Comments on: You Said What?! The Importance of Context in Culture http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/you-said-what-the-importance-of-context-in-culture Life at the Intersection of Culture and Christianity Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:40:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: C. Holland http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/you-said-what-the-importance-of-context-in-culture/comment-page-1#comment-1546 C. Holland Thu, 28 May 2009 13:22:40 +0000 http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/?p=90#comment-1546 We asked the young woman if she had "broken in" her new husband. We meant it like new shoes, etc., so I'll let your mind wander from there. Love your language error! I've heard many when going between two different languages (my Spanish teacher once asked a large Mexican lady if he could warm his tortillas in her bra--he meant oven). But we even heard another one within the English language context that your error reminded me of... A very Southern man was sent to California to lead a religious denomination. In his first speech to a large group of pastors, he proclaimed that we should all be "flaming faggots for the Lord!" He meant the bundle of sticks, the Californians mistakenly thought he meant something else! We asked the young woman if she had “broken in” her new husband. We meant it like new shoes, etc., so I’ll let your mind wander from there.

Love your language error! I’ve heard many when going between two different languages (my Spanish teacher once asked a large Mexican lady if he could warm his tortillas in her bra–he meant oven). But we even heard another one within the English language context that your error reminded me of…

A very Southern man was sent to California to lead a religious denomination. In his first speech to a large group of pastors, he proclaimed that we should all be “flaming faggots for the Lord!” He meant the bundle of sticks, the Californians mistakenly thought he meant something else!

]]> By: Greg in Mexico http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/you-said-what-the-importance-of-context-in-culture/comment-page-1#comment-1495 Greg in Mexico Wed, 27 May 2009 01:00:55 +0000 http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/?p=90#comment-1495 Once I went into a store in Nicaragua to buy mattresses for a group that was coming. The Spanish word for mattress is "Colchon" but for some reason I dropped the "L" and told the attendant that I wanted to buy 20 "cochones." He got a funny look on his face and then another Nicaraguan in the store who had lived in the states turned and said in NY-accented English, "You mean 'coLchones', man. You know what you just asked for?" "No..." I relied. "Well," he continued, "you just told him you want to buy 20 gay people!" The word "cochon" is Nicaraguan slang for "gay" - prob closer to the English word "faggot." SO we live and learn! So, NOOO...my slip could'nt have meant something harmless like "doormat" or "moldy cheese"...it HAD to be something sexual! That's just my luck! I guess all missionaries have these stories. Once I went into a store in Nicaragua to buy mattresses for a group that was coming. The Spanish word for mattress is “Colchon” but for some reason I dropped the “L” and told the attendant that I wanted to buy 20 “cochones.” He got a funny look on his face and then another Nicaraguan in the store who had lived in the states turned and said in NY-accented English, “You mean ‘coLchones’, man. You know what you just asked for?”
“No…” I relied. “Well,” he continued, “you just told him you want to buy 20 gay people!” The word “cochon” is Nicaraguan slang for “gay” – prob closer to the English word “faggot.” SO we live and learn!

So, NOOO…my slip could’nt have meant something harmless like “doormat” or “moldy cheese”…it HAD to be something sexual! That’s just my luck! I guess all missionaries have these stories.

]]> By: Greg in Mexico http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/you-said-what-the-importance-of-context-in-culture/comment-page-1#comment-1494 Greg in Mexico Wed, 27 May 2009 00:54:41 +0000 http://www.missionaryconfidential.com/?p=90#comment-1494 Ok, you know you've got to tell us what you said!!! Ok, you know you’ve got to tell us what you said!!!

]]>