h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just hold still and breathe normally. *tries not to hyperventilate while taking hold of both sides of the scrabble board protectively*

[Mog hides behind the IIEM]

*broom closet goes all quiet*

*wipes sweat off forehead up in the rafters*

Is that silence ominous, or do you think it might be safe to climb down again? What do you say Ook, old pal?

[Mog] Either way, I'm staying right here.

Sometimes I think it'd be easier to seal that door off with solid rock...

*climbs down, keeping an eye on the closet door*

Well, the giant padlock has worked so far, but my guess is that it depends on how high alert level the bot's systems signal...

IIEM! Thank you...

*grabs the soothing Rooibos and sits down at a corner table, her back against the wall and an eye on the closet*

I suspect the rock would count as something to be cleaned up.

*peers carefully, very carefully in thtough the front door, only slightly ajar*

Would this be a good time for ....??

*decides that need is greater than risk and enters, having checked that his suit is spotless, hair combed and glasses and shoes very well polished*

IIEM, a cafe macchiato per favore

Is that the Italian spelling of por favore?

Nice suit, by the way. Armani?

[Mog] [slips out from behind the IIEM] Oh well. The usual, then!

*IIEM makes it strong this time*

I don't exactly know the brand to be honest - but it suits me ()

According to my impeccable sources, it is:

Principal Translations/Traduzioni principali:
please interj (request) per favore, (...)

Anyway, it's what it sounds like to me when I'm in Italy. And it so far has made me get what I asked for without being frowned at - so it's good enough for me

So it is the Italian version. I'm used to Spanish "por favore".

*puts on 'besserwisser' hat*

I thought the Spanish expression was 'por favor' and the the Italian expression 'per favore'?

Thank you IIEM *grabs another soothing of Rooibos*

Yes, I pulled a Quayle. Added an extra "e" that didn't belong. I realized after I hit "post message" that there aren't any silent "e"s in Spanish.

Am I allowed to gloat over the fact that I didn't check either expression up, just quoting from memory, not being fluent in either Italian or Spanish?

By the way - most online *and* printed dictionaries are just crap anyway - you never find the 'mot juste' when you need it the most...

You can gloat, though I'm also not fluent. Actually, I've never taken a lesson of Italian and though I've had one or two Spanish classes, I studied French in high school. Most of my Spanish I learned "on the streets" in Phoenix and Tucson, and most of my Italian I learned from listening to my ex-girlfriend's family. Needless to say, mostly I know insults and curse words....

[Mog] I'm only fluent in English and "kupo" to begin with.

I am fluent in both English and Typo.