5

At my (large, multinational, Germany-headquartered) employer, I frequently hear "on the one hand side... on the other hand side" by non-native speakers. This always sets my teeth on edge. However, I have heard it often enough coming from many different people that I'm getting unsure of my intuition. Then again, it could just be incorrect usage spreading from non-native speaker to non-native speaker.

Is "on the one hand side" accepted usage, or is my hunch correct that it isn't?

This question is related.

2
  • 1
    I'm sure you know that, but just for the sake of completeness: In Germany they literally say "on the one side...on the other side"
    – Em1
    Jan 29, 2015 at 10:38
  • 1
    I've certainly never heard or seen it anywhere, and Google hits all seem to be from (and many of them also about) Germlish specifically, so I'd say it's probably a feature limited mostly to non-native speakers who have German as their first language. Jan 29, 2015 at 10:39

2 Answers 2

3

In places like NYC, where people from almost any country on the planet can find a neighborhood where their native language is spoken, it's common to hear "slightly-off idioms" that are characteristic among those who speak the same native tongue.

I suspect that they adapt what they hear from native speakers, so that it makes sense in the syntax of their own languages.

Sometimes, they just like the way it sounds - for instance: My grandparent's generation came from Italy to NYC. It was common to hear the phrase, "Bumper-to-bumper traffic," on the radio. Grandma and Grandpa (and their "paesans") used to say, "If we go to the beach, we gotta leave extra time 'cause you got the "bom-bidi-bom" out there." Among Italians in the area, "bom-bidi-bom" became synonymous with "heavy traffic.

I think your following assessment is correct: "...incorrect usage spreading from non-native speaker to non-native speaker."

1
-1

your hunch is correct sir: In the other one hand side is a wrong translation---please see:

http://www.linguee.com/english-german/translation/on+the+one+hand+side.html

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.