One of the problems with knowing solamente un pocito de Spanish is that, when you find that you actually can get by pretty well with the basics, you'll start to get reckless and attempt actual conversations, which involve actual knowledge of grammatical conjugations. And that can lead to little problemas.
For example.
Tonight I went with a group of writing program students to the Museo Nacional de Bella Artes. During the course of my thoughtful perambulations around the exhibit rooms, I ended up talking to one of the museum guards, who had already spoken to other members of the group and knew we were all from the U.S. He asked me a few polite questions, in Spanish, about my visit to Argentina, and I gamely tried to answer with more than just "yes" or "no". The problem came when I attempted to ask him how long he'd worked at the museum. Apparently that's not what I actually said, because he answered that he got off at 8:30 and that if I wanted he'd walk around with me afterward.
Oops.
The conversation from that point only got more difficult, as at first I thought he was asking me to invite him to join our whole group. But no, it turns out that's not what he meant. And then he asked if I had a free day and I, bizarrely, answered that yes, it was possible I'd come back another day. I even asked if he worked every day til 8:30. Why? Probably because I knew how, and in spite of my good sense I was going to deploy the tiny bit of Spanish I knew at any cost.
Including the cost of never again going to the Museo Nacional de Bella Artes. Sigh...
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2 comments:
Well now, you can always really start lighting some fires by using the "false cognate" angle.
E.G., in the case of your museum guard, you may have been inclined to say that you are "embarressed" by your Spanish by stating "Yo estoy muy "embarasada".
Which means: I am very pregnant.
At that point, any unwanted overtures by your museum guard would have likely ceased.
This Spanish lesson in backpedaling is brought to you free of charge.
Todo lo mejor.
*!*
BWA-HA-HA! Awesome!
Thanks...I needed a giggle. At least you didn't speak in a completely different language.
While I understand a lot of Spanish, I have never been a speaker. But, I DO speak Bulgarian...which is of course the default language for everyone, right?
I just have learned to not try, and defer to my Spanish speaking husband for that stuff.
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