February 20, 2004
i encountered an interesting concept today.
i was talking to a friend of mine (it always starts this way) when this friend commented that i had distinguishing characteristics for each language i spoke. He told me my english is often sarcastic and cynical while my mandarin is more sweet and maternal. On the other hand, my cantonese is cute and totally immature while my french is more factual and practical. My question is: is that even possible? To have so many traits mixing around in a single person? Sounds like a pretty funny idea to me...the fact that i can be all these things in the span of a few hours. It sorta puzzles me.
On another note, languages are SO COOL. ^^
because
(a) you can connect with different people (useful at school)
(b) you can keep people out (useful with *ahem*parents*ahem*)
(c) express yourself. well myself. i think that's why i started learning and am still learning all those languages. i'm inept at fully expressing myself with just one. namely english, which is such an awkward and choppy language. just look at the word "awkward". isn't it ugly?
back to the beginning of my story, i like talking to this friend of mine. we consistantly switch between four languages, making our own mixed and garbled conversations. i thought i had an advantage over him though.
"hablo un poco espanol." (i speak a bit of spanish)
"si? hablo un poco tambien." (yeah? i speak a little too.)
cripes. just when i thought i had him...
oh and i just can't resist this jab at my school:
you know you've got a really non-white school when groups of (chinese) people actually set up mah-jong tournaments in the middle of the first floor.
