This postcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands) shows the Chinese character "wine vessel". It reads on the back: "Add three dots on the left to make character for 'wine'".
The fun illustration on the envelope is related to the wine vessel. From the stamps to the Dutch proverbe: "
Als de wijn is in the man, is de wijsheid in de kan" (='If the wine is in the man, the wisdom is in the can', according to Google. But, honestly... it seems a bit easier than the Chinese!).
I find this illustration very clever. I guess it is related to the fact that the sender started to write the postcard 0n 21 May 2016... and she finished it on 19 April 2019.
google-translate must have been tipsy by thinking 'kan' a verb :-)
ReplyDeleteBy the word 'de' ('the') google should have known that 'kan' in this proverb is a noun! (meaning jar, jug).
(for checking translations I always use www.mijnwoordenboek.nl , they show the different and good translation options in NL EN FR ES DE, while in the example phrases they act a bit like google :-) )
But I don't think it has taken "kan" for a verb. It's just an inaccurate translation: 'can' (like 'tin') instead of 'jar'. Anyway, the meaning is clear because of the drawing :D
DeleteThose almost 3 years gave me time to decide wether to send the card naked or in an envelope, and consequently time to think what to draw :-)
ReplyDelete(I think I wouldn't have dared to draw this on the envelope when sending to your previous - 2016 - address..)
Better to had sent it to my current address, sure!
DeleteWow, an interesting delay :)
ReplyDelete