Bosenglish (TRUE, I did NOT make this up!) (ritual, tradition)

[Djamila]

Bosnia and Herzegovina is somewhat infamous for it's English-language advertising. Signs found in hotels and other venues throughout Bosnia have been appearing on internet joke sites and such for years.

The reason is simple, reason. Bosnian doesn't have as large a vocabulary as English so virtually every Bosnian word has four or five different meanings. For example, Doktor means Doctor. It also means Gynecologist, Physician, Neurosurgeon, and anything else related to the medical field.

Every now and then, though, you come across a REAL classic - generally anything more than two sentences long written in English.

So what happens why you try to translate a Bosnian legend into English?

Well...

Let me translate:

One of the natural treasures that is representative of many in the Old Town district of Mostar is the Maid's Cave.

In the 15th Century, this beautiful location was used for both commerce (in the form of markets) and for spiritual purposes (for example, praying).

Today, it is home to a restaurant and a dance club; but in the past, it has hosted numerous other facilities in which were held numerous other events and celebrations. Bosnian Mirko Kujacic even painted an elephant and a bull fight in the cave using the style of painting created in medieval Paris (these paintings are quite old).

Now, the cave offers a taste of the Orient that is also modern and suitable for tourists since it has been renovated to offer all of the luxuries of modern life.

[Buttercup]

Wow, that is one succinct and beautifully stated banner.

[Hacker]

Do most people speak a different language in Bosnia? Or is the primary language English? I'm assuming you speak English.

[Djamila]

? Bosnians speak Bosnian. Most Jews still speak either traditional Ladino or modern Spanish, depending on their age. The rest have English or German as their most common second language. Turkish is also common among Muslims.