In a trivia quiz I take every day (when I have regular access to the Internet, that is) there was a recent question, fitting question really asking about the reason there are twelve verses to the national anthem of South Africa. The reason? There are twelve official languages in South Africa. Think of how hard it is to communicate in the states where we have one official (and another - Spanish - that may as well be official in many areas) language.
I have to assume that this is the reason the police officer in North-West the other night didn't understand the concept that I was lost and wanted to go to Randberg. I guess also that is what made the desk clerk this morning look at me strangely.
"I'm sorry I don't know this word. What is corderdu?"
"I want a car arranged to pick-up my colleague and me at a quarter-to." I repeated. "We need to go to MNET."
"Quart or two?" he said slowly looking puzzled.
"Eight forty-five." I explained. "Can we please have a car to deliver us to MNET at eight forty-five."
"Yes." He said. "You, eh… you're going to MNET. When?"
"Thirty minutes." I replied. "We're going into breakfast. We want the car just now*. We'll want to leave around a quarter-to-nine."
"Okay." He replied. "I will have a car for you now."
I went into breakfast not knowing if or when I would have a car. The car arrived about fifteen minutes later. We finished breakfast and headed into the client. We were early.
I hope that wherever you are today, you're having no communication issues!
Don Bergquist - 06 March 2007 - Randberg, Gauteng, South Africa
3 comments:
Don, Don, Don . . . "I want a car arranged to pick-up my colleague and I at a quarter-to." Remember, take off the other people in the sentence to chose between I and me: "John and I went to the park" because "I went to the park", "I want a car for my colleague and me" because "I want a car for me".
Dear readers:
The anonymous editor has once again pointed-out that I should really not write before my second cup of coffee in the morning or after the last glass of gin at night. I have edited (once again) the grammatical error that was pointed-out by "Anonymous." Anonymous was quite right. "I" should have been "me" in the sentence for exactly the reason stated.
I guess I should listen to Grammar Girl (http://grammar.qdnow.com/) more often; or at least quit writing at the times when I am not at my best.
djb
Anonymous:
Thank you again for proof reading my posts. I hope that despite the howling errors in grammar (made mostly because I am too busy to proof them myself) you are enjoying my stories!
djb
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