Saturday, April 26, 2008

John Deere Snowmobile Track Size?



I ca n speak only English with a lot of people here. I wonder if I'm really able to express what I want to say. It is just a problem of nuances. We can understand each other (almost all the times or at least we presume to...) but probably we cannot use English as well as our mother tongue. We are usually cutting every corner, and looking for shortcuts and we lose spontaneity semplifying our lauguage too much. Or at least I can feel that my language has this problem...
What am I studying? Art history, history, literature... every time
tha t someone asks me it I change my answer. Which is my major? I don't really have one. But somehow I’m studying exactly these n uances of my language. It is really interesting but probably useless from a materialist point of view. I’ll not build houses, or bridge, but I will know the difference between words.
I start to collect saying s in different languages, in order to try to understand a little what is hidden behind our polite and sometime impersonal English.
Some mistakes of translation are really funny: the Italian word “rifiuti” (garbage) for example, if
translated “refuges”. What can people think if you ask: “Where are the refuges?” instead of “Where is the garbage can?”…
An other example is: I was playing with attention, not paying attention. I took for mounts attention without paying it. For free. One day I will receive a dizziness bill and I’ll learn that I shouldn't play with such a serious things!

I wonder… was I different before to come here?

I was without coins from Latvia, Sweden and Russia and with 20 Skype nicknames less than now. My English was quite poor and I was almost without any knowledge about Finland and Finnish, weird language that I love but rather understand. Now is completely normal for me to drink milk at lunch, drink Finnish coffee and not espresso and I eat salted food for breakfast. I didn’t know the longest Lithuanian and Finnish wo rd and before I didn’t hear before one Maced onian girl speaking with a Bulgarian both of them respectively in their own language. Jana is still here, the perfect ambassador of her country, who fights again the attacks of some Greek guys. Joana is at home and she is studying in Sophia. I remembe r the discussions between her and Giovanni; for sure I will remember That Bulgaria is the place of origin of yogurt! Now I know one person alm ost Each country of Europe ... and I can just start to wonder, if I will Have the chance, one day to meet again Them, Also When the second part of our "travel" will end. We will see, Any plan now.

With a lot of people here, I can only speak English. I wonder if it really able to express myself. It is mainly a matter of nuances. We understand each other (almost always, or at least pretend to understand) but probably do not use English with the same ease with which we could speak our mother tongue. Smooth edges and trying to take shortcuts so by invariably give up our spontaneity, our language too often semplicficando. At least this is what happens to me ...
What studio? Art history, history, literature ... every time someone asks me to change my answer. The point is that I have a real pincipale matter and that there is a fair course equivalent to that of "Modern Literature" in Finland. However, study the nuances of my own language, exactly what I miss speaking English. Very interesting, even if empty, from a purely material point of view. Do not build houses or bridges, but you will know the nuances of sigificato synonyms.
I started collecting proverbs in different languages, to try to understand, at least, what is behind the polite and sometimes expressionless English each.
Some translation errors and a lot of fun: the word waste in English is "stacking" but if it is translated with the assonant "refuges" ("refugees") will create misunderstanding. What if someone thinks a bartender asks, "Where are the refugees?" instead ask, "Where is the garbage?".
Another example: I used to play with caution. The translation of the Italian phrase "be careful and pay attention" for months but I thought it was "play attention". For months I played with focus, free of charge. One day I receive an account from dizziness!

different before I get here?
I had no coins Latvian, Swedish and Russian and I had 20 contacts in Skype not. My English was very limited as my knowledge about Finland and Finnish, strange language that I love but rarely get it. Now for me it is normal to drink milk at lunch and coffee instead of espresso along. Before I did not know the longest word Lithuanian and Finnish, and I had never heard of a girl with a Macedonian Bulgarian, both in their native language. Jana is still here, most worthy ambassador of Macedonian Greeks in the fight against attacks. Joana is at home, studying in Sophia. I will remember his lit discussions with John and do not forget ch andthe country of origin of the yogurt and Bulgaria! Now I know more or less for persons with a European state. Who knows, if one day, finished the second leg of our trip, I will have the opportunity to meet them again. Time will tell, no plans for now.

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