How many buffaloes is it?
Aug. 16th, 2004 05:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zcat_abroadOne of the problems of being (kind of) multi-lingual is that, at some point, the sounds of the words over-lap. This was quickly reached in China, as there are limited sounds. It's not often that it makes sense, but here in Jinan, where they use a slightly different dialect, I've come across some interesting things.
One of the best is that the slang term here for money is 'kwai'. This just happens to be the Thai word for 'buffalo', and they even (as far as my tone-deaf self can figure) have the same tone! So when I ask for the price of something, it feels as if I'm asking how many buffaloes. And the answer can make your head swim. Three hundred buffaloes seems to be a bit pricy for a (admittedly beautiful) dress.
The number 8 in Chinese means 'mad' in Thai (as in crazy) - so phone numbers can sound very strange.
Then, to mess up my poor swirling head even futher - one of the teachers here is Indonesian, and today she was asking how come I could speak it, and how much. Well, the answer is not a heck of a lot any more. In fact, Indonesian was my lowest mark in University - but not having had to use it, I hadn't been thinking too much about Urak Lawoi. Now, I have about 4 languages all confused in my head, none of which I can claim to speak fluently anymore, and I'm not too sure how the English is surviving in the mess.
One of the best is that the slang term here for money is 'kwai'. This just happens to be the Thai word for 'buffalo', and they even (as far as my tone-deaf self can figure) have the same tone! So when I ask for the price of something, it feels as if I'm asking how many buffaloes. And the answer can make your head swim. Three hundred buffaloes seems to be a bit pricy for a (admittedly beautiful) dress.
The number 8 in Chinese means 'mad' in Thai (as in crazy) - so phone numbers can sound very strange.
Then, to mess up my poor swirling head even futher - one of the teachers here is Indonesian, and today she was asking how come I could speak it, and how much. Well, the answer is not a heck of a lot any more. In fact, Indonesian was my lowest mark in University - but not having had to use it, I hadn't been thinking too much about Urak Lawoi. Now, I have about 4 languages all confused in my head, none of which I can claim to speak fluently anymore, and I'm not too sure how the English is surviving in the mess.
