Language Bloopers

In the processor of learning a language, one makes a million mistakes. I am trying to make the majority of my million in the first few months of my time here in Peru.

I was talking to Pastor Jim about a combi (like a mini bus) that I call the little green bunny because I thought the side said, “conejo,” (rabbit) but actually says, “consejo,” (advise). I still call it the little green bunny when I am talking to my bilingual friends.

I told my family that I ate darkness (tinieblas) instead of at a restaurant (Tinajas). They asked me if I ate with Satan.

One of the other Arriba students was helping her family fix lunch. She was excited to eat fish (pescado), and she told her Peruvian dad, “Me gusta pecado.” Which means, “I like sin.”

I said, “All we like bees have gone astray…” (Isaiah 52:6). (Abejas instead of Ovejas…remember that the b and v both sound like the b in English.)

Tuesday night I was eating dinner with my family, the tv was on, and everyone was talking when I realized that Mr. Funegra had asked me a question. I didn’t hear what he had said exactly, so I asked him to repeat what he said using the phrase, “Otra vez?,” which literally means “another time.” This would have been fine except his question was, “Janae, when are you going to get married?”