Word on the street: English as a second love
The scene: St. Matthews ESL program over at 18th and N. I helped out with hospitality -- fancy word for opening doors and serving snack -- during the summer session. What follows is a conversation between me and one of the level one students who always seemed very happy to see me ...
It's snack time. I sit at the table, taking money and dishing out snacks. The level one class comes down. One of the students is Ermelindo, a young man who looks about 19 or 20. He is smiling and stammering as he approaches the table.
Ermelindo: Hola.
Julia: Hello.
Ermelindo: Do you speak Spanish?
Julia: Only a little. I studied it in high school, but haven't practiced it since.
Ermelindo: You have to speak Spanish.
Julia (laughing): Why? You're here to learn English.
Ermelindo: You have to learn to speak Spanish so we can talk because I love you.
Julia: (stunned silence)
Ermelindo: Ok?
Julia: Um. (gropes for Spanish vocab)Ummm ... come se llama?
Ermelindo: Ermelindo. You can say Lindo. It means ... wonderful! And handsome.
Other student: No. Guapo means handsome.
Julia: Yeah! I thought lindo meant cute, as in 'aww, look at the 'cute little boy'!
The emphasis does not translate. Ermelindo continues beaming and stammering. The other students leave. He remains.
Julia: Lindo, you have to go back to class.
Ermelindo: I can't.
Julia: Why?
Ermelindo: I have to stay here and protect you.
Julia: Go!
He grins all the way up the stairs. It needs no translation. I'm grinning too.
It's snack time. I sit at the table, taking money and dishing out snacks. The level one class comes down. One of the students is Ermelindo, a young man who looks about 19 or 20. He is smiling and stammering as he approaches the table.
Ermelindo: Hola.
Julia: Hello.
Ermelindo: Do you speak Spanish?
Julia: Only a little. I studied it in high school, but haven't practiced it since.
Ermelindo: You have to speak Spanish.
Julia (laughing): Why? You're here to learn English.
Ermelindo: You have to learn to speak Spanish so we can talk because I love you.
Julia: (stunned silence)
Ermelindo: Ok?
Julia: Um. (gropes for Spanish vocab)Ummm ... come se llama?
Ermelindo: Ermelindo. You can say Lindo. It means ... wonderful! And handsome.
Other student: No. Guapo means handsome.
Julia: Yeah! I thought lindo meant cute, as in 'aww, look at the 'cute little boy'!
The emphasis does not translate. Ermelindo continues beaming and stammering. The other students leave. He remains.
Julia: Lindo, you have to go back to class.
Ermelindo: I can't.
Julia: Why?
Ermelindo: I have to stay here and protect you.
Julia: Go!
He grins all the way up the stairs. It needs no translation. I'm grinning too.