A while ago I walked into the little Italian pasta shop on Lygon St, the one where you can buy fresh pastas and sauces they’ve made themselves. While not exactly regulars (we are capable of whipping it up ourselves), we have shopped here before on several ocassions without mishap. The old guy shuffled out into the store and I asked him for some bolognese sauce. He looked slightly bewildered but shuffled out back where he vanished for a very long time. Far longer than usual. When he came back he was holding a dozen eggs! Which he had apparently taken some trouble to put together. They don’t even sell eggs!
He had been gone so long and I was so flabbergasted and intrigued by this complete miscommunication that I didn’t correct him. I then picked out some cheese and spinach ravioli from the freezer and asked again for bolognese sauce. He shuffled out back and quickly re-appeared with bolognese sauce. I went home with ravioli, bolognese sauce and a dozen eggs.
Something similar happenned to me once before living in an area very similar in many ways to Brunswick, just one of the quirkier joys of multiculturalism. Has any one else had similar experiences? Would you have tried to explain you didn’t want the eggs? And if so how? Strange theatresport moments as you try to act out ‘egg’ in the negative? My gut instinct has generally been if I stuffed up such a simple message then maybe it’s best to leave it.
Nice post, Faith.
I have this kind of miscommunication in reverse with my neighbour, who speaks very little English.
She often used to throw her hands in the air, point to her 2-year-old granddaughter and say, “Diavolo!”, and I’d smile and nod and say, “Yes, she’s very sweet.” Until Bloke on the Avenue told me this wasn’t the appropriate response when someone complains that their grandchild is the devil.
Comment by Girl on The Avenue — June 20, 2007 @ 10:25 am |
It pays to know a few words in as many languages as possible, I guess. Sadly, the only Arabic I know is Imshi! or “Hurry up!”, which hasn’t really presented itself as a polite option in any of the neighbouring Arab sweet stores to date. Perhaps when Cronulla is a distant memory I might give it a lash.
Growing up around Greeks, I amassed a large vocabulary of swear words but little else. I still believe Malaka is the greatest Greek gift to the world lexicon (except maybe for lexicon)… much better than ‘democracy’. What’s interesting is that I grew up around an equal number of Vietnamese, but never learned any of their words. They never used anything but English around me. Less comfortable as more recent arrivals, perhaps? Who knows…
I myself have found cultural misunderstanding more prevalent than miscommunication per se (how’s my Latin?). I recall once in Brisbane admiring my lush, verdant, overgrown front garden when a middle-aged Greek dude rolled up and asked whether I didn’t want to employ him “to clean up this mess”. Good ol’ Con from Crete…
Comment by Bane of Malakas — June 20, 2007 @ 12:06 pm |
Our neighbours across the road are elderly and only speak a very small amount of english. My partner has about the same amount of italian, but I have absolutely non that I didn’t learn from an Antonio Carluccio cookbook.
Try having a meaningful conversation when my italian vacabulary only has words like “carbonara” and “matriciana”…
Usually I just nod and say “yes, it is a nice day”
Comment by Marty — June 20, 2007 @ 2:26 pm |
I know the pasta dood well – he’s really really really old.
You just have to adopt the Brunswickian approach to commerce – sloooow down and take your time. Browse.
It helps to be confident enough to laugh about your miscommunications. And make sure you’re not mumbling – that guy has poor hearing.
I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in Footscray and St Albans lately – a zillion languages, a zillion chances to miscommunicate. It freakin’ rocks. And perhaps Footscray will tempt me away from the ‘wick…
Comment by dogpossum — August 6, 2007 @ 8:34 pm |
Heh: Footscray, St Albans: you clearly work at VUT, dogpossum!
Comment by Girl on The Avenue — August 6, 2007 @ 8:45 pm |