summer daze

I'm at work, but the emails are dripping through slowly, as if through a fine internet-based sieve, and the phone is quiet. I lift it, to check it still works, and the dull tone assures me it does. I tick things off my list quickly, uninterrupted and left to work at my own speed. I quite like the quiet, but know the pace will drive me mad in a few days. I'll have to concoct a big project to focus on. Or I could plan this wedding... no, that can't count as work.

My water bottle is standing by my monitor. I glance at it, and my eyes rest there, not focusing but allowing my thoughts to wander. Then I focus. The Belgian water bottle is telling me, in three languages, that the water is natural and mineral, and that it is fizzy. Sparkling. Bubbly. Thirst quenching.

Eau Minérale Naturelle: pétillante

The words in their back to front order and spattered with accents suggest that French is just mainly English words mixed around with fancy bits. Then they spring a surprise with pétillante. What's that then clever clogs? Petulant? I don't think you have petulant water now do you?

Natuurlijk Mineraal Water: bruisend

I don't speak Dutch, but the additional j and double vowels make it instantly recognisable as Dutch don't they? The bruising quality of the bubbles is a little worrying, but I always find Dutch sounds worse than it really is. Empty threats.

Natürliches Mineralwasser mit kohlensäure versetzt

Now this is classic. The -es ending matching the wasser, the umlauts, the detailed explanation of why the bubbles are there (they added kohlensäure) - they're all so very German.

Who knew you could get such a stereotypical impression of three languages just from a water bottle?

The bottle in question suddenly pops, expanding against the way I left it, slightly squeezed in. I jump and look at the time.

Home time.