Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of the God who never makes a mistake. Those
of you who minister in a language that is not your native tongue know the
challenges of mastering a foreign language. You also know that mistakes happen.
You've probably realized the need to find the humor in those mistakes, even
when they are your own (and sometimes embarrassing).
Most of these errors are not serious. The listeners
understand that your language mastery is incomplete, and for the most part,
they are patient, as they appreciate your efforts to try to learn their
language. They may laugh, but that is usually more from the pure mirth of
something unexpected than from any malicious derision.
Most of the following are real examples by people I know,
and I hope that they will prompt laughter that refreshes your countenance, your
spirit, and even your bones. "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:
but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" (Proverbs 15:13). "A
merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the
bones" (Proverbs 17:22).
A missionary mom went to the store to buy pants for her
husband and boys. Instead of asking where to find pants for the
"caballeros" (gentlemen), she said she was looking for pants for the
"caballos" (horses). I've seen horses wearing bridles, saddles,
blankets, and feed bags, but I can't quite picture a horse wearing pants. And I
guess you would have to buy two pairs - hopefully matching.
The same lady was talking with a contact about a relative
who was a Catholic priest. Instead of saying he was a "sacerdote"
(priest), she said he was the "cerdote de la iglesia" (big pig of the
church). Hers was an innocent mistake, but sadly parallels the deceptive filth
taught within that institution.
I'm sure I've made many errors, but this one stands out as
worthy of making this list. Friends were asking me about my parents' house in
America and what it was like. I was trying to tell that the siding was made of
tarpaper. But instead of the word for tar, "chapopote," I came up
with "popote" (drinking straw). Better watch out for the big, bad
wolf!
I believe the next example was related to me by a university
professor who knew the person it happened to, or she may have just presented it
as an example with no basis in fact. When a subway car lurched, the man, who
was standing, accidentally fell into the lap of a girl who was seated. The
English phrase "Excuse me" translates to several different Spanish
phrases based on the situation. The man should have said "Perdon,"
meaning "Pardon me." Instead, he chose "Con permiso," which
asks permission to proceed, usually in context of maneuvering through a crowd.
Reportedly, the girl replied, "Adelante" (Go right ahead).
Another missionary lady I know was telling her easy recipe
for chocolate cake. Intending to say "cucharadas de chocolate"
(teaspoons of chocolate), she recommended "cucarachas de chocolate"
(chocolate cockroaches). No, thank you! I know some people around the world eat
such creatures, but I don't want them - not even if coated in chocolate.
My favorite example by a non-English speaker is by a man who
was preaching in English, which was probably his third language. He was telling
how his wife went to get her hair fixed, but instead of saying she went to the
"salon," he said she went to the "saloon." In addition to
the testimony issue, I don't think I would trust someone in a saloon to even be
able to cut straight. That could be a disastrous haircut!
My final example is by a man who was preaching to a group of
teenagers. He was preaching from the verse about gold, silver, and precious
stones. He got gold right. For silver, he said "plato" (dinner plate)
instead of "plata." And for precious stones, instead of "piedras
preciosas," he said "piernas preciosas" (precious legs). The
young people controlled their mirth the first time, but when he said the same
thing repeatedly, they just couldn't help themselves.
I don't know about precious legs, but "How beautiful upon
the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace;
that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation" (Isaiah
52:7). Your feet are beautiful, my friends, as your mouths share the gospel.
May God give you grace and strength as you work toward that end each day. What
you do today matters for eternity.
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment