Greenhorn stories - 05/21/01 03:32 PM
The ‘read the directions' thread got me thinking– its not just directions that get mangled–
As has been discussed at various times– each english language community has its own idioms and frequently, a slightly different meanings to a word.
There are enough of us on this board that we are bound to have some good greenhorn stories. Occasions when a word or phrase from one culture doesn't quit make it in another– either because of outright language difficulties– or just being unfamiliar with a local idiom.
One of my favorites comes from my cousins who are half italian- Their italian grandmother struggled to learn english– by the time I knew her, she had been in the country for many years, and spoke english very well, but with an accent. When she was younger, her biggest problem was with idioms.. Her children use idioms all the time– but she usually had trouble.
One day she received the good news that her newly wed sister was having a baby– and proudly announced to the family, in the idiom she was most familiar with– "(Aunt) Connie been knocked up!"–Her teen age sons fell over laughing– and left their sister to explain why this was not the correct idiom to use.
And my own parents– occasionally got tripped up with american idioms– I was a teen– and had been commandeered, with siblings, into painting one weekend– instead of going to the beach with friends.. My mother promised –"Next time all your friends are going to the beach– I'll give you a dollar to go along" (this would have been enough for bus fair and a soda, and double my normal allowance.)
But I was sullen and skeptical– my mother was cheap, and likely to forget this promise when the time came. I retorted "Yeah, my eye!"– Which caught her attentions– she quickly asked "What wrong with your eye– did you get paint in it?" The mirth that resulted made painting fun (at least for a little while!)
As has been discussed at various times– each english language community has its own idioms and frequently, a slightly different meanings to a word.
There are enough of us on this board that we are bound to have some good greenhorn stories. Occasions when a word or phrase from one culture doesn't quit make it in another– either because of outright language difficulties– or just being unfamiliar with a local idiom.
One of my favorites comes from my cousins who are half italian- Their italian grandmother struggled to learn english– by the time I knew her, she had been in the country for many years, and spoke english very well, but with an accent. When she was younger, her biggest problem was with idioms.. Her children use idioms all the time– but she usually had trouble.
One day she received the good news that her newly wed sister was having a baby– and proudly announced to the family, in the idiom she was most familiar with– "(Aunt) Connie been knocked up!"–Her teen age sons fell over laughing– and left their sister to explain why this was not the correct idiom to use.
And my own parents– occasionally got tripped up with american idioms– I was a teen– and had been commandeered, with siblings, into painting one weekend– instead of going to the beach with friends.. My mother promised –"Next time all your friends are going to the beach– I'll give you a dollar to go along" (this would have been enough for bus fair and a soda, and double my normal allowance.)
But I was sullen and skeptical– my mother was cheap, and likely to forget this promise when the time came. I retorted "Yeah, my eye!"– Which caught her attentions– she quickly asked "What wrong with your eye– did you get paint in it?" The mirth that resulted made painting fun (at least for a little while!)