Thoughts Tagged ‘language’

Che tempo, my friends!

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

October 15, 2008

Whilst searching for the Italian word for breakfast in my phrase book I kept stumbling on a chapter called ‘Making Friends’. Alas, most of these phrases would make even the blandest of tourists seem utterly deranged. Atop the list was the statement “What weather!”, or “Che tempo!” (presumably applicable to weather both foul and favourable.)

Ah, it made me laugh … the image of me strolling across the Venisian canals, declaring to all and sundry “Che tempo, my friends, che tempo!” Somehow I doubt I would make friends as the phrase book promised. I would likely end up at the bottom of a canal.

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All of us, buffoons

Friday, October 10th, 2008

Montreal, October 10, 2008.

The young French man across the table rubs his eyes like a tired child and laughs in resignation.

“He doesn’t understand anything,” explains his friend Max in low tones.

Max speaks much better English than Remy and has adopted the role of translator with relish. That his role has extended to translating Remy’s gestures seems to have deepened his sense of purpose. Up until now, he has done a great job keeping his friend looped into the conversation. But as the evening wears on, satellite Remy begins to drift away from our mysterious chatter.

Max, Remy and Kilberic ask me if I want to join them for dinner. I accept, and so begins an evening of stilted, broken English for them and slow, deliberate English for me. And all the general buffoonery that accompanies the efforts of people communicating in mismatched languages. Exaggerated facial expressions, supportive laughs, shrugs, encouraging murmurs, truncated anecdotes, visual gags … the lot.

Frustrating, yes. But strangely lovely too. With such a basic palette of words to share, you use other skills. You prompt more, and encourage. You concentrate. You watch people’s eyes and their mouths. You seek clues and most of all you really, really listen. And, through the dumbed-down conversation, sparks of understanding glimmer brightly. You realise that the simple act of understanding another person can bring joy.

Some (unrelated) photos from Montreal …

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