Some time ago I was reading a German text with my Italian client Flavio. Then it came to this little dialogue:
Flavio: Niels, what does ‚anhalten‘ mean?
Niels: ‘to stop’, ‘fermarsi’.
(I see Flavio noting: „anhalten = to stop“. I intervene)
Niels: Slow down, Flavio, it’s a bit more complicated.
Flavio: I asked you a minute ago what ‘anhalten’ means, and you said ‘to stop’.
Niels: Yes, in this context (“Der Zug hält an.”) ‚anhalten’ means ‘to stop’, but it depends on the context.
Flavio: Baah! Context, context, I want to know what ‚anhalten’ means.
(Flavio gestures at this in a very Italian way).
Niels: If you don’t believe me, Flavio, then ask your online dictionary.
(Flavio turns to his dictionary, visibly reluctant.)
Flavio: Ecco! Here it says “anhalten means to stop”!
Niels: Yes, Flavio, but I’m sure there’s more.
Flavio: I don’t believe it. It also says that ‘anhalten’ can mean ‘to continue’: “Der Regen hält an.”
(Flavio Italian-theatrically puts his right hand to his temple as a ‘pistol’ and pulls the trigger. After successful resuscitation, Flavio finds words again).
Flavio: Niels, tell me, what should I do if I have sex with my girlfriend and she says “anhalten”?
My answer is subject to confidentiality.
Flavio’s problem is just one example of many other cases: A word in one language can have multiple, possibly even contradictory meanings in another language.
Our Vocabulary Booster can be very helpful – not just in such cases: