Culture QotD: Mais, Oui!
Do you speak another language? If not, which language do you wish you spoke fluently?
seems like i've answered this question before, or one similar to it. yup, here's the post.
anyway, i speak korean, though not fluently. i've been making more of an effort to speak it around my mom or her friends so i can learn more of the language. at some point i'd like to know enough where i can have longer conversations with our family in korea instead of the usual, "hi, how are you? your voice sounds the same...oh, i'm doing well...no i'm not married...no i don't have kids....no i'm not dating...i miss you, too. i love you." all spoken in korean of course. if i were fluent in the language, i'd have more control over the conversation topics.
Comments
HILARIOUS. I think the "you're single? why still single? what's wrong with you?" the bane of any single woman above the age of 16. My mom (and grandparents) were worried that I was a lesbian what with the lack of penis in my life. gamany my love, even if you were fluent in korean, you'd still have to go through the "do you have boyfriend" part of the conversation.
On topic: thankfully, I'm still fluent in Tagalog. It takes me a few minutes to lose the American accent, but eventually I start to sound like I never left the Philippines. And using those language skillz, I can curse creatively in my head as my grandmother goes off on my lack of boyfriend, how she's knows these very nice boys, etc etc etc ad nauseum.
but, just so you know, lorelei's right. it doesn't matter if you're fluent or not. they will still give you the 3rd degree about men and children. heh.
I'm always asked if I know how to speak my dad's dialect, which is Tagalog. He speaks several Filipino dialects, but that's the main one he, his family and friends speak. I don't think I'd speak it so much as I'd use it to eavesdrop on what my dad and his family talk about! Tee hee. ^_~
you have no idea how hard i was laughing after i read this, lorelei. my friends and family thought the same thing at one point. one of my closest girl friends in college pulled me aside to ask if i was a lesbian because, "the guys were talking". they couldn't understand why i was single. cracks me up. anyway, i hear ya. my thing is, i know i'd never be able to avoid the "you should be married by now" convo but i'd like to be able tell them to "knock it off" or "i appreciate your concern but it's not the end of the world for buddha's sake". i can't even manage that.
by the way, maybe you can help me out here. i need to learn how to say, "i'm flattered, but i'm not filipino" when someone asks if i'm from the philippines.
dude, i'll bet that you're more fluent than i am. i get all flustered and shit when i need to speak it with people other than my parents. heh.
the only time i'm actually fluent is when i'm REALLY upset. i find that when i'm upset, i speak in korean. hehe. and i do it well.
how about your daughters, do they speak any korean?
i mean, what the hell was i supposed to say?! hehe.
Grace, say something in Korean.
funny, i used to go to different korean churches with my mom when i was younger. not sure how much of it rubbed off on me but i remember sitting there wondering what on earth the preacher was talking about.