tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post1883587854606298864..comments2023-10-21T11:44:45.588+01:00Comments on ResidentAlien: Information GapsMary Witzlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-51404361899040760552010-08-06T13:44:19.196+01:002010-08-06T13:44:19.196+01:00Charles -- A lot of my misunderstandings here are ...Charles -- A lot of my misunderstandings here are culturally based -- it took me a while to work out that 'tea' was a meal, not just a beverage. But my problem with 'beating heart disease' had more to do with my mis-comprehending brain disorder.<br /><br />Medeia -- I think it's just how our brains work, but it amuses me no end. I really don't mind things like this -- I think they make life more interesting. But I'm still glad I didn't ask anyone about beating heart disease.<br /><br />AP -- I still can't get over the fact that this kid was a dad at 15, and yes, I give him a lot of credit for this too. While my youngest daughter was fretting over her friends falling out with each other or worrying about her latest math test, this kid was mixing formula and getting by on three hours of sleep. But I can't help but feel that if willpower failed him, information about contraception could have made his young life a lot more bearable.<br /><br />Carole -- Thank you. <br /><br />Give 'oaf-lee' a go! I use it from time to time, but my girls just roll their eyes and say, "Oh Mom!" They don't like my British accent any more than they like my husband's pretend American accent.<br /><br />Falak -- Nothing makes me cringe more than remembering some of the stupid language mistakes I've made. I can still make myself warm thinking about some of the things I've accidentally said. And I too can't quite get my head around the idea of a 15-year-old father. Years ago, they were a lot more common, but nowadays we tend to let kids be kids for their first two decades of life. <br /><br />Lily -- A hands-on 17-year-old dad really is a miracle. I couldn't help but wonder how much younger he looked when he first became a dad, before all the washing and late night pacing the hallway sessions. <br /><br />"Pardon?" is one of my favorite words. I blame my misunderstandings on being totally scatterbrained -- and on daydreaming and listening with all too often with only half an ear. <br /><br />Charlie -- I'm in awe of the English spoken by Filipinos. I've known many who've never set foot in the States, but speak English like natives. Their dialect/accent may be Americanized, but it is so beautifully natural, so effortlessly colloquial. Whenever I'm asked who the best speakers of English are in my own experience, I say Filipinos, the Dutch and the Danes.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-70206424439849440692010-08-05T19:28:45.001+01:002010-08-05T19:28:45.001+01:00With all the cultural variations of English I agre...With all the cultural variations of English I agree that Scots is the toughest to understand, with Irish not far behind. The easiest I think is Filipino English—it's totally Americanized, which is a shame.<br /><br />I have a difficult time imagining you, language junkie, still stumbling over Scottish slang.Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722567671925063706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-62482660891774175112010-08-05T17:20:24.222+01:002010-08-05T17:20:24.222+01:00Not only is he 17, but his kid's almost 2, so ...Not only is he 17, but his kid's almost 2, so wouldn't that make him a 15 year old father? <br />Double yikes. <br />Although, to my husband the social worker, a 17 year old dad staying up with his sick kid at night is a miracle outcome. <br /><br />About the other topic, I am classic for misunderstanding the spoken word. I've learned that just saying, "Pardon? What did you say?" is way less embarrassing than assuming I got it on the first try. <br /><br />I blame it on all the ear infections I had as a kid, and not my ridiculously short attention span. <br />:)Lily Catehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-77707270179391578632010-08-05T16:37:16.928+01:002010-08-05T16:37:16.928+01:00This post was hilarious! It reminded me of my init...This post was hilarious! It reminded me of my initial days in Mumbai when I had no clue about the colloqualized version of Hindi people generally speak here and would end up making appaling blunders. Even today after three years I excel at misinterpreting even the simplest of things. But I must the the 17year old father was a real shocker!Falakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321524864693512771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-35761764221790824102010-08-05T15:52:17.352+01:002010-08-05T15:52:17.352+01:00Loved this post. And Love Oaflee. Might try and ...Loved this post. And Love Oaflee. Might try and use it soon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03828426520214270655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-51822015550005229442010-08-05T05:45:57.796+01:002010-08-05T05:45:57.796+01:00The minute I read " oaf-lee" all I could...The minute I read " oaf-lee" all I could think of was Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet ) I crack up every time I see that show. I love her !<br />It breaks my heart to read about the 17 year old Dad. At lest he is trying.<br />Where I live we have too many 16 year old Mexican Nationals who come over the border everyday for delivery of their babies so the babies will be American Citizens and there is never a Dad anywhere to be seen or to pay the bill. (or the Mexican government either)<br />So at lest the young Scottish Father is trying. I give him a lot of credit for stepping-up. <br />Never heard shopping called the messages... <br />I am very dense I would have never figured that out.<br />I hope your are enjoying being back in Scotland wet summer and all.