Comments on: Adventures at Church Overseas http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/ Uplifting, edifying, and enriching reading by and for Latter-day Saint Women Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:43:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Sylvia http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-954 Wed, 31 May 2006 07:29:31 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-954 Here's my brief account of my visit - it was actually in 2001. I was in Tirana for a meeting and was able to go to church in Tirana and Milan (on the way there and back). http://ticklethepear.livejournal.com/3499.html Here’s my brief account of my visit - it was actually in 2001. I was in Tirana for a meeting and was able to go to church in Tirana and Milan (on the way there and back).

http://ticklethepear.livejournal.com/3499.html

]]> by: Maralise http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-951 Wed, 31 May 2006 02:51:56 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-951 Jen-- Queen Serene mentioned your blog to me over at Segullah. I was surprised to see you here! I thought...Jen, in Albania....has to be the Jen I know from Gaithersburg. Small World! Matt keeps telling me to email you and then quickly forgets to give me your address. I'll keep tabs on you here though... Sorry for the unrelated post. Didn't want to lurk without revealing myself. Jen–

Queen Serene mentioned your blog to me over at Segullah. I was surprised to see you here! I thought…Jen, in Albania….has to be the Jen I know from Gaithersburg. Small World! Matt keeps telling me to email you and then quickly forgets to give me your address. I’ll keep tabs on you here though…

Sorry for the unrelated post. Didn’t want to lurk without revealing myself.

]]> by: Starfoxy http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-940 Tue, 30 May 2006 16:18:30 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-940 It's always fascinating to me that the innocence of children turns what is offensive and rude into something humorous and sometimes cute. Though I'm sure you're horrified and embarrassed I doubt that anyone else is. :) It’s always fascinating to me that the innocence of children turns what is offensive and rude into something humorous and sometimes cute. Though I’m sure you’re horrified and embarrassed I doubt that anyone else is. :)

]]> by: not ophelia http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-938 Tue, 30 May 2006 14:17:22 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-938 It works both ways. Imagine hearing some poor Thai in the US innocently saying their word for pumkin [Phuk] . . . N.O. It works both ways. Imagine hearing some poor Thai in the US innocently saying their word for pumkin [Phuk] . . .

N.O.

]]> by: RoAnn http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-936 Tue, 30 May 2006 09:05:51 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-936 <p>Fun post, Jen! Cars do seem to be one of the first interests of little boys. We moved to South America when our first child was three months old, so he learned Spanish and English at the same time. When a toddler, he didn't pronounce the "r" in "car" at first, so the meaning for Spanish speakers (especially when he repeated the word twice) came through as similar to the equivalent of English "poo." Not a strong obscenity, but sufficiently crude that we were embarrassed when he called it out in church. We tried tactics similar to yours, and after a couple of weeks we succeeded in reducing the volume of the outbursts; eventually, of course, the problem went away. By the time we had a second boy (after two girls) we had perfected the arts of toy selection and immediate distraction during Sacrament Meeting.</p><p>Fortunately, as Blain mentioned, members are usually very understanding of the language development of all children, as well as the pronunciation and word use mistakes that adult foreigners make. A sense of humor helps a lot!</p><p>Incidents like the ones you, Blain and Keryn described are perfect illustrations of how our reaction to words is totally culturally based. I still remember when we moved to England, and a couple of our children were shocked when their Australian Primary teacher used the word "damn." I had to explain that was the Australian equivalent of "darn" in American!</p><p>There is nothing inherently "bad" about any particular set of sounds. It is the meaning a word has in a particular culture that can render a particular set of sounds offensive. Or, when we hear those sounds coming from the mouth of a little child, humorous!<p> Fun post, Jen! Cars do seem to be one of the first interests of little boys. We moved to South America when our first child was three months old, so he learned Spanish and English at the same time. When a toddler, he didn’t pronounce the “r” in “car” at first, so the meaning for Spanish speakers (especially when he repeated the word twice) came through as similar to the equivalent of English “poo.” Not a strong obscenity, but sufficiently crude that we were embarrassed when he called it out in church. We tried tactics similar to yours, and after a couple of weeks we succeeded in reducing the volume of the outbursts; eventually, of course, the problem went away. By the time we had a second boy (after two girls) we had perfected the arts of toy selection and immediate distraction during Sacrament Meeting.

Fortunately, as Blain mentioned, members are usually very understanding of the language development of all children, as well as the pronunciation and word use mistakes that adult foreigners make. A sense of humor helps a lot!

Incidents like the ones you, Blain and Keryn described are perfect illustrations of how our reaction to words is totally culturally based. I still remember when we moved to England, and a couple of our children were shocked when their Australian Primary teacher used the word “damn.” I had to explain that was the Australian equivalent of “darn” in American!

There is nothing inherently “bad” about any particular set of sounds. It is the meaning a word has in a particular culture that can render a particular set of sounds offensive. Or, when we hear those sounds coming from the mouth of a little child, humorous!
]]> by: Keryn Ross http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-928 Mon, 29 May 2006 21:11:48 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-928 Jen, this is a hysterical story. Thanks for giving me a laugh today. Blain, my son had the exact same trouble with the word "frog". My nephews thought it was absolutely hilarious. I was somewhat less than amused at their encouragement, though. Jen, this is a hysterical story. Thanks for giving me a laugh today.

Blain, my son had the exact same trouble with the word “frog”. My nephews thought it was absolutely hilarious. I was somewhat less than amused at their encouragement, though.

]]> by: Michelle http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-927 Mon, 29 May 2006 21:11:29 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-927 5. Manaen, this is actually what came to mind for me...all those stories of companions who exploit their new comps' lack of knowledge about the language (like the classic use of "embarasada" which sounds like it could mean "embarrassed" when it actually means "pregnant"). Fortunately, my comp was nice. :) 5. Manaen, this is actually what came to mind for me…all those stories of companions who exploit their new comps’ lack of knowledge about the language (like the classic use of “embarasada” which sounds like it could mean “embarrassed” when it actually means “pregnant”). Fortunately, my comp was nice. :)

]]> by: manaen http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-926 Mon, 29 May 2006 20:52:54 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-926 For this reason during my mission in Argentina we always had a trusted older sympathetic member with whom we'd try new words before using them in conversation. Some people on the street found enjoyment in loading our vocabulary with words they'd misdefine. For this reason during my mission in Argentina we always had a trusted older sympathetic member with whom we’d try new words before using them in conversation. Some people on the street found enjoyment in loading our vocabulary with words they’d misdefine.

]]> by: jen http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-915 Mon, 29 May 2006 17:40:46 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-915 Sylvia, Yeah, no kidding! What WERE you doing in Tirana? Sylvia,

Yeah, no kidding! What WERE you doing in Tirana?

]]> by: Sylvia http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-908 Mon, 29 May 2006 08:41:30 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2006/05/28/adventures/#comment-908 I don't remember the name of the branch I visited in Tirana in 2000, but I enjoyed my visit very much - especially as all the young people surreptiously checked for my nametag - I learned that the branch didn't get many young American visitors! I don’t remember the name of the branch I visited in Tirana in 2000, but I enjoyed my visit very much - especially as all the young people surreptiously checked for my nametag - I learned that the branch didn’t get many young American visitors!

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