Yoda was right. And, speaking of Yoda, San Geraldo and I had dinner with Adela and Paula the other night. We were both a bit wired from all we have going on. So, I was speaking Spanish in overdrive. Or, perhaps I should say, “Overdrive speaking Spanish I was.” I kept forgetting the simplest words and I had no idea in which order to put the verbs and adjectives.
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| DUDO, LAUGHING AT MY SPANISH. OUR CATS’ DISTINCT PERSONALITIES SUMMED UP IN ONE PHOTO. |
According to Paula, who found it all very entertaining (except perhaps the conversation itself), I sounded like Yoda. Well, not if anything to say about it I have!
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| REALLY. SHOES OR PANTS? I’LL NEVER TELL. |
The Linguist
I met Albert for a couple of drinks Thursday afternoon. He has been so supportive of our decision to move to the beach. He also has told me he’s envious. He’d love to live on the beach year-round. Now, I can’t really make fun of Albert’s English. Albert is originally from Sweden and speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish (obviously), French, and I’m sure he can get by in a few other languages. He loves speaking in idiomatic English, but sometimes gets the expressions a bit confused.
While talking about the upcoming move, Albert looked at me and said, “Oh, how I’d love to get in your pants!” I’m pretty sure he meant he’d like to be in my shoes. Then again…
Top pic is a sure winner. (But so many of yours are.) I just want to scoop them both up in my arms and carry them home to live with me and my brood.
Raybeard:
You would obviously love these guys and I'm sure they would love you.
Albert could have quite a few interesting encounters with his marginal Spanish.
Stephen:
Albert doesn't speak any language marginally. He's almost perfectly fluent. But with that comes some perilous moments when you forget which language uses which idiom.
Haha! Shoes or pants! That had me chuckling over my first coffee of the day. As for your cats…what a pair of charmers. I love that photo, you really "captured the moment."
Judith:
Dudo and Moose were in matching positions on my bed when we got home. I was trying to capture that when Dudo stood up and stretched (which I caught). As I continued snapping, he broke into a yawn. I thought, "Oh crud, not another yawning photo." When I downloaded the photo I cracked up. I caught him before he bared his teeth in full yawn. Couldn't have caught that if I had tried.
Moose doesn't look overly impressed with Dudo's sense of humor… what a pair! That Albert! How funny…
Odd Essay:
The cat photo is truly a character study. As for Albert, truly a character.
Just pretend that Judith above is THIS Judith (Judy), because her comment is just what I would have written. 🙂
Judeet:
And you are both so clever… as always!
The kitties look wonderful and I guess Bougainvillea blooms year round, looks beautiful in the background.
Lost in translation, oh, I'd be so lost!!!
Jim:
The bougainvillea isn't lush this time of year, but it's always in bloom, as are loads of other flowers. There's always color.
Albert's brain is filled with too many different languages. One day, as we sat and had coffee, he was switching back and forth fluidly from English to Spanish (neither of which is his native language). He then slipped in some Portuguese when he was teaching me about a beach he loves. A moment later, a woman (foreign tourist) came to our table and asked for directions to the museum. He responded in fluent French. Amazing!
SURE Mitch…..he knew what he was talking about…winkers!
Placement of verbs and adjectives can be so funny….I can imagine those that heard you had a good laugh with you and not 'at' you!!!
Ron
Ron:
Fortunately for Albert, no one else was nearby when he said it (hmmm…). Besides, very few English speakers so they probably wouldn't have understood. I screw up so often now in Spanish, I can't even remember half the embarrassing things I say!
Mitch,
My younger brother was married to a French woman and he used to say to her – "Sur la baton!" – "Get on the stick!"
Thanks for your delightful blog.
Will's husband, Fritz
Will's-Husband-Fritz:
I've been learning, those literal translations can be deadly. Fortunately, everyone here has had a really good sense of humor. We could all get ourselves in quite a bit of trouble.
I had a Sicilian friend who had family in New York. My friend was fluent in English but the rest of the family in Sicily was not. An uncle had died and the NY family phoned Sicily and tried to explain in their uneducated version of Sicilian/Italian. They said, "Uncle Nino has gone." Response: "Where?" They said, "Uncle Nino is no longer with us." Response: "Well, where did he go?!?" Then, a teen nephew tried to explain it. "He bought the farm." "But, he's not a farmer! Why would he buy a farm at his age?!?" "He kicked the bucket." "He kicked a bucket? What are you talking about? Who cares if he kicked a bucket?!?" Finally, the kid just said, "He's dead!" Then the wailing began.
Albert knew what he was doing, especially after a few drinks. The cats are hilarious!
Peter:
That was just our first beer! Yes, these cats are really entertaining.
Is that photoshopped? Tee hee
John:
Can you believe it?!? All I did was crop the photo. Dudo did the rest. And to think I was annoyed when he started to yawn just as I snapped the picture.
Albert doing a San Geraldism
Nubian:
Just imagine the trouble San Geraldo would get in if HE spoke 6 languages.
I am impressed when anyone knows another language other than his or her native tongue. I wonder if the lack of such is mostly American.
Spo:
I would love to know enough to make mistakes in multiple languages!
Spo:
Thanks for the great laugh (and memories). I love Monty Python. "I am no longer infected."
Hahahha ! Pants, shoes, it's all good!
Great pic of your lovely cats.
Knatolee:
Sometimes, pants would be better… than shoes… in this specific case… I think.
Yoda speak I love, yes do I.
And I'd take a closer look at Albert…
Jenners:
A look closer take I will.
Boy! a miss understanding could get ya in trouble..
In Maine it's too cold.
They wear Boots here.
yvonne
Yvonne:
I'd love to get into your boots?
I laughed out loud. 🙂
Reminds me of my Ukrainian friend Maryna, who is learning English from her husband. "Ohhh," she says, "Beautiful woman driving piece of sheet car. Mike! Geev to Pearl our car!"
Pearl
Pearl:
I think I love Maryna. I hope Mike have geeve to Pearl der car!