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My last TC diary was all about favorite quotes, which is all well and good if you are fluent in the language. But what about if you don't understand...
Say, for example, if you were... about 4 1/2 years old and found yourself in a foreign country where you only understood a few key words, and your new parents understood almost nothing you were trying to tell them. That's where K2 finds himself after we brought him home from Ethiopia on December 5th. K2 speaks two languages: Amharic (Amharinya), the Ethiopian official language, and Sidaminya, the local, completely independent language spoken in the region he is from. Amharinya has a written form and hence there are dictionaries available; Sidaminya does not have a written form and thus all we knew were a few hastily scribbled phonetic translations from the social worker we met during our visit to his birth region.
Ever since he came home, K2 has been busy learning English. Trying to make himself understood in a world where everyone speaks English, and nearly everyone who's Not His Family semi-automatically assumes he understands what they're saying. It's only when we go out to eat at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant that he's guaranteed people who understand exactly what he's saying. When he gets there he's always a bit shy... but soon opens up and has the entire staff chatting, laughing, smiling and wandering by just to say hi.
He is doing a fantastic job, picking up words at an amazing rate. People who see him only occasionally have commented on 'how much better' his language is. We also notice that his understanding of spoken English is far greater than his verbal usage; we'll often be talking, casually say something and prepare to rephrase in smaller, easier words when he starts doing whatever it was we were talking about. Smart kid :-).
We've been using Amharinya words whenever we can, and several have made their way into our permanent family lexicon: beh-kah, for example, is done, finished, while wu-hah is water.
This last week, however, has been utterly amazing. While waiting for K1 to finish up at swim practice, Mr. Brillig got K2 talking. In Sidaminya. And he got an audio recording of him counting! Here's what Mr. Brillig wrote down.. obviously it's all phonetic :-)
one MEE tay
two LAH may
three SAH shay
four SHO lay
five UN tay
six LAY ay
seven la mah LAH
eight SAY tay
nine ohn SAY
ten TOH nay
Two nights ago, K1 was taking a bath when K2 needed to go shinte, which in Amharinya is, umm... not kaka. While everyone but me (who was busy writing your Top Comments :-)) ended up in the bathroom together, and K1 decided it was time for another vocabulary lesson. They were in there forever, it seemed, and out of it came a list of many Sidaminya words. Tonight after dinner he got into an educational mood again, and taught us some more! Here's just a few:
Sheep gah LAY wo ho
Lion doh BEE 'tcho ho
monkey weh NI 'tcho ho
goat may EE 'tcho tay
mom ama
dad ahna
sister iheet - wundinay
big LOH bo
little SHEE mo hoh
We know K2 is going to lose his first languages, there simply is no way for us to become fluent in either of them before he loses it. But we're glad he's sharing some of it now, so we can get it on tape and written down. Some day he will return to the land of his birth, and it would be nice for him to remember even SHEEmohoh Sidaminya.
- - - - -
Many of you remembered the Top Comments gmail address, and sent in comment nominations! Thank you everyone!
From JanF:
In today's diary Morning Feature: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Pinecone, this comment by DWG reminds us of the realities of our influence.
From NCrissieB:
In today’s Morning Feature by Pinecone about dysfunctional teams, democracy inaction offered this gem on why to stick around and work to make things better.
From the same diary, addisnana offers this advice on how to learn from our mistakes.
From WarrenS:
In FishOutofWater's terrifying diary on Arctic Methane release, G2Geek lays out what needs to be done.
From Land of Enchantment:
Paleo found a great quote about Harold Ford's bizarre ambition to represent New York in the U.S. Senate.
From Norbrook:
I'd like to nominate itzik shpitzik's comment, an insightful perspective on the disaster in Haiti.
From benintn:
Strosek has a beautiful summary on Scott Brown's magical thinking and doublespeak regarding fiscal discipline and tax policy.
From slinkerwink:
This comment by debcoop, in Cedwyn's Dkos Identity Crisis?.
