Words Strung Together in New Ways
I have a wonderful friend – she speaks English fluently, but it is her second language. Every now and then, she will say something that gives me a grin. It’s not because what she say is funny, but because I truly love language and words, and she strings words together in new ways, and when you put words together in new ways, you think new thoughts.
The first was Christmas “wrath”. She caught me totally by surprise. I knew what she meant, Christmas wreath, but the image of Christmas wrath totally caught my imagination. Holidays are volatile. Christmas wrath happens. I imagine Ramadan wrath happens, and Eid wrath. I think I laughed, not because I would ever make fun of her – I wouldn’t. After all, we are speaking English, not French, and I know how amusing the French find it when I speak French. This woman is way ahead of me.
Yesterday, she mentioned having a “pitch” in her stomach. I couldn’t help it. I grinned. She knew immediately, and asked, so I told her that we say “pit” but the truth is – when things are out of control and your stomach registers fear, it is as likely to pitch as it is to have a pit. I love the imagery.
Forgive me if I grin when you (very rarely) use the wrong word. I am not mocking you. I am smiling in delight at the new way you have put words together, that give me images I would not otherwise have had. And I look forward to all the future occasions when you will delight me with new concepts, new words strung together. π
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Have you checked out some of those Chinese-to-English translated instructions? You’d enjoy those.
π could well relate to that, even though im not a native english speaker! its lovely watching someone juggle up words and come up with a surprising twist in words! π
Giggle! My BFF from Dallas (you met at the wedding) is actually German, and mixes words all the time. We laugh about it a lot. My favorite was when I couldn’t figure out what she was talking about when she was describing some “beauiful peasants” she saw on a trip – it took some questions to realize she was talking about “pheasants”!!! She is my Mrs. Malaprop.
Davis – I rarely curse, but occasionally am tempted by the Chinese “instructions” π
Onlooker – I can tell from your blog that you love words, too. And yes, really, that’s what poetry is about, isn’t it, creating new and compelling images by putting together words not usually put together? π
Sparkle – WHICH wedding??? Oh, THE wedding in Cupertino! (LOL) I love the beautiful peasants π Seriously, speaking a non-native language is really putting yourself out there. I admire those who can shift back and forth so easily.
I always got a kick out of my daughter’s German-English friends when they couldn’t remember the English word for something. They would throw out the literal translation of the German word so you got things like “teeth flesh” for gums. Many German words are actually compound words that describe things and even when I tried translating to English gave me a good giggle as to how it was described.
Thanks for this post. I agree exactly with your thoughts. Thanks also for the tips on places to dine out (we took your advice and went to the place by Marina, it was GREAT!) and your other great posts. Take Care. Life is Kuwait is better because of your posts!
LOL, Momcat, and I think how patient and gracious the Germans were with us, when we would be out in their villages, trying to communicate. “My” village was SO good to me, so patient, so forgiving. I remember how people came to look because I made my garden in a circle, instead of in proper rows!
LOL, Nadine and your adventure with the “brothel” in your neighborhood! I look for you when I am out, but I don’t think our paths have crossed. Have you spent much time down in the Mubarakiyya?
[…] by adiamondinsunlight on February 21, 2009 My aunt recently wrote a charming post, “words strung together in new ways“, about the joys of hearing English phrases put together in fresh new ways by people for whom […]
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