Language Faux Pas And The SC Experience
farmerart
On my New Year's sabbatical in Monaco with a lady from Saint Raphael I committed a serious faux pas in French while we were dining in a fine restaurant. I used a word in describing our waitress common in French Canada that is entirely innocuous but means "cunt" in France. This was not well received by my date or the waitress.
This made me realize how important idiomatic fluency is. When I visit US SCs I am particularly careful with language because idiomatic Canadian English can be very different from the American variety. An example of this that had me sweating momentarily was using the word "boy" innocently in Arnie's in Chicago. A joke and a cocktail got me out of that fix.
Has this been an issue with any of you other guys on your SC odysseys as you deal with dancers or SC staff of Brazilian, Colombian, Russian, Lebanese etc. mother tongues?
This made me realize how important idiomatic fluency is. When I visit US SCs I am particularly careful with language because idiomatic Canadian English can be very different from the American variety. An example of this that had me sweating momentarily was using the word "boy" innocently in Arnie's in Chicago. A joke and a cocktail got me out of that fix.
Has this been an issue with any of you other guys on your SC odysseys as you deal with dancers or SC staff of Brazilian, Colombian, Russian, Lebanese etc. mother tongues?
12 comments
Moral of the story-stick with the language(s) you know.
In an effort to show respect for the country we are visiting, and to sometimes show off how smart we are, we use phrases in the native language without study, research or practice. (OOPS, I really didn't mean that.) Dudester and Dirty Harry are right--"A man's got to know his limitations."
Speaking of hookers GSWx4's post reminded me of something.
jackslash:
Read my original post. It might give you an idea; though I suspect you are 'coning' us with this response. I think you know exactly what the word means.
JFK actually had it right. What he said indeed translates as "I am a Berliner". What you tried to say means "I'm Berlin".
What you refer to is an urban legend. It is a common misconception that Kennedy made an error by saying "Ich bin ein Berliner." The indefinite article "ein" is omitted when speaking of an individual's profession or residence but is necessary when speaking in a figurative sense as Kennedy did. Since the President was not literally from Berlin but only declaring his solidarity with its citizens, "Ich bin Berliner" would not have been correct.