Peculiarities of the German language

In German the words for like and may are one and the same: mag. So, when you want to express that you like something, you say: Das mag ich. (I like that.) But you can also say: Das mag ich gerne. (I like that willingly.) or if you don't particularly like something: Das mag ich nicht so gerne. (I like that not that willingly.) Translated like that this seems to express a rather slavish mindset. The translation isn't beyond doubt though. Das mag ich (nicht so) gerne. might well be elliptical for: Das mag ich (nicht so) gerne [essen, ansehen, tun etc.], which would be more naturally translated as: I may [eat, watch, do etc.] that (not that) willingly.