Nutria report

[Renault]

fftopic: Sorry! I know, this is absolutely off topic, but I nevertheless hope, some of you will enjoy it

From time to time some of us European loungers get into controversy, caused by inadequate English skills - directly translated thoughts/sentences - or use of words, that are common for our own language and English, but have very different meanings.

A couple of days ago, I stumbled upon this article. Please, don't let's start a debate on the substance. Just note the name of the poor press-guy, chosen by Lego to reject consumer complaints ... "Roar Rude Trangbæk" lol

"Roar" is a rather rare Danish first name - the same as "Roger" - originating from a Viking king back in the 6th century. "Rude" is a last name, meaning "area", "square", "window", etc. I see a letter something like this on my inner Technicolor:

8< -------------------------- (snip)

"Dear" little annoying girl.

I don't care about your stupid dolls! Leave me alone!

ROAR RUDE,
Trangbæk

(snip) -------------------------- >8

Globalized life sure ain't easy! lol

:focus:

LOL! Your English is better than mine!!!!! Which doesn't take much effort!

 

[John Galt]

What is meant by "Real Nutria Quality"? Also Nutria pelts were loaded with grease and very difficult to clean. Also the pelts (same with Vicuña) in many cases where contaminated with Arsenic which was applied in Argentina as a pest control.

I don't know what "Real Nutria Quality" means. This is the only hat I have or have seen with this specific designation. Most Stetson nutria hats I have seen are "Nutria Quality." I don't know what that really means either. Anyone?

 

[Landman]

This is probably comparing apples to oranges but it is my only "hands on" experience with any of these animals. In south Texas we have the Jack Rabbit which is a hare and the Cottontail Rabbit which I assume is a coney. The Cottontail fur is short, dense and incredibly soft while the Jack Rabbit fur is longer and much rougher. Comparing these two animals I would have thought the coney would make a better felt but from what I'm reading on this thread the hare is the better of the two. Is it the longer fibers of a hare or beaver that make it better for felting?

 

[John Galt]

LOL. And it doesn't help that in some nations a slang word means one thing and in another it mens something else entirely. We've all heard stories of product names that had to change from one nation to the next because a word in English means something dirty in, say, Arabic, or something. Heck, for that matter words change INSIDE countries, from one corner to another all too often.

This reminds me of the Chevy Nova story, which, reportedly, is a myth.

http://spanish.about.com/cs/culture/a/chevy_nova_2.htm

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Is it the longer fibers of a hare or beaver that make it better for felting?

I think it's the structure of the fibers that makes a better felt and not how long they are.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

This reminds me of the Chevy Nova story, which, reportedly, is a myth.

http://spanish.about.com/cs/culture/a/chevy_nova_2.htm

Don't get me started when people says Portuguese language is the same as Spanish language

 

[John Galt]

This is probably comparing apples to oranges but it is my only "hands on" experience with any of these animals. In south Texas we have the Jack Rabbit which is a hare and the Cottontail Rabbit which I assume is a coney. The Cottontail fur is short, dense and incredibly soft while the Jack Rabbit fur is longer and much rougher. Comparing these two animals I would thought the coney would make a better felt but from what I'm reading on this thread the hare is the better of the two. Is it the longer fibers of a hare or beaver that make it better for felting?

I am not at all an expert, but have read several articles on felting. My understanding it is that it is the presence or absence of fishhook like barbs on each strand of hair (no pun intended) that makes a particular type of fur conducive to felting, particularly when heat, moisture, agitation, and detergents are introduced, and that beaver & nutria fur, in particular, have this characteristic. As previously noted, nutria fur has course hairs interspersed with the others that must be physically removed before the fur is suitable for creating quality felt. I do not know how rabbit & hare (or their various species) compare to beaver & nutria in this regard.

 

[Landman]

John, the absence or presence of barb like structures on each individual strand makes sense to me. I can see where that would make a huge difference in felting. Thanks.

 

[John Galt]

John, the absence or presence of barb like structures on each individual strand makes sense to me. I can see where that would make a huge difference in felting. Thanks.

Glad to help. That's what this place is all about, isn't it?

If you search the Library of Congress you will find books & articles that go into great detail regarding the felting process and how it works. Unfortunately, I am not blessed with a didactic memory, and can only speak in generalities ;-)

 

[John Galt]

Don't get me started when people says Portuguese language is the same as Spanish language

I don't know much about this, but am (mostly) Portuguese by descent, and one very clear difference I have noticed is the hard "Z" sound in Spanish vs. the soft "S" (I have heard this most as an slurred "ssh") sound in Portuguese. In my rather own limited experience, casual familiarity with one Latin-based language makes it harder, not easier, to learn and properly speak another.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I don't know much about this, but am (mostly) Portuguese by descent, and one very clear difference I have noticed is the hard "Z" sound in Spanish vs. the soft "S" (I have heard this most as an slurred "ssh") sound in Portuguese. In my rather own limited experience, casual familiarity with one Latin-based language makes it harder, not easier, to learn and properly speak another.

