It is the little things in life that may you smile.
My neighbors have a cleaner a few times week and often see her arriving when I go out for a run. We exchange "Hello's" as we pass but have never spoken more than that. I had detected what sounds like an eastern European accent.
I was told today by my neighbor that despite her being told my name numerous times, their cleaner still refers to me as "Lady who every day have the runs".
They are finding it increasingly difficult not to laugh when she says it.
As someone who finds leaning foreign languages very difficult, I have every admiration for those that manage it. However, as long as she only says that to people that know I go out running every day, I think she can be forgiven for any misinterpretation!!
Funny not funny. The cleaner doesn't know what she's saying so she'll continue saying it until someone gently corrects her, or laughs in her face. Having been on the receiving end of both approaches as a language learner, I know what I'd prefer.
True. There are some things that need gently correcting and some which turn into personal quirks. My middle school physics teacher was Hungarian, and he was memorable for the inverted phrase "tear and wear".
They have been trying to get her to use my name rather than go through the possibly embarrassing explanation of the 'alternate' meaning of what she is saying. They said they are so in tune with the way she talks they did not pick up on what she was saying immediately.
I don't think they are the sort of people who would laugh at her, I think it is their vision of me that they find amusing. I suppose it is down to what sort of relationship they have with her, would she want to have the error pointed out by them if she found it embarrassing?
I was told when being taught languages at school that it is is always better to try to use the native language of the country you are in and get it completely wrong, than to expect everyone to speak in English. I have tried this using phrase books and what knowledge I do have and it does seem to get a bit of respect, even if they do then reply in perfect English (much to my relief!!).
I understood your neighbours might well laugh at their cleaner simply because your original post said They are finding it increasingly difficult not to laugh when she says it.
There's no need to give an explanation if they correct, they could just gently say "Ah yes, the lady who runs." If she wants to know why, they could just say it's better.
As for the cleaner not using your name, maybe she finds it difficult to pronounce, or feels that using your name isn't respectful. You mention that you exchange greetings, so why not say something like "Hello, I'm X, what's your name?" Then she knows you're OK with her knowing and using your name, and you could use her name too.
I completely agree re trying to use the language or the country you're in rather than expecting everyone to speak or even understand English. Actually I've found that simply learning how to say hello, please and thank you can make things much easier.
would she want to have the error pointed out by them if she found it embarrassing?
I’ve worked with a lot of people with English as a second language and without a shadow of a doubt, the answer to this is yes. They’ve already made an effort to learn English and are keen to get it right! It’s entirely likely the cleaner will just laugh and say thanks for telling her. When I was in Greece recently, a lovely waitress helpfully told me I’d been using the wrong phrasing for something and explained how to say it correctly. It was nice to be told and I didn’t feel she was judging or laughing at me.
Saying that, I would (and have done very successfully in the past!) used Cmoi ’s tactic of just repeating back the corrected phrase with a very subtle emphasis on the “runs every day” part. That’s an easy way to avoid any embarrassment.
It would be so wonderful if, with kindness, someone could tell this lady about her little error in phrasing.
I was chatting to the lady who runs the veg stall in our village and she let slip that she has pet names for all her customers to help her remember them. I am “running girl”! I couldn’t decide whether I was more pleased to be referred to as a “runner” or a “girl”!!! I’m definitely far too old for girl to apply. Apparently there is also “fit guy”. I didn’t ask if he was sporty or good looking but I think I should have!
I now have a vision of you arriving at the veg stall, seeing a likely-looking male, and greeting him with "Oh hi, you must be Fit Guy! I'm Running Girl."
My sister's neighbour's nickname for my brother in law was 'Dr S**tforbrains'. My sister thought this was hilarious until she found out that she was Mrs S**tforbrains. Mind you, my Dad's nickname for the neighbour was Sparrowf**t (her real name was Dawn).
As someone who is not a native speaker of English I have to say: this is absolutely hilarious! 😀
Reminds me of friends of my late grandparents. These friend saw Americans off at the airport, waved and shouted "Have a good fart!" with the slip being that "Fahrt" (notice the spelling using an "h" means "trip / journey " in German while at the same time being a homophone (same sounding word) to the English one. This story has become a classic in my family.
English is not an easy language. Its mixture of Germanic and Romance influences with the occasional Brythonic remnant makes it rather complex. Even native speakers have malapropisms and mondegreens.
Just occasionally my brain swaps languages mid-word, which is why I once inadvertently greeted a colleague with the loud, cheery French equivalent of "B*stard!"
There are also the "false friends" between languages where the word looks the same but the meaning is different.
An easy one is that marmalade is the word for jam in many Romance languages.
Whereas "pont" in Welsh is recognisable as a Latin borrowing and does indeed mean bridge, "ffenestr" is window, and "eglwys" is church, "amaeth" looks like it might be derived from Latin "amare" (to love), but actually is pertaining to agriculture.
In French "serviette" can also mean briefcase and towel.
I've never heard anyone use serviette to mean briefcase, though of course it can!
You're spot-on re false friends, and French borrowings from English are a minefield too, especially when you're teaching. "He's wearing baskets" (nope, trainers) is a classic, and try telling kids that potatoes (= potato wedges) aren't in fact potatoes even though they're made from potatoes. Or that a car is not a car but a bus or a coach, which isn't the same as a coach who is a coach as in trainer. But obviously not a trainer as in baskets! 🤯🤣
Many years ago some of my luckier freinds went on skiing school trip, I cant remember to which country. My freind Bruce apparently caused uproar when her gave his name as that meant B*rstard there.
As I had to travel to and work in France quite often as part of my job, my company arranged for some of us to have French lessons twice a week. I found learning French at school difficult, and advancing age did not make it any easier. When I got there, practicing it was difficult as everyone wanted to practice their English. I had also been warned that some phrases do not translate well if the Enlish words are just swapped for their French equivalent. Also that phrases that may be quite innocent in England may take on a different meaning in France. Apparently if a man asks a woman if she is married, it is seen more as a proposition as in "are you available?" in France. I therefore limited my French to saying hello and asking if they spoke English. If they said no, then I was in trouble. Things such as asking directions was Ok as I could pre plan what to say. One of my colleagues was not as worried and being a bit of a comedian made jokes in French too. One day he said something quite loudly to one of the women at our French office and the whole place errupted with laughter. The young woman I was working with was almost crying. I asked what he had said and she just said " I cannot repeat ". I never did find out what he said, or what he intended to say.
Helping others practice their English suited me fine!!
In Russia I was asked about my hobbies. I listed them, including cooking, and was surprised at a few raised eyebrows. Nobody said anything. I asked my husband about it a few days later, I'd mixed up the word for 'cooking' with the one for 'promiscuity'.
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