that there are those inevitable moments
of looking foolish. I am going to guess
that it happens to anyone who tries to
use the new language that they learned.
If not ... they should try it.
Each day in the early afternoon I head
towards the market place to buy what's
best called 'fried bread' for the dog named 9.
Today was no exception and at this
point I've developed my regular vendor
people.
It is one type of fried bread (called gateau)
from one middle aged lady. Another fried
bread called samsa (actually pounded
beans) from an elderly very nice lady.
Then I also get a few small bags of
peanuts to munch on later in the day.
The purchasing is all done in the Moore
language ... the language I am learning.
At this point in the learning (about 2
months) the chances of making a
mistake or not knowing some words
are really pretty good.
A real funny exchange happened
today while I was making my daily
purchase of peanuts.
There are 3 ladies around 70 years
old that sit together in the most
active area of the market. Usually
I buy four little bags of peanuts
(cost -$0.20 USD) and one of
the three ladies produces a small
plastic bag that I hook on the handle
of my bicycle to carry them home.
But today I only bought 2 and thought
to just put them in my pants pocket
and save the bag.
As the second lady goes to hand the bag
to the first lady, I try and tell the lady ...
that I don't need the bag because I
am going to use the pocket on my
pants to carry them.
Just that I don't remember how to
say pants or even know how to say
pockets. But trying to get around that
a bit by using the words I do know
I put together a sentence that goes
like this ... I don't need the bag I have
clothes and at the same time I am
pointing at my pocket. They kind of
looked at me so I repeated it again.
Again, that same kind of confused
look. I'm thinking in the way of
communicating that should have
worked.
I get the peanuts, put them in my
pocket, say my going away greeting
and go.
Half way back to the house it hit me
that I used the wrong word for have.
In Moore the word for have is 'tara'
but I later realized that I was using
the word 'data' which means
want/need.
So instead of saying "I don't need
the bag I have clothes (with pocket)
... I was actually saying "I don't need
the bag because I want/need clothes"
while I was pointing to my pocket.
No wonder they had this confused
and disbelieving look on their face.
Man, opportunity to appear foolish
wasn't lost. The speed bumps of
learning a new language.
Despite the verbal absurdity of that
exchange I am going to miss those
moments when I do learn the
language.
On second thought ...
Maybe I'll just never really 'learn'
the language and have the next
two years as a non-stop language
adventure with a bunch of laughs
thrown in.
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