español
So, like a subpar television sitcom bound for syndication, I am living with my parents right now. And so is my 85-year-old grandmother. Hello mexican-american familia.
In any case, my grandmother tends to assume that I speak spanish. Which I do not. I took language classes up to spanish five in high school, where we studied literature, so I do have a general understanding of the language, but that was pretty much four years ago. A lot has been forgotten and my vocabulary is minimal.
Nonetheless, I am of mexican descent, so my grandmother naturally believes I can speak the language. No matter that I always answer her in english.
So for me to understand spanish, translating it has to be the only thing I am doing. We're talking total focus because my brain is slower in translating it since I don't do it often. Sometimes my grandma will just go off on a story in spanish, speaking so quickly I can't really keep up.
There are only three possible reactions I've come up with for this.
1) Sometimes my brain is too tired to focus on it so I don't even try to translate. And I'll just say 'yeah' or laugh when my instincts deem it's appropriate.
2) I'll say 'what grandma' and try to get her to repeat it in english. She'll usually just repeat it in spanish and I revert back to number one.
3) I will be able to focus enough to catch on to enough words to get what she's sort of saying. And then usually I will say 'yeah' or laugh when my instincts deem it's appropriate.
just thought I would mention it. she's watching a telenovela right now while I'm on the laptop and keeps asking me questions in spanish about what's going on on the show--a show I obviously don't understand.
such is life.
In any case, my grandmother tends to assume that I speak spanish. Which I do not. I took language classes up to spanish five in high school, where we studied literature, so I do have a general understanding of the language, but that was pretty much four years ago. A lot has been forgotten and my vocabulary is minimal.
Nonetheless, I am of mexican descent, so my grandmother naturally believes I can speak the language. No matter that I always answer her in english.
So for me to understand spanish, translating it has to be the only thing I am doing. We're talking total focus because my brain is slower in translating it since I don't do it often. Sometimes my grandma will just go off on a story in spanish, speaking so quickly I can't really keep up.
There are only three possible reactions I've come up with for this.
1) Sometimes my brain is too tired to focus on it so I don't even try to translate. And I'll just say 'yeah' or laugh when my instincts deem it's appropriate.
2) I'll say 'what grandma' and try to get her to repeat it in english. She'll usually just repeat it in spanish and I revert back to number one.
3) I will be able to focus enough to catch on to enough words to get what she's sort of saying. And then usually I will say 'yeah' or laugh when my instincts deem it's appropriate.
just thought I would mention it. she's watching a telenovela right now while I'm on the laptop and keeps asking me questions in spanish about what's going on on the show--a show I obviously don't understand.
such is life.