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Monday, September 14, 2009

Word pair of the week: Betsu Bala

This word pair is actually anglicised Japanese, that can also be spelt/said Betsu Bara. Interestingly, Japanese doesn't have an 'R' or an 'L' so either can be used when it's anglicised, which is plobabry why steleotypes of Japanese people speaking Engrish mix them up.

Anyway Betsu Bala means 'additional stomach'. Apparently only women have them and it explains why women might not be able to finish their main course, but will have enough room for dessert. You'd use it as in the following:

"My friend Terri who has just come back from Japan couldn't finish her roast potatoes at the carvery the other night, but fortunately, while in Japan, she developed a Betsu Bala, which meant she had enough room to order the treacle sponge with the bottomless jug of custard. The pig."

5 comments:

  1. I have a second stomach for desert. I can be stuffed from the main course but bring on some ice cream and voila! I chomp it down! madness!!!!!

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  2. Well obviously you're a Japanese woman then. I always suspected...

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  3. Hmm... I see that Jon has been extremely selective about his representation of the facts here... most notably ommitting the part where I did not finish the dessert, either... ><

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  4. Wasting potatoes and pudding.

    Double crime.

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  5. I further notice that you neglect to mention the source of your sudden expertise on the Japanese language... baka ja nai...?!

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