Skip to main content

¿Sprecken el iNglish?

Communication? Yeah. The struggle is real.

Today, at the Costa Vida drive through, I was ordering the Thursday special, a Small Pork Salad. I don't normally get a beverage, but since it was free with the special... um OF COURSE. So I ask for horchata. The gal helping me sounds really confused, and then says, "Wait, did you say HORE--CHOTTA?" Linguistic face palm. It's depressing that I say the name the way the Mexicans say it in the very origin country of this drink... and they don't understand me and I don't understand them for not understanding me and it's a vicious cycle.

Another drive-through faux pas. I'm seventeen years old and at Del Taco (with my little brother Jordan on the passenger side). After the employee finishes repeating the order back to me, I lean closer to the microphone and say "THANK...." And that's it. My throat decided that was an opportune time to clog up with spit and choke my vocal chords. I couldn't even get out the "S" on the end. What's with that!? My brother starts cracking up and now it's a lasting inside joke. "Thank for the birthday present." "Thank for dinner!" and so on.

Those million times a waiter says "enjoy your meal" and I respond "hey you too!" 🙈

When a new hire someplace doesn't know whether to call me "miss" or "ma'am" because I'm in the ambiguous age group of people in their 20's--yet, they're trying hard to be polite--and they end up calling me "miss'am"

When a woman pats my stomach two plus years ago and asks if I'm pregnant when I wasn't even... yeah that was bad. #feltfatfordays #feltjudgedfordays #alsofeltbabyhungryfordays #gotpregnantsevenmonthsafterwardsanddidntlookpregnantforalongtimesowhatever

Listening to that Portugal the Man song and clearly thinking he sings "Oh Yes, I'm a rebel in the quicksand... I've been wriggling since 1966 now" LOL UM WHAT WHY DID I EVER THINK THOSE WERE THE LYRICS!

These are just a handful of silly examples but hey. They make me laugh now. It's funny how we might speak the same language but at the same time not be communicating the same thing at all. I've been speaking English 26+ years now and still a language learner.

The struggle is never over. The laughter isn't either.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Problem with Chick Flicks.

I really, really, really enjoy a select few movies that I willingly watch over and over again. Pride and Prejudice is one of them. You see, Elizabeth's defense of her family, her sense of self respect, her ability to admit that she was wrong and to appreciate Darcy despite all his quirks, and quizzical brow-ness... it's marvelous. My husband doesn't share the sentiment, could you tell? ... and that's okay. There's rare a chick flick I enjoy near as much as I enjoy Pride and Prejudice or A Walk To Remember , and I wanted to explain why. You see, there's more than just a few problems with (many, not all) chick flicks:  (and if you have a chick flick that escapes many of these pitfalls then please oh please leave it's title in the comment section!) The heroine (or suitor) is less than honorable. I have a hard time rooting for a girl to get a gentleman when she's spending her time being scandalously loose with other men ( #thenotebook) . An...
10 comments
Read more

Where's Number Three

A neighbor in her mid-thirties. A woman in her seventies. Their single commonality? They both asked me: Where's number three? I have a son, his name Charlie And then McKay, he's not quite three In my heart, both fit perfectly Yet others ask: Where's number three? Perhaps it's that I miscarried, My spouse's infidelity, The ache of infertility, A battle raging mentally, Illness on a crippling spree, Our family is complete, maybe. The reason's one or more of these, Yet you dare ask: Where's number three? In this question, running free Are judgements, jeering icily "You're not enough, Mik, can't you see? Buck up and give us number three!" I used to flounder, squirm, agree Or curl up small, cry, and plead. With time, I've seen things differently. I won't explain for number three. The questions of maternity Are just between my spouse and me And Parents, guiding Heavenly So please don't ask: Where's number three? Artwork Credit: Be...
4 comments
Read more

A Year and 10 Days Ago

Dear Friends, Family, Acquaintances, and you lovely random passerby of the Blogosphere-- A year and 10 days ago I set out on a journey to write a blog post a day, for two months straight. I did that successfully, and then decided to extend my challenge to a one-year challenge. My report? I wrote 317 blog posts in a 365-day period. And I think that's pretty rad. A few reflections on this experience: Firstly, I started this blog not just because I love writing, but because I needed help. I was suffering from some intense postpartum anxiety, but I didn't know that's what it was at the time. Every moment of every day I felt like I was under severe stress and pressure, even when there were no evident triggers for such. The feeling in my gut on an almost constant basis felt like the queasy stomach, racing heartbeat, and unsettled mind that greeted me before every math test and job interview I've had growing up. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know how...
8 comments
Read more