It is said that the Portuguese people easily can understand the Spanish people but the opposite not.
In Spain it is also said that people from the south are hard to understand by those who live in the Madrid region.

The "Z" used by Spanish is "translated" to a "S" (sometimes it is to a "Ç") in Portuguese because when a "S" is used between vowels it's pronounced as a "Z", so in Portuguese we use "SS" to force the letter to be read as an "S".
Spanish "Embarazada" reads in a similar way as "Embaraçada" but the meaning is different. On the website you posted there is a story that is verified: Vulgar pen

Oficina in Spain refers to an office and in Portugal Oficina is a garage were a mechanic fixes car problems. An office in Portugal is a "Escritório".
Aceite in Spain (reads in a similar way as Azeite in Portuguese) refers to any kind of oil. "Azeite" in Portugal is Olive oil and in Spain it is called "Aceite de Oliva".

 

[TheDane]

Mitsubishi makes a car called Montero ... well, in Spanish speaking countries and countries with many Spanish speaking residents it's called Montero. Here in Scandinavia it's called Mitsubishi Pajero, which is very amusing to a couple of my Latin American friends

Non-Spanish speaking loungers may want to check Google Translate for a translation from Spanish. I'm not sure, the translation will be seen as proper on these pages

 

[T Jones]

Reminds me of a story I read about some foreign gentlemen who were trying to learn English. Having no professional teacher, they would read from English books and often meet together at one another's houses to talk English.

On one particular evening it was Mr. X's turn to entertain his friends. The conversation went like this,

"Good evening Mr. X. I have the pleasure to ask after your health, and the health of your wife and children."

"Thank you Mr. Y. I am well, and so is my wife, but it is my great sorrow that I have no children. My wife is unbearable."

"That is a great tragedy Mr. X. You will forgive me what I say now, but you know we have the obligation to correct one another. I understand the proper English word for Mrs. X's unfortunate condition is, she is impregnable".

To which Mr. Z spoke up, "And you will forgive me Mr. Y, but I must tell you that the proper English word for Mrs. X's most unfortunate condition is that she is inconceivable."

I guess the lesson learned is that FL is something of an international community with members from around the world who share a common interest, hats! Often times things can flare up unintentionally because of misunderstandings in language and intent. With that in mind, we should be cautious not to rush to judgement about something one may have said. If we hold our tongues at the first and follow the conversation just a little longer our first judgements will either be confirmed or unfounded.

 

[TheDane]

I guess the lesson learned is that FL is something of an international community with members from around the world who share a common interest, hats! Often times things can flare up unintentionally because of misunderstandings in language and intent. With that in mind, we should be cautious not to rush to judgement about something one may have said. If we hold our tongues at the first and follow the conversation just a little longer our first judgements will either be confirmed or unfounded.

Very wise words, Terry! We've only known the web for 22 years (social media for only 10!), and we are learning so very slowly. Most of us still perceive "Honey, can I wear these shoes with the blue dress?" as a question, so it seems a bit up-hill lol

 

[mayserwegener]

This is probably comparing apples to oranges but it is my only "hands on" experience with any of these animals. In south Texas we have the Jack Rabbit which is a hare and the Cottontail Rabbit which I assume is a coney. The Cottontail fur is short, dense and incredibly soft while the Jack Rabbit fur is longer and much rougher. Comparing these two animals I would have thought the coney would make a better felt but from what I'm reading on this thread the hare is the better of the two. Is it the longer fibers of a hare or beaver that make it better for felting?

I read where Beaver will actually felt without Mercury (only nitric acid "aqua fortis") due to the explained characteristics (see other similar aquatic animals). Hare is hard to felt but it produces the finest long hair finishes. As I mentioned they were able to make Hare felt better by improving the stains, also adding small amounts of stained and raw Beaver, Muskrat, or Nutria to aid in the felting process.

From what I have read American Rabbit and Hare were not desirable. Some of what is written is biased based on country of origin. The German's had a low opinion (warm climate, greasy pelts, poor government regulations) of Australian rabbit (other than it being low cost and plentiful) but the Crofut & Knapp document Brad posted praised it.

My main focus is on trying to find out more about old Velour processes (very labor / time intensive which made it expensive to produce) including the furs used (Hare being the main fur ingredient). I have collected a good amount of information which is available on my website although in rough translation.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Mitsubishi makes a car called Montero ... well, in Spanish speaking countries and countries with many Spanish speaking residents it's called Montero. Here in Scandinavia it's called Mitsubishi Pajero, which is very amusing to a couple of my Latin American friends

The Mitsubishi Pajero is also sold in Portugal. In Asia it's called Shogun. Pajero in spanish (specially in latin american countries like Chile, Colombia, Peru...) is not a very nice word.

I guess the lesson learned is that FL is something of an international community with members from around the world who share a common interest, hats! Often times things can flare up unintentionally because of misunderstandings in language and intent. With that in mind, we should be cautious not to rush to judgement about something one may have said. If we hold our tongues at the first and follow the conversation just a little longer our first judgements will either be confirmed or unfounded.

Sometimes is the difficulty of expression on another language that is not native to that person.