by OldGuy » 15 Nov 2018, 08:50
My primary language is English and where I live now, there is not much opportunity to even try any other language.
However, I did take Spanish classes from grade 7 through grade 11 way back in my school days. I learned academic Spanish, but no one really talks like that in real life. At the time, you could choose Spanish, French or Latin in my school days but there was not much chance to use it anywhere other than that specific class.
Many years later, I ended up due to a new job living in New Mexico, and there were a lot of nearby Mexicans in the same community. I learned "street Spanish" with all the colorful twists and thought I understood most of it.
During the time I lived there, I had a job selling solar home heating systems. We had a demo system set up on a trailer and I took it around to shopping centers to show how it worked and to make home appointments for hopeful sales.
A Mexican couple stopped by and was very interested. They did not speak a word of English, so I had to make the entire presentation in Spanish. I sat on one side of the kitchen table while the husband, wife and teenage son sat at the other. A few small children were playing on the floor nearby.
All went well. They were excited. We completed all the paperwork and the sale was successful. An appointment was made for a crew to come and install their heating system. They were happy and I had another commission coming.
As I was collecting my paperwork and getting ready to leave, the husband casually asked what he should do about the little kids going in and out, leaving the door open and letting the heat out? It was more just a friendly conversational question.
I responded with what I thought meant merely a hit or slap, but that street language fooled me. The husband and teenager both stared at me wide eyed. The wife turned beet red and left the room in tears. When the guys realized I truly did not quite understand what I had said, they both roared in laughter. The wife never did accept any apology.
After I got back home, I called the local university and asked to speak to the Spanish Professor. When I explained what had happened and what I had said, his first response was an amazed "and you are still alive to ask me?"
Let's just say that particular street word meant a whole lot more than a hit or slap.
So yes, I sort of know some Spanish, but only enough to put my foot in my mouth.
My primary language is English and where I live now, there is not much opportunity to even try any other language.
However, I did take Spanish classes from grade 7 through grade 11 way back in my school days. I learned academic Spanish, but no one really talks like that in real life. At the time, you could choose Spanish, French or Latin in my school days but there was not much chance to use it anywhere other than that specific class.
Many years later, I ended up due to a new job living in New Mexico, and there were a lot of nearby Mexicans in the same community. I learned "street Spanish" with all the colorful twists and thought I understood most of it.
During the time I lived there, I had a job selling solar home heating systems. We had a demo system set up on a trailer and I took it around to shopping centers to show how it worked and to make home appointments for hopeful sales.
A Mexican couple stopped by and was very interested. They did not speak a word of English, so I had to make the entire presentation in Spanish. I sat on one side of the kitchen table while the husband, wife and teenage son sat at the other. A few small children were playing on the floor nearby.
All went well. They were excited. We completed all the paperwork and the sale was successful. An appointment was made for a crew to come and install their heating system. They were happy and I had another commission coming.
As I was collecting my paperwork and getting ready to leave, the husband casually asked what he should do about the little kids going in and out, leaving the door open and letting the heat out? It was more just a friendly conversational question.
I responded with what I thought meant merely a hit or slap, but that street language fooled me. The husband and teenager both stared at me wide eyed. The wife turned beet red and left the room in tears. When the guys realized I truly did not quite understand what I had said, they both roared in laughter. The wife never did accept any apology.
After I got back home, I called the local university and asked to speak to the Spanish Professor. When I explained what had happened and what I had said, his first response was an amazed "and you are still alive to ask me?"
Let's just say that particular street word meant a whole lot more than a hit or slap.
So yes, I sort of know some Spanish, but only enough to put my foot in my mouth. :oops: