Opinion

To Err Can Be Fun!

By JOHN GATHRIGHT

Recently, I attended a lecture called "Eliminating Mistakes in Spoken English: Nobody Likes to Be Laughed At." The lecture was wonderful and informative, but all the way through the idea of completely eliminating mistakes from the process of learning a language nagged at me.

After a little thought, I decided that I LIKE the little slip-ups and inadvertent plays on words that people learning a new language sometimes stumble upon! These little "mistakes" are easily half the FUN of learning a language.

One example happened when a Japanese friend of mine became angry with his kids while eating in a restaurant in Canada. He yelled, "KORA!" ― and 30 seconds later, a waitress brought a glass of Coca-Cola to the table and quietly said, "I'm sorry that we are a very busy restaurant, but please next time don't yell your order."

Another friend of mine proudly showed me his store window display on which was written: "SPRING, A TIME FOR PASSING WIND." When I told him that in Canada, those words would mean "Spring, a time for ONARA," we both had a good laugh!

My favorite example of a memorable English learning experience was when I spent a day shopping in Canada with a Japanese friend. She was managing very well with store clerks and others that we met. However, she encountered a challenge when we decided to eat lunch at McDonald's

My friend tried to ask for directions but the first two passersby didn't understand her pronunciation of McDonald's. Her confidence badly bruised, she bravely approached a third person, asking, "Do you know Maku Donarudo?" It was a young father with his family; he replied, "What? Could you repeat that?" She tried again, "MA-KU DO-NA-RU-DO, Maku Donarudo ― You know Donarudo, Donarudo?" Suddenly, the father sprouted a million dollar smile: "Yes, yes! I understand!" He started making the strangest quacking noise ― imitating Donald Duck! At that point I burst out laughing so hard that the father started laughing and so did his kids. When I explained to him that she was trying to say "McDonald's," laughter exploded again! The young father then thrust out his hand and thanked her, saying, "Thanks for the laugh! You made my day!"

What I hadn't noticed was that my friend's face had turned a shade of blue in horror as we all began laughing. Her confidence was shattered and her pride cut to the core. Once we were out of earshot, she said, "I hate being laughed at. If Canadians are going to laugh at my mistakes I'm going to cancel my studies here." Then I realized that she had misinterpreted our laughter! I explained to her that we weren't laughing AT her but WITH her at the humor of the pronunciation difference.

Mistake is too strong and negative a word to describe the valuable process of practicing a foreign language. Perhaps a better name for the lecture I attended would be "Making Mistakes in English: The Humorous Building Blocks to Enjoying a New Language!"

Shukan ST: June 27, 1997

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