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

Entry: The East Frisian Tea Ceremony - A56309295
Author: Trillian's Child - U154942

This is about the way the Germans in the very North of Germany drink their tea. We were there on holiday this year and were subjected every morning to this at breakfast. Having drunk tea the English way since I was weaned, I found the stuff unpalatable, but I've tried to keep the entry neutral, as it involves some nice stories and some interesting historical facts.

I never knew that.

Great entry. The only thing I'm not too sure about is to pronounce Fries like freeze.

Did you have to drink the three cups, even if you didn't like the tea?

an interesting read !

(just to nitpick, what was the teapot made of?)

This is very interesting and well written!

I have one query - to do with goats' 'cream' - I didn't know that goat cream could be obtained from goats' milk.



The second is regarding


>>> an industry which, to this day, thrives in places like Staffordshire, Meissen and Delft.


I'm sorry to say that the Pottery Industry no longer 'thrives' in Staffordshire ( my home ) but barely struggles to keep alive. But it has a glorious history and a lot of it was to do with the introduction of tea drinking. At the moment I am trying to complete an entry regarding the history of the Staffordshire Potteries.

I do hope that the Meissen and Delft potteries are faring better!

What a lovely entry - a very enjoyable read

Thank you .

Good point about the potteries - sorry, I shouldn't have used the word "Thriving" - it obviously doesn't fit. Meissen has picked up a bit since the Wall fell.

I didn't drink three cups, Lil, I just swapped cups with my husband so he drank mine.

Actually, I bought a book at the Ostfriesische Teemuseum with lots more relevant stuff in. In fact, I might do some more related entries and develop it into a Project.

Who's Shotsakovich?

Changed that bit about the potteries.

Teapots are made of China or pottery - there are dozens of them on display in the various museums. I could add that the usual kind these days are porcelain, china or pottery, but I'm not sure metal wasn't in use too in the past.


Why can't I use the transliteration "freeze" Bel? I can't think of any dialect in spoken English where it wouldn't sound the same as the German way of pronunciation.

A12736785

Isn't h2g2 just AWESOME???

It's why I said I wasn't sure about it. I thought that the 's' sound in freeze differed from that in 'house', which would be the correct 's'

(I know who Shostakovich is - I thought Shotsakovich was a play on the name)

B'El - I thought it was a voiced "s" - that's how we pronounced it all week. You come from somewhere up there - is it really pronounce Freece Land?

I can't check here as I have no sound card on my computer at work. Will have a listen this evening.

Ah. My bad spelling really is getting worse. I do apologise

Well, I come from North Freeceland, and I would never say anything but freeceland. Never heard it pronounced freezeland, either.

Well done - this was fascinating to read.

Entries like this are exactly what the Edited Guide was set up for.

Icy

Word Web says the following, if it helps:



Noun Frisian [frizhun]
1. A native or inhabitant of Friesland or Frisia
2. A West Germanic language spoken in Friesland in the northwestern Netherlands; a near relative of English

Adjective
1. Of or relating to the people or culture or language of Friesland or Frisia

"To the West is the better known region of Frisia in the Netherlands."

Tiny geographical nitpick: Frisia in the Netherlands is not *directly* to the west of East Frisia. The Dutch province of Groningen separates the two - Frisia and East Frisia don't share a border.

Maybe a slight rewording to clarify?

Best of with the entry.

Thank you Otus - I didn't check that. Will correct it.

OK all done. Geography corrected.

And my husband agrees that it is a voiceless "S"which surprised me as I only ever heard the voiced variety. However two against one, and the one not even a native speaker (B'Elana and my husband vs l'il ol' me) is a clear cut case. Pronunciation corrected.

Although, Otus, to nitpick back: I did say "to the West" and not "to the immediate West" - but I agree that it was misleading!