When my Grandma Ruth was a little girl, her mother used to tell her, "Låt maten tysta munnen." Grandma did not know what it meant, but she knew it had something to do with food, because her mother always said it while Little Ruthie was eating. Later, when I discovered that it basically meant to be quiet while you're eating (literally, "Let your food quiet your mouth,") I wasn't completely surprised. Apparently, Little Ruthie talked a lot, even as a liten flicka. She talks a lot now, too.
A year or so ago, Grandma moved into an apartment. The apartment is a stone's throw away from the house where she was born. I've been meaning to make her a housewarming gift. A few days ago, I finally got around to it. It's a sign for her kitchen:
I hope she likes it.
She'll love it! She told me it meant "Let your food keep you quiet." Sounds about right.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she told me she didn't know what it meant just to see if I could really understand Swedish!
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