“If the English language made any sense, lackadaisical would have something to do with a shortage of flowers.”
Mother Nature seems to be extending the summer just a bit longer than usual. The last few days have been hot, and by the time I went to bed last night, it was still so uncomfortably warm and humid I ran the air conditioner in my bedroom. The paper says rain this afternoon, but the day belies the forecast. It is sunny and warm with a deep blue sky. It is deck weather again.
During my first week in Ghana, we sat in a group lecture to learn about Ghana’s culture and languages. Back then, I was the poster child for Boston accents and a great source of humor for my fellow trainees. Prior to the lecture, I had been asked if I would stand up and recite a sentence aloud. I did, and after I’d finished, there were quite a few laughs at the oddity of my accent. The Peace Corps staff member giving the lecture told the group that what they’d just heard was as close to Ghanaian English as anyone of us would get. I smirked.
It took a while for me to learn to speak Ghanaian English. The first month of teaching was a nightmare. I’d teach the whole period, and usually, at the end of the lesson, a student would raise her hand, stand up and say, “Madame, we didn’t hear you.” That meant they didn’t understand a word I’d said. Every lesson was discouraging. I was depressed and lonely and decided I’d leave before Christmas if things didn’t change. Why stay if I was ineffective?
I did learn to speak Ghanaian English well before Christmas. I learned to speak slowly. I learned that words like leTTer, beTTer and waTer had a stress on the T. Students no longer had trouble hearing me. I forgot about leaving.
A strange phenomenon took place whenever we were with our Ghanaian friends. We’d speak regular English to one another then turn and speak Ghanaian English to our friends. We didn’t do it consciously. It just happened.
On the flight home, I asked the stewardess for some waTer. She looked at me and repeated, “WaTer? You want waTer?” I was being made of fun again. This time it was my Ghanaian English.
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October 1, 2010 at 2:03 pm
It´s funny how one language can sound so different even if the word spells just the same. Swedish isn´t different in that way either.
People from northern Sweden usually never understand what another person from southern Sweden says. Most people doesn´t understand what they say down there to be honest 🙂 🙂 They sort of speaks an eastern danish instead of swedish.
My family comes from that region (Skåne and Blekinge), so I usually understands most of what they say and I also have very few problems understanding danish because of that. But danes don´t say all letters in the word, so we usually says that they speak with porridge in their mouths 🙂 🙂
Norwegian is also very easy to understand. But both norwegian and danish has many words that sounds just like a swedish word, but have a different meaning. For instance, funny in swedish is “rolig”, but in danish that means calm 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
October 1, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Christer,
I never thought about the variations in other languages. I do know Chinese has many dialects, but I didn’t realize Swedish had its own.
Most times I understand English from all over, but I do mishear a word or two.
I remember when I was in Finland. The second language was Swedish. I was totally lost.
October 1, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Teachers! Always complaining that the students never listen. But now we hear that the teachers just cannot speak properly.
Cheers
October 1, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Minicapt,
In the US, I spoke perfectly, but in Ghana I had to learn idioms and Ghanaian English. I remember my student telling me, “I go come,” and I had no idea what she meant. She was going to return.
One student said, I went to your house and met your absence.” That is one of my favorite Ghanaian sayings. She came to visit, and I wasn’t home.
October 1, 2010 at 4:58 pm
I know my sister used to think she was speaking German by imitating the Nanny we had when she tried to speak English. I could never figure out what she was doing. It made the adults laugh so I guess it was OK. I thought it was stupid.
October 1, 2010 at 11:32 pm
Z&Me,
I always think siblings were given to us purely for fun. They were never cute.
October 1, 2010 at 9:47 pm
My wife moved to Texas from Chicago when she was 15 years old. Her first day at the new High School in Texas the teacher told the class to ‘put up your book’. My wife got into trouble with the teacher because she held the book above her head instead of putting it away.
You don’t have travel very far to get in trouble with English.
October 1, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Bob,
No, you’re right. You don’t.
My friend is from New Jersey, not all that far from Massachusetts, but she has so many idioms and names for things which I don’t know. Amazing!
October 3, 2010 at 1:51 am
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October 3, 2010 at 10:46 am
You are very welcome to Coffee! Please do drop by often to visit.