tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446682073857250843.post1270940865722767383..comments2024-03-27T23:42:36.619-05:00Comments on Mock Ramblings: Language is more than words and meaningsMichael Mockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06233321050691782148noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446682073857250843.post-22048590988223916012012-08-28T12:41:54.485-05:002012-08-28T12:41:54.485-05:00Why? It's so common to be taught the "I d...Why? It's so common to be taught the "I don't speak [x]"s for values of x you're likely to encounter that saying it isn't evidence you're lying.<br /><br />There was one time I was in the room half paying attention when Mom was watching some movie, and they had an exchange that went something like this:<br /><br />Bad guy: Do you know where the MacGuffin is?<br /><br />Protagonist: I don't speak English.<br /><br />Bad guy: If you don't speak English, how come you can say you don't speak English?<br /><br />Protagonist (in fluent English): Because I learned it by rote, obviously. You should only think I can speak English if I can say something <em>other</em> than "I don't speak English."<br /><br />Bad guy: You just did. Tell me where the MacGuffin is!<br /><br />(Me: *headdesk* Dude, just repeat "I. Don't. Speak. English." louder and slower to anything he says. I mean, come <em>on</em>.)Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18034585577015417306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446682073857250843.post-13082128553313836822012-08-28T08:44:42.664-05:002012-08-28T08:44:42