June 28, 2003
Chicago 11 - English and maths
Photo (enlarge by clicking on it) of bust of Abdiel for a dubious link to the difficulties of working in a second language i.e. it's a battle sometimes. Here are some snippets of conversations I had and overheard during my stay.
Indian taxi driver dropping me off at the Second City theatre on North Wells Street: This is the Old Town district of Chicago.
Me: Is this where the Great Chicago Fire was?
Taxi driver: Oh yes! It happens every year on July 3rd (sic) and at Navy Pier every Saturday.
Latino waiter who has been in the U.S. for 8 years and came when he was 16: Where do you work?
Me: In Japan.
Latino waiter: Who's that?
Me: Not who, where? Do you know where Japan is?
Latino waiter: No!
Me: Near China. Know where that is?
Latino waiter (with puzzled look on face): Yeah.
Cashier in supermarket on the phone to supervisor: Rhoda, could you do me a favour and tell me how much change I need to give the gentleman if the bill is $26.38 and he has given me $41.40? (She still short changed me a penny!)
It all makes me realise the fun the Japanese must have with my Japanese sometimes.
Posted by Joe at June 28, 2003 07:07 PMYou're lucky it was only a penny.
I can see it's not only the Japanese who ignore the built-in change-calculating feature of the cash register!
Posted by: DJ at June 30, 2003 03:21 PM