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How to say, "Brilliant!"

by jkph00, September 22, 2012

Messages: 12

Language: English

jkph00 (User's profile) September 22, 2012, 3:52:35 PM

When one is really impressed with something, how might one express the American phrase of surprised pleasure, "Neat, huh?" or the British one, "Brilliant!"?

Thanks again!

hebda999 (User's profile) September 22, 2012, 4:36:47 PM

jkph00:When one is really impressed with something, how might one express the American phrase of surprised pleasure, "Neat, huh?" or the British one, "Brilliant!"?

Thanks again!
Bonege!

sudanglo (User's profile) September 22, 2012, 9:21:14 PM

Brile! The Tekstaro confirms that is not just used in the literal shiny sense.

For example, Li brile sukcesis.

As Hebda says, you could always just say Bonege!.

If you want to be a bit more over the top then Genie! The French say Genial when we Brits would say Brilliant

verdasimio (User's profile) September 23, 2012, 4:41:22 AM

Lerta! (Clever! Well done!) (Lertega! - even stronger)

Mirinda! (Marvelous or wonderful)

Sonja's English-Esperanto Dictionary also gives a number of suggestions under "cool", including "mojosa" (categorized as "new youth slang" ) [ url=http://vortaro.kisa.ca/search.php?someaction=search&word=cool]http://vortaro.kisa.ca/search.php?someaction=search&word=cool[/url] ]

sudanglo (User's profile) September 23, 2012, 9:36:54 AM

Vi decidis veni al la Brita Kongreso en Ramsgate. Mirinde! somehow to my ears that strikes a mocking note, rather than joyous acceptance.

jkph00 (User's profile) September 23, 2012, 12:36:59 PM

These suggestions are all brile! Dankon al ĉiuj! I will use them all.

Sudanglo, I was intrigued by your feeling that mirinde had an ironic tinge. How long have you spoken this marvelous language?

sudanglo (User's profile) September 23, 2012, 3:12:19 PM

The British use of Brilliant can be both sarcastic and showing approval/pleasure, as can Marvellous.

However, my feeling is that if somebody does something quite ordinary which pleases you, a reply of Mirinde! would not be taken well if your intention was to merely to use an alternative word to Bone or Bonege.

- I've made some tea.
- Ah! Brilliant (ie very good, I'm dying for a cuppa).

However a wife, whose husband rarely does domestic chores or enters the kitchen, might reasonably in this context remark that this was mirinda.

(Mi eklernis E. antaŭ 50 jaroj, sed tio ne devas implici ke mi rajtu la lastan vorton)

If you search the Tekstaro, I think you will find that mirinde is largely used in situations where something provokes miron.

erinja (User's profile) September 23, 2012, 11:12:23 PM

Yeah "Mirinde!" doesn't really have the same meaning as "Wonderful!"

"Bonege!" would be a better translation for "wonderful"

"Mirinde!" would be more like "Amazing!" or "Surprising!"

walfino (User's profile) September 24, 2012, 5:52:22 AM

En Esperanto, tiel en Anglan, tono estas ĉio.

In Esperanto, as in English, tone is everything.

jkph00 (User's profile) September 24, 2012, 1:11:02 PM

walfino:En Esperanto, tiel en Anglan, tono estas ĉio.

In Esperanto, as in English, tone is everything.
Just so. It's the tone I was looking for with my question.

The Tujmesaĝilo gives the opportunity for real-time conversation, but not for real-time speech. For that one must attend some sort of conference it seems and for some of us they are difficult to find and rather expensive to attend when you add up the gas or plane fare, etc. Is there a discussion group somewhere on Lernu, or perhaps using Skype?

Dankon denove!

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