(no subject)
It always amazes me how different someone becomes when you talk to them in their A language (formerly known as the "mother tongue", as an amateur linguist I have learned how inappropriate this term can be). The man who seemed kind of shy and unassuming as he said "Clean? Carpet?" suddenly becomes a whole new guy, smiling and joking and flirting (well he tried, I don't put up with that much these days, I just play dumb instead, it even works sometimes) when I say "Estas aqui para limpar el carpete?" in my Portuguese-accented Spanish. Same thing with the lady who cleans the office...the comfort of the language that one grew up with can never be underestimated.