It turns out it’s a big fire in Boston…

  • Vinny_93@lemmy.world
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    6 hours ago

    Non-native (Dutch) here. Here goes: Lama with one L will refer to the Dalai Lama. Llama is the animal. But if you say ‘three el lama’ in a Boston accent it will sound like a ‘three-alarmer’, which is probably shorthand lingo for a three alarm fire.

    • bennypr0fane@discuss.tchncs.de
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      5 hours ago

      Thank you Peter, well explained! Not sure why this would be Boston-specific (unless that’s the only place where they call a very big emergency a 3-alarmer).

      • Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz
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        5 hours ago

        Other places would say 3-alarmer or 3-alarm fire, meaning a fire that needs 3 engines to put out.

        The guys who say pahk the cah at Hahvahd yahd would say 3-ah lah mah.