The I Can Eat Glass Project

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The I Can Eat Glass Project is a defunct site from the early days of the web. Its creator, Harvard student Ethan Mollick, described it thus:

"The Project is based on the idea that people in a foreign country have an irresistible urge to try to say something in the indigenous tongue. In most cases, however, the best a person can do is "Where is the bathroom?" a phrase that marks them as a tourist. But, if one says "I can eat glass, it doesn't hurt me," you will be viewed as an insane native, and treated with dignity and respect."

It has been alternately described thus: "The Project is based on the idea that people in Harvard have far too much time on their hands." (link)

The site featured hundreds of translations of the phrase, "I can eat glass; it doesn't hurt me."

Examples:

"Ek kan glas eet, dit maak my nie seer nie." (Afrikaans)
"Kristala jan dezaket, ez dit minik ematen." (Basque)
"Motum awe bodambo. Onye me hwee." (Fante)
"HIvje' mep vISoplaH. mu'oy'moHbe'." (Klingon)

"p=I can eat glass
q=I Hurt
p->(!q)
p"
(Symbolic Logic)

"Iklan-ketel zaglu uni; nal-kepa ni." (Frank L. Baum's Old Ozzish)
"I-hay an-cay eat-hay ass-glay, it-hay oes-day ot-nay urt-hay e-may." (Pig Latin)
"J'peux bouffer d'la vitre, ça m'fa pas mal." (Québécois)
"Makan glass, BOLEH! I don't sakit, lor!" (Singlish)
"Ich chan Glaas ässe, das tuet mir nöd weeh." (Swiss German)
"Kannadi sappidalaam, oru kedum varathu." (Tamil)
"Tôi có thê' an thúy tinh, không hai gì." (Vietnamese)
"Ndingayita ibotile. Ayisokuze indenze nto." (Xhosa)
"Ikh ken esn gloz un es tut mir nisht vey." (Yiddish)
"Jag kan äta glas, det gör mig inte illa." (Swedish)


The main article for this category is The I Can Eat Glass Project.

Types of glass and glass making topics.