Dialect guide to assist Euro 2008 fans on food, flirting

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By Alexandra Hudson

VIENNA, May 19 (Reuters) - A free guide to be distributed around Vienna to soccer fans visiting for Euro 2008 will advise them how to order Austrian cuisine, flirt with local women, and find their way to the stadium in the thick local dialect.

Essential phrases such as “Ham Se an Kaiserschmoan mit Zwetschknroesta?”, “Do you have a sliced sugared pancake with plum compote?” or “Fia mi bitte no a Soizguakn”, “another gherkin for me please”, are listed with English and German translations.

Greetings include “Moagn”, “Good morning”, and “Kuess die Hand, gnae Frau”, the phrase to be uttered when kissing a woman’s hand at a first meeting—a traditional Austrian gesture.

Vocabulary is also provided for use at such Vienna institutions as the sausage stand and the coffee house.

For an initial approach to a member of the opposite sex, the book suggests: “Servas, fesche Katz”, literally “greetings, hot kitten” but translated as “Hello princess”.

The guide is produced by German consumer goods firm Henkel, which says it has had close ties with Vienna for 80 years. The June 7-29 European championship is being staged in Austria and Switzerland. (Editing by Miles Evans and Sonia Oxley)

kas wrote:

"Kuess die Hand, gnae Frau”, the phrase to be uttered when kissing a woman’s hand at a first meeting—a traditional Austrian gesture.

chrissicross wrote:
This song might be helpful here as well...