Mita kuuluu - Why?

[ancicamila]

First of all, apologies for missing out all the dots above certain vowels, I can't get this keyboard to work properly, but promise to fix it in the future.

I found out that Mita kuuluu? literaly means What do you hear? (Mind you, I just started learning Finnish.)

Does anyone know why is that?

I know that some languages have unusal ways of asking how people are, for example in Chinese it is very common to ask Have you eaten? where you don't really wish to know if people had lunch or not, but wish to know if they're ok. That is as people were quite poor long time ago and then knowing that someone has eaten meant they were ok, things were going well for them.

But What do you hear?

Why is that?

I asked my teacher, but she couldn't explain, said she didn't really know.

I am really curious about it, as this is one of those many things that make learning one language interesting. You also get to learn what were priorities for the people who spoke the language long time ago. What their view of the world was.

I would really be grateful if someone could explain this.

Many thanks

[Pursuivant]

Well... haven't thought it that way... its I think more "what have you been hearing" as "kuulumiset" means news/gossip as well. Mitä kuuluu - Hyvää kuuluu What are the news - the news are good. more or less... I'm a bit perturbed the Estonians ask "how is your hand moving?"

[ancicamila]

Do they really?

Well, maybe it's because hand is a very important tool and they wish to know if you can use it as if you can't you may be in danger of not being able to provide for yourself?

It is really amazing and funny how languages work, I just love stories like that.

BTW, that explanation for Mita kuuluu - How are the news? What news do you hear? and so on, that does make sense. Thanks

Of course, any other interpretations are welcome as well.

[Violette]

Well... haven't thought it that way... its I think more "what have you been hearing" as "kuulumiset" means news/gossip as well. Mitä kuuluu - Hyvää kuuluu What are the news - the news are good. more or less... I'm a bit perturbed the Estonians ask "how is your hand moving?"

hahaha... you mean like " kuinkas käsi kaub? or "kuinkas kusi juokseb" ? Vi gives Henri a hug cause he sometimes makes her day...smiles
My Mom (god bless her) used to spout those greetings to get a good laff from us...and sure as shootin'

Those two greets seem to jive don't they... maybe it does have to do with peeing...hmmm
laffs at "how is your hand moving"...hahaha

[Violette]

[quote="ancicamila"]Do they really?

Well, maybe it's because hand is a very important tool and they wish to know if you can use it as if you can't you may be in danger of not being able to provide for yourself?

Well I suppose a hand is a good tool for "a man" to have...(jk) chuckles. I don't think "Eestos" quite mean it that way Camila, not sure why tho'

[AldenG]

How's it shakin'?

That's not so far from "How is your hand moving?"

Whaddya hear?

That's not so different from "Mitä kuuluu?"

[AldenG]

Or maybe it's What's shakin'?

and

How's it hangin'?

[sammy]

Well, maybe it's because hand is a very important tool and they wish to know if you can use it as if you can't you may be in danger of not being able to provide for yourself?

Well I suppose a hand is a good tool for "a man" to have...(jk) chuckles.

I wonder where "kuis hurisee" originates then...

But it would indeed be interesting to know why we say "mitä kuuluu"... I wonder if there's a slightest chance that it does not come from "hearing" at all but from the other meaning of "kuulua" (belong)? Probably not, this just crossed my mind when thinking how to translate "näyttää (jollekin) mitä kuuluu ja kuka käskee" (it means roughly "to put someone in his place")

[Violette]

But it would indeed be interesting to know why we say "mitä kuuluu"... I wonder if there's a slightest chance that it does not come from "hearing" at all but from the other meaning of "kuulua" (belong)? Probably not, this just crossed my mind when thinking how to translate "näyttää (jollekin) mitä kuuluu ja kuka käskee" (it means roughly "to put someone in his place")


interesting....

[Satish]

The explanation I have heard is that Mitä kuuluu? is the contracted form of Mitä sinulle kuuluu? where kuulua = to be heard, audible (intransitive).

If so, the standard answer Hyvää would stand for hyvää juttua ???

PS. This was from one of the Finnish grammar books I think...

[onkko]

As told its more like "what are your personal news/news what i should know".
Where im from we "exchange what we heard" when we discuss, "vaihdetaan kuulumiset".

I think that comes from times when there werent newspapers or anything but news travelled by mouth to mouth and most important news agency was sunday church.

"Hyvää" as answer would just stand that there is nothing bad news to be told, its just hyvää and nothing else.
"Sitä samaa" is another common answer and just means there is no chances.

[Pursuivant]

hahaha... you mean like " kuinkas käsi kaub?

I answer it with a hand gesture we use to denote someones a w@nker

[Violette]

hahaha... you mean like " kuinkas käsi kaub?

I answer it with a hand gesture we use to denote someones a w@nker

no you don't you fibber...even "you" wouldn't go that far...

[onkko]

Thats other "why"

[Violette]

..and how about the response " noh, mitä pä tässä ? (or something like that)