Sep 5, 2008

Lost in Translation

Last night, in the cab on my way home, the driver suddenly spoke to me in Shanghainese reacting to something said over the radio.

I cut him short and asked "what did you say" in Mandarin hoping he'd understand that I don't speak Shanghainese and shift to Mandarin.

But he seemed to take my question for incomprehension of what he said earlier and went on to talk animatedly in between laughs. I found myself responding in both laughter and affirmation; acting as though I understood and agreed with every word he said.

He could've said I'm going to kill you and I would've sat there nodding and laughing my head off.

My sister, who was with me, said I looked stupid.

So much for understatement.

3 comments:

Roj said...

我不明白你说什么。

ShaLon said...

KS to the utmost hahhaa.
but i would do the same if i were u and if that delights other ppl hhee

Girl Interrupted said...

Usher, we always seem to go to the point of making a fool out of ourselves just to please people. What do we get out of it anyway? Approval? Like we care, haha