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December 12, 2003 03:37 AM

Broken: Unfortunate store name

Petteri Lyytinen writes from Finland:

Here's something we came across on our interrail through Eastern Europe.

It's a jewellery store in Prague, Czech Republic.

I wouldn't like to consider myself stupid, but this one left me dumbfounded. Could you, or one of your readers, please explain to me, what the heck is "perky schmuck jewellery"?

Posted in Signs

Comments:

Hi,

This is easy.

"Schmuck" is german for "jewellery".

ciao Ronny

Posted by: Ronny at December 12, 2003 04:40 AM

So the translated sign reads:

Perky jewellery jewellery.

Or does "Perky" mean "jewellery" too?

Posted by: Rick Clark at December 13, 2003 03:03 PM

Yes - perky has it's meening too.

You are missing one letter on the picture.

It should be Sperky (with accented S) - and it is a czech word for jewellery.

So there is written "jewellery" in the three common languges used in Prague.

Only one question remained - what is broken here?

Posted by: Stefan at December 14, 2003 08:09 PM

It seems the only thing broken here is the ignorance of foreign languages.

Posted by: Jim Hoekema at December 16, 2003 08:44 PM

Jim, you are more then right!!! Let us hope, our friend still reads that...

Posted by: atv at December 29, 2003 04:46 AM

Apparently you're ALL idiots; you've all misspelled "jewelry".

Posted by: Chris S. at February 20, 2004 04:15 PM

Chris obviously doesn't recognize the Queen's English when he sees it. I suspect he's accustomed to the corrupt dialect used in a few of the American colonies.

Posted by: Michael Z. at March 31, 2004 12:33 PM

Let me make it quite clear that we are no longer your colonies. I have the open-mindedness to think that there are no "corrupt dialect[s]". Dialects are rather something of interest that should be studied and more understood, to find a common ground.

In any case, when I was walking in Prague last summer I was also surprised to see Shmuck Jewellery. I later inquired about this with one of my mates that was with me, and she said that it does in fact mean jewellery.

Posted by: ..... at June 13, 2004 10:23 AM

*BEEP BEEP*

Posted by: The sarcasm detector at August 14, 2004 07:58 PM

If you're going to visit a foreign country, then you need to know their language...plain....simple...period!

Posted by: emgee at August 24, 2004 08:19 AM

Why should we learn evryone elses languages...they don't seem to care to learn ours!!!

Posted by: Andy at September 2, 2004 11:26 AM

Andrew "Dice" Clay...Is that you?

Posted by: Please stop me at October 5, 2004 10:48 PM

I found it interesting that (in the UK) organise is spelled the American way almost as much as the regular way. I don't believe there are any incorrect dialects of English (with the exception of what Americans call "Black English" or "Ebonics, which hardly qualifies to be English, anyway, with its horrible lack of correct grammar.)

Posted by: Brian at February 24, 2005 01:12 PM

Interesting, especially that in our American offshoots of Yiddish, "schmuck" usually implies (unless I am horribly mistaken) male genetalia. Then again, there's always the Prince William... Schmuck Jewelry!

Posted by: Brian at March 17, 2005 03:05 PM

Who giveS a S*%T HOW PEOPLE IN THE U.S OR PEOPLE IN THE U.K SPELL THINGS.

I spell color,color

You spell color,colour

Big Deal just a U.

Posted by: unknown at March 25, 2005 10:07 PM

Why should we learn evryone elses languages...they don't seem to care to learn ours!!!

Great attitude. Wake up to the 3rd millenium.

Posted by: xkolo02 at April 27, 2005 06:17 PM

Wouldn't a picture of a diamond ring be easier?

And, dialects are dialects and there's no way to get around it.

Posted by: ? at May 1, 2006 09:58 PM

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