From CornSyrupAwareness:
ThisIsMyTime replies to debcoop's comment (see above nomination).
From BeninSC:
I find it interesting that I am the only rec (so far) for this comment, from koNko. But, read the reply to that comment, and think about how you'd feel, one rec or none. ;)
From Yours Truly, brillig:
Have I mentioned I'm from MA, and scared shitless Brown will somehow win? Thus indepenocrat's comment resonates strongly with me.
No matter what language you use, you can't forget Top Mojo!! Thanks to cskendrick and sardonyx for making the magic possible!
Top 30 Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) Good diary. Ultimately by wmtriallawyer — 267
2) I'm sorry, this is moronic by Mike Stark — 188
3) But his argument, that you will be hearing by Meggie — 183
4) it means a lot to me by Cedwyn — 114
5) Well, I wish I didn't see it that way by wmtriallawyer — 113
6) no they want healthcare. by General Choomin — 112
7) But He's A Damn Good Politician by JekyllnHyde — 101
8) Thirding. by Dauphin — 93
9) I believe KO called them "pimps" by RFK Lives — 92
10) Well I'm glad you said it by droogie6655321 — 92
11) Talk about your 11th dimensional chess. by wmtriallawyer — 88
12) Tipped & rec'd. I'm with ya--in both respects:... by alamacTHC — 88
13) Fish, I gotta ask ya ... by Angie in WA State — 85
14) You're my hero, TexMex. by marabout40 — 85
15) What a tremendous job the administration by soms — 84
16) Well, I have words by Youffraita — 83
17) Please Donate as Much as You Can by JekyllnHyde — 81
18) now I am going to go add up the numbers by TexMex — 80
19) My nana said by addisnana — 80
20) Purges=myth by mcjoan — 80
21) The dynamics have changed considerably by Pescadero Bill — 79
22) Been here since Dec 2003 by teacherken — 78
23) Having exactly what to do with this diary by GN1927 — 76
24) That is good news--your SIL and everybody by Louisiana 1976 — 75
25) Seconding what Cedwyn said wmtriallawyer. by Onomastic — 72
26) Thank you! by TexMex — 72
27) what i would't give by Cedwyn — 70
28) It's not just disagreement. I'm fine with that. by wmtriallawyer — 69
29) talking of "primarying" the president, by whataretheysmoking — 68
30) He's not with the progressives. by psychodrew — 67
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar & Pooties list :-):
1) Tip Jar by RoCali — 618
2) tips for enlightened evolution! by Cedwyn — 475
3) Nothing but the powerful truth to combat by sluggahjells — 455
4) Tip Jar by coonsey — 371
5) Tip Jar by FishOutofWater — 369
6) Tip Jar by Mike Stark — 330
7) Tip Jar by TexMex — 322
8) Tip Jar by Jerome a Paris — 314
9) Tip Jar by blackwaterdog — 295
10) T/J New York to Ford: DROP DEAD by Clarknt67 — 287
11) Good diary. Ultimately by wmtriallawyer — 267
12) Tip Jar by Colorado is the Shiznit — 243
13) Good will is a good thing by cosmic debris — 210
14) Tip Jar by Norbrook — 196
15) I'm sorry, this is moronic by Mike Stark — 186
16) But his argument, that you will be hearing by Meggie — 181
17) Tip Jar by wmtriallawyer — 171
18) Tip Jar by lanae — 170
19) Tip Jar by nyceve — 166
20) Tip Jar by slinkerwink — 138
21) it means a lot to me by Cedwyn — 114
22) Well, I wish I didn't see it that way by wmtriallawyer — 113
23) no they want healthcare. by General Choomin — 110
24) If you'd like to contribute to SheKos... by SheKos — 105
25) Scritchie Jar by khloemi — 102
26) But He's A Damn Good Politician by JekyllnHyde — 101
27) Thirding. by Dauphin — 93
28) Well I'm glad you said it by droogie6655321 — 92
29) I believe KO called them "pimps" by RFK Lives — 91
30) Tip Jar by bklynarch — 87