<br /><br />cheers, parsnipangryparsniphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17236094827257446781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-75828256823492431742010-08-04T03:37:32.796+01:002010-08-04T03:37:32.796+01:00I do a double take after misinterpreting things. ...I do a double take after misinterpreting things. I see the strangest word combinations before getting a better look.<br /><br />Yikes @ the seventeen-year-old father.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-78274059909924224382010-08-03T17:18:52.991+01:002010-08-03T17:18:52.991+01:00Beating Heart disease. Lol. I can see why that mi...Beating Heart disease. Lol. I can see why that might be confusing. Intersting illustration of how important cultural touchstones are to our understanding.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-38612542564855783942010-08-03T10:54:20.840+01:002010-08-03T10:54:20.840+01:00Robin -- I've got beating heart disease too --...Robin -- I've got beating heart disease too -- a very mortal affliction. I've got digesting stomach and (sometimes) thinking brain disorder as well.<br /><br />When you tell people about the silly things you do or the interesting (but wholly daft) false hypotheses you come up with accidentally, do they then laugh hysterically and look at you like you're totally crazy? That's been my experience. It's so sad: I LOVE self-deprecating humor and I do so many things like this that I want to share the fun. But I've grown crafty about hiding them, out of necessity.<br /><br />Vijaya -- That particular misunderstanding was just one of those temporary lapses, but I still got a kick out of it. At least I have a blog where I can share it!<br /><br />Some people are definitely thicker than I am, but they're smarter about hiding it. I figure I might as well get it out in the open so no one can accuse me of keeping it in the closet.<br /><br />AnneB -- I've been doing the messages a lot myself and I'm pretty fed up with it too -- especially when people use up what I've bought and leave the empty package on the shelf.<br /><br />Here's to your having more time to beta read! But don't worry if it takes you ages to get around to it -- remember how long it took me? :o)<br /><br />Robert -- Your stepson and daughter will LOVE the Highlands! It's the perfect place for a honeymoon: cloudy and rainy enough that you don't feel like you're missing out, staying inside all day.<br /><br />When I go into town and it's pouring rain (every other day), I keep running into people who know that we've just gotten back from Turkey. "Bet you miss all that sun in Cyprus!" they say. "You must wish you were back in Turkey!" I've learned to just nod my head and smile.<br /><br />Pat -- Occasionally, I'll have trouble understanding something my husband says and vice versa. You'd think we'd have sorted out all our language differences by now, but there are still a few that catch us. I was awfully proud of getting 'oaf-lee', though!Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-84884396552897552972010-08-03T10:06:19.784+01:002010-08-03T10:06:19.784+01:00It's not enough to know a language is it? The...It's not enough to know a language is it? There are all the nuances, ironies and double entendres to make it a lifetime learning experience. Then too the Scots are a funny lot:)Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01529798893653033970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-75098945890895859952010-08-03T06:24:04.442+01:002010-08-03T06:24:04.442+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-19353389072641337072010-08-03T05:32:01.207+01:002010-08-03T05:32:01.207+01:00My step son and his fiance' are getting marrie...My step son and his fiance' are getting married the end of October; they will honeymoon in Scotland. When we warned them that Scotland would be rather cold and wet in November they reminded us that they live in Orange County where it is warm and sunny mostly all year. They are planning on enjoying the Highland weather... and I am guessing they may not be outside all that much anyway.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-17417175269648992752010-08-03T04:06:46.688+01:002010-08-03T04:06:46.688+01:00And I've been "doing the messages" f...And I've been "doing the messages" for two weeks straight and I'm sick of it, let me tell you. Tomorrow I get back to my own writing! (and then after that, a porch ms. I'm looking forward to beta-reading!)AnneBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14353297751372957745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-62038852520503206382010-08-03T00:23:15.835+01:002010-08-03T00:23:15.835+01:00Mary, don't feel so bad. I thought it was hear...Mary, don't feel so bad. I thought it was heartbeat condition that affects two or more people who are together. <br /><br />Yes, some people are thicker than you. Grin.Vijayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07876606729146077830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-27897239521446113852010-08-03T00:23:12.611+01:002010-08-03T00:23:12.611+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Vijayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07876606729146077830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-1984933402770874692010-08-02T22:43:52.084+01:002010-08-02T22:43:52.084+01:00I love it! I think I've got beating heart dis...I love it! I think I've got beating heart disease. I would make the exact same mistakes. I do it all the time now, and I'm in my own stupid country!<br /><br />One of my many problems, is that when I do something like that it makes me laugh, and I feel compelled to immediately tell someone about it. I probably would have yanked on that woman's arm and explained how I thought she had beating heart disease, and she would have looked around vainly for succor from the mad American.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396540555696283171noreply@blogger.com