English As She Is Not Meant to Be Spoken
Overcoming the language barrier is a daily challenge here. To cite just one example, I give you a conversation I had this morning with our driver, Khun Akkachai, as he drove me to work after being off yesterday for a public holiday in Thailand:
Me: "So, Khun Akkachai, did you enjoy your day off with your family?"
Akkachai: "Yes, mister. My daughter, she about take activity in the water."
(long pause by me... staring blankly out the window, baffled)
Me: "Ah! She went swimming?"
Akkachai: "Yes, mister. Thank you."
Me: "So, Khun Akkachai, did you enjoy your day off with your family?"
Akkachai: "Yes, mister. My daughter, she about take activity in the water."
(long pause by me... staring blankly out the window, baffled)
Me: "Ah! She went swimming?"
Akkachai: "Yes, mister. Thank you."
posted by Paul Steinkraus at 7:06 AM
1 Comments:
Was he thanking you for giving him the english word "swimming"?
I can see you pausing and thinking. :-)
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