Tuesday, May 08, 2007

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."

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was he thanking you for giving him the english word "swimming"?

I can see you pausing and thinking. :-)

11:33 AM  

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