March 10, 2010

Learning English from Ari - Poor Aiyi

I realize this is two posts in one day, but hey, things happen!

Today Aiyi told me that she had learned the English word for blowing one's nose: "Schlottang".  I was pretty confused as to what she was trying to say until Ari told me what he had told her: "snotting".  I don't know where he picked that up, its certainly not what we have taught him.  But now that Aiyi is calling it "schlottang", Ari is now also calling it that.

One day I came home early and heard them talking in the boys room.  Ari was teaching Aiyi English words, but he was doing it with a weirdo accent.  For example, she pointed to the bed and instead of saying bed or even just wood, Ari said "Wooo duh".  Then Aiyi, in her accent said it even more strangely. Now she thinks the English word for bed is "Woo duh".  Then he told her that the table is called "Taabool" and chair "chah ruh".  

I'm grateful that she probably doesn't have contact with any other English speakers.  But if they have fun doing it, so be it.  They have laughing about "schlotting" on and off for the last half hour.  I've been laughing too!  

2 comments:

Sherise said...

I'm still laughing. That's hilarious.

Look at the bright side, this just demonstrates how brilliant Ari is...he's learned that the best way to teach someone a language is to speak slowly. Too bad for Aiyi that he's doing it wrong. ;-)

Carol said...

I had an old aunt once removed who grew up in China and ended up being a well-known children's author. In one of her books, she told how she had taught her maid that thank you was pronounced "sewing machine". When they left China (Shanghai) before WWII, she had to confess to the maid.