Doy Moments with Language

Funny thing happened to me today. Well, not TO me, but I did do a funny thing.

Anyone who's seriously studied a second language knows that you simply cannot learn it without sticking your neck out, and making a million mistakes. Some of those mistakes are more like unfortunate accidents something akin to a semi vs. Hyundai.

Let me first tell you about my funniest one - before I get to today's wreck.

8 years ago, after we had been here about 6 months, I was perusing the bazaar for something novel with my househelper. It was around Feb., I think, and back then all we could get in the way of vegetables from Oct.- April was cabbage, onions, potatoes, and carrots. We were all tired of the same old repetoire of combinations of those 5 ingredients, and I, on a whim, asked if she thought there might be some radishes yet. Wishful thinking, I know. She told me she didn't think so, but we could look. I was cold, and tired, so I resigned the issue and replied, "It's OK, I'll plant some in the spring."

Well, that's what I thought I said. She burst out laughing in fits of hysteria, nearly doubled over, and perhaps even snorted. I asked her what was so funny, and she proceeded to explain that I had missed a very important vowel sound, and instead just told her that, " I was going to fart radishes in the spring"!!! I know, quite a word picture it doth bring.

If you think language mistakes disappear, even after studying for 8 1/2 years, you are wrong. I still only comprehend about 75% of what I hear, and if 2 locals are speaking to one another, and I have to no context for the conversation, only get about 25%. Sad.

So, today I was at my friend's house, and she was having a spazz over her VERY, VERY preemie 3 month old baby who seemed to have started a lot of crying -especially during her feedings. She wanted advice and to know if I could guess what might be wrong. She told me that she had switched her "food" to nan (the word for bread), and that that might have something to do with it. I flipped a gasket, and told her that it was WAYYYYYYYY too early to start feeding her bread, and that that was surely what was wrong! Good Lord! Give a 7 pound baby, bread?!!

She was skeptical with my answer, and seemed confused, but gave up.

About an hour later as we were drinking tea (we do a lot of that here), she tried again to bring up the crying baby question. In her frustration, she brought out a cannister of formula, and showed it to me. Guess what it said on the front? Yup, "NAN". She had merely switched formulas, not tried to actually feed the poor little thing BREAD! She was probably wondering how I could think she was that stupid. I can tell you when the lightbulbs went on, we all laughed for a good 15 minutes. I love language "doy" moments.

They keep me humble and laughing!

Love,

Your Idiot SteppeSister