Egypt4u

There is language and then there is the language that we actually speak. New phrases and catch phrases and buzz words are happening every day but how many of them do we actually incorporate into what we say AND how many of these do we conciously catch ourselves saying?

Was talking to my daughter in Quebec this morning and for some reason found myself suddenly saying "My bad." WHY in heavens would I suddenly say this? It doesn't relate to me, it is a modern phrase that while I've heard it have never thought I incorporated it into my brain enough that it would actually ever come out my mouth........"my bad"........

Ever found yourself doing something similar?

Funny, I was thinking about language last night. I've never been very good at learning other languages and last night I started thinking about the languages that have both a masculine and feminine format e.g French or Arabic (the two languages that would have been most useful to me for much of my adult life - along perhaps with Japanese). I wonder why it came about that a language didn't just develope in a gender neutral form. Why is there a need for gender specific grammer? I did think I would post on this subject and conundrum today, but LLL has provided me with the opportunity here.

I often get asked about the English language - 'Can I say this?' 'Why can't I say that?' - and we often get tangled up over one word taking ages to explore it's use and abuse! I try to help as best I can but I find it difficult when I am asked some specific questions e.g. grammatical ones, because although I did learn grammer at school I don't recall the rules because naturally most of my English was learnt by just being born and brought up in the UK!

Coming back from a week spent with the twins has increased my vocabulary immensely.

I now put "yoks" (socks) on my feet. Drink "muk" (milk), savour "ski" (skin from the roasted chicken), wear "skinnies" (real underwear that is NOT heavily padded diapers), love 'beebees" (blueberries) and find most anything I want (whilst pointing with my middle finger) "ober der" (over there). Nothing is right here it is now always 'ober der' and 'nothing' or "I don't know" is a fingers spread, palms upwards motion. The kicker is the face retaining the innocence of being convincing even though the little guys have just dropped whatever they are looking for on the floor in front of them. Their favourite pets are "woowoos" (dogs) and "mee mees" (cats) run a close second.

My oldest daughter used to love eating "anamanas" and "PT tatoes"

I thought you would be speaking fluent 'kiddywink' by now.

When I do not translate correctly I get a "nononononono" however when "I" get it right I get either a resounding "yeah" or "yeayeah"......be fluent soon.