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Tell me,' he asked, with some embarassment, as we strolled…

“Tell me,' he asked, with some embarassment, as we strolled along: 'you're a bloody German, aren't you?' 'Oh, no. I'm Hungarian.' 'Hungarian?' 'Hungarian.' 'What's that? Is that a country? Or you are just having me on? 'Not at all. On my word of honour, it is a country.' 'And where do you…” quote by Antal Szerb
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““Tell me,' he asked, with some embarassment, as we strolled along: 'you're a bloody German, aren't you?' 'Oh, no. I'm Hungarian.' 'Hungarian?' 'Hungarian.' 'What's that? Is that a country? Or you are just having me on? 'Not at all. On my word of honour, it is a country.' 'And where do you Hungarians live?' 'In Hungary. Between Austria, Romania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia'. 'Come off it. Those places were made up by Shakespeare.””

Antal Szerb

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A humorous exchange reveals ignorance about geography, with one party mistakenly treating real countries as fictional constructs.

In simple terms: Confusion over real vs. fictional places.

Key Takeaway

Ignorance can lead to absurd claims.

Themes

humor geography misunderstanding culture

Mood

playful ironic

Type

anecdote humor

When to use this quote

  • travel conversations
  • language lessons
  • cultural exchange

Key Concepts

ignorance sarcasm

Practical Applications

  • verify facts before speaking
  • use humor to correct misconceptions

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does humor reveal knowledge gaps?
  • What are respectful ways to correct misconceptions?
A Different Perspective

Joking about ignorance may embarrass the uninformed.

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