“Dates No Cooking?” Dealing With Broken English
I’m working at a construction site. Babu, is a site supervisor. He came from southern Asia. At the beginning, and as a new comer, I never noticed that we need to adapt our English, until I started to communicate with him, and other construction workers. This is the story about it.
One day I asked him about the dates which grew in front of our office.
Me: Those dates, can we pick them from the tree and eat?
Babu: Can sir, but now how eating? After cooking can eating na.
Me: (Confused. I thought he got me wrong) What is that to do with cooking?
Babu: Sure na… Now no cooking na, eating taste no good. After cooking eating no problem.
Me: ooo. (Now I noticed, cooking = ripped)
I experienced the same cultural shock as others who had never imagined about this before. For those who never being here, might not have any idea of how is broken English sounds like. Staying here, we have to adapt ourselves speaking broken English in order to communicate with others, especially the construction workers.
It is not that we did not want to, but using proper English will make things more complicated, and often leads to communication breakdown. At the end we are ‘forced’ to speak English in their way.
I would like to tell about the other events.
One day I was directing Babu to accompany me for a site visit.
Me: Babu!
Babu: Yes, sir!
Me: I want you to wait for me at the back gate around 4 this afternoon, but don’t be too early. Understand?
Babu: No sir!
Me: No what?
Babu: No understand sir!
Me: (Inhale) I want you to wait for me at the back gate around 4 this afternoon, but don’t be too early. Is that OK?
Babu, still looking cluelessly.
Babu: No understand sir!
Me: Sigh...(Inhale again) You afternoon…. backside coming….ok? 2 o’clock no coming, 3 o’clock no coming- 4 o’clock coming ok.!
Babu: Ok, sir, understand!
Me: Ukh!..(Why am I talking like this?)
4pm at the rear gate.
Me: (telephone) Babu!
Babu: Hello sir!
Me: Where are you? I’m here at the gate.
Babu: sorry sir?
Me: (…owh, I need to speak broken again…)I now already coming. Where you?
Babu: aaaa…(sounds like he understood) Ok, sir…there hot too much. I just now passed away, you no there. I now tree under-standing.
Me: Hah? (Became more confused)
(note: I now tree understanding = standing under the tree)
On the other day.
Babu: Good morning , sir!
Me: Morning….How are you doing down there?
Babu: I’m doing chicking sir!
Me: Hah? (confused)
Babu: I’m doing chicking!
Me: (OK…I just noticed, I gave a wrong form of greeting. Next time just say ‘How are you’)
Chicking what?
Babu: Every day I coming chicking all the worker. Now all worker good, no illegal na. Worker illegal na, me coming arrest the police.
Me: oo…. (Whatever, Babu. But why you want to arrest the police?)
(Note: Chicking = checking)
Dear reader, had you ever experienced the same thing? Chill….
Comments
Hi Diah, it's nothing wrong of having broken English. I think it's just a process of learning, and most important is not to get misleaded of what being said. Anyway, you will improve as you mix around more over here to use your English ^-^, and will be glad to help.
LOL, I thought I doing this oftenly according to my fluency in English..so, my apology for my English, Naim..I will be glad, if you do not mind, please help me to improve my English..
Hi Maia, Babu's mother tongue is Tamil. Yes, you are right, in communication we need to improvise somehow in order to make the communication workable. That's make my experience became more fun and thus, always have something to tell someone.
(p/s: you have being absent for sometimes....how are you,friend?)
Hi Nida,
That is always happen when direct translation used. For me, the most disturbing term I heard when I first came across with this form of language would be "you going backside", a phrase to tells that I need to rear part or something. Anyway, I already get used to it, and its interesting too. Chill...
Nice blog!
In my region, a lot of languages have same word for "ripe" and cooking" and everybody understands it by means of its context. Words like this however are really confusing if a person with limited knowledge of a foreign would try to translate them. And this could often result in misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
Thanks for the interesting blog, N Naim. I really enjoyed reading it. And this "chick point" thing is really hilarious!
Hi Amal,
That's true.Maybe in communication, there are no so called "right language". As long as the correct message is delivered. Sometimes we need to go back to the basic.
But in other hand, if you get involved in legal matters, you will noticed, things were made complicated by them. Even one word could make a person found guilty.
Hi Robbie,
Yes, as the time went by, I got used to their form of language. Some how rather I have being 'fluent' with broken English. It's funny, right? Chill...
I personally experienced a bit much more difficult one.During Ommra ,an Iranian woman was trying to tell me something .She does not speak English at all plus Arabic( my native tongue),I don't know her language but the surprise is I understand her .How???!!!!!!!!!!!!!let me tell you
We do not only communicate through languages ,we have other means like gestures, facial expressions ,inspiration ,body language ...etc .Such stuff makes face_ to_ face communication easy & clear even if we do not know the languages of one anther or if we are even mute.
Hi N Naim,
Interesting blog you have here! I think using English depends on the environment we live in. It also sometimes how we say it that leads to misinterpretation. So it's important to speak the words clear and slowly as well as be patient in dealing with people who have limited spoken English. I can absolutely relate to your story since I have friends who experienced the same scenario.
Thanks for sharing your blog!
Cheers!
Robbie
Hi Boriana, I know that your are just mocking it. Your English is not that bad either. But anyway, seems I can understand Babu, I could also understand you....that is not that bad...heeee. Chill...
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