A friend of mine is certainly no linguistic scholar but over the years, she’s learned to communicate in several languages other than English.
The biggest benefit, of course, is that when traveling abroad, she can sometimes talk to people in their native tongue, instead of expecting them to speak English (American English at that!). Another benefit is a greater appreciation of language and its uses — how applying the grammar of one language to the spoken words of another language can sometimes lead to humorous results.
That’s the direction I’m taking here. There may be a few people out there who will think I’m making fun of a particular group, language or culture.
That’s not the case. Just imagine what Americans — a people not known for the ability to master foreign languages — are doing to other languages in similar situations. You should hear me trying to order food in a Japanese restaurant!
Here are some examples of “language mangling:”
All of these examples of fractured English are true. They have been taken from hotels, travel brochures, restaurant menus, signs on the street and advertisements.
I would love to hear how Americans “butcher” languages from other cultures. I am sure there are many funny examples!
Just remember. People who can laugh together, can live together. And the world is getting smaller every day.
