Friday, July 28, 2006

Language Barrier? Not with these phat beats.

So I put my music on shuffle and a fun little Brazilian song by Tribalistas came on. Ja Sei Namorar. I haven't listened to them in forever and I forgot how much i love them and how much Portuguese I speak. Listening to world music is the best way to learn a language because your mind remembers things better when set to song. Did you know that? Well, it's true. And I like knowing that a few cd's from abroad can serve as an ice breaker if I happen to meet someone who speaks little or no English.
Once in a cab in NYC I spent the entire ride talking to the driver in snippets of my favorite Punjabi songs. I thought this was better than not talking. I was trying very hard not to sing, but just let the words flow, like I spoke the language, and he would tell me what I was saying. Turns out it was something about jingling ankle bells and asking him to touch a scarf while i gave him my heart. Actually, this probably wasn't a great idea. If DJ Tanner got married walking around a kitchen table, this cabby is probably wondering where the hell his tone-deaf wife went.
But people appreciate it when you attempt to say things in their native language. I worked with this Serbian girl in Alaska who would quote one single song lyric almost exclusively when asked questions in English and I sort of loved it.
Hey, Valentina, how are you?
I'm so excited, I just can't hide it.
Valentina, a bunch of us are going on a hike after work, want to come?
I'm so excited I just can't hide it.
Valentina, are you so excited that you'd like to hide it, but unfortunately, you cannot?
I'm sorry, I don't know.
Damn you Pointer SIsters for not addressing irony in that terrible terrible song!
I'm trying to learn Italian now--or just watching a lot of Italian movies-- and i give people so much credit for speaking different languages. It's hard not to understand but equally as difficult not to be understood.
This Vietnamese guy, Ha, (that's his name.) used to scream at me when he thought he was being misunderstood.
-Jessica, watch out for Andy, he kills ladies.
-Sorry?
-HE KILLS LADIES!
-pause. you mean he's a lady killer?
(screaming) THAT'S WHAT I SAID!
I think he could have benefited from listening to the Hall & Oates classic a few times. You see, Ha, she's not actually going to chew you up, so you don't necessarily have to watch out, boy. It's metaphor.
Give you the fare/give you my heart. Murderer/player. Pomodoro/pomodoro.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I SO want you to get married by walking around the kitchen table. But in our family's case - the island.