit')

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    2. "Frappe" is perfect for a dog command if you don't mind that phenomenon we've always called "devil dog." Are you familiar with "FRAP"ping? We are!! It stands for Frenetic Random Activity Period. Once or twice a day, most puppies kick up their heels and go a little gleefully wild. Reggie is an excellent FRAPper!

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  8. There are so many bizarre stories today that I always have to check that they didn't come from The Onion or Spoof. I actually feel sorry for writers of fake news sources that have to come up with even more far out stories.

    My alpha Poodle is fluent in four languages. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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    1. Poodles are always so smart - I'd believe it. :)

      And you're right - I've seen people post fake stories on Facebook thinking they're real, so you gotta feel for the writers who post these things in error, although... that is why they say to check your sources!

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  9. Woof! Woof! Golden LAUGHS but not crazy at all cause mom practices her (not so good) Spanish to command me. "I no comprede" I just Woof Woof to her. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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    1. Rita tries that "no comprende" stuff with us too! :)

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  10. Mmmmmm, maybe not. I tried teaching Roxy Lakota, but she wasn't having any of it.

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    1. Wow - Lakota. That's gotta be a tough one to learn. I don't blame her for not having any! :)

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  11. I love it!

    Of course, it's not a bad idea. I'm trying to learn some Spanish for a sailing trip in Panama this year. Maybe it would go better if I tried teaching Spanish to Honey. After all, you learn 90% of what you teach.

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    1. That's very true - you never know how little you know about a subject until you try to teach it to someone else!

      Gracias por... el comment-o. (I don't remember much of my high school Spanish...)

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  12. Hola, Miss Jackie. I know commands (and food names) in both English and Spanish. I also know some of my commands by hand signal (sign language) as well. So, that makes me tri-lingual, no? That would be enough I think. BOL
    *Cairn cuddles*
    Oz

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    1. Hola, Oz! Bueno! Si! You are definitely tri-lingual!

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  13. Great post! Though we only speak English here, I suspect our dogs would know treat, cookie and wanna go in any language!

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  14. Heck, I don't even know commands in other languages. LOL But they do know some hand signals and that should count for something. :-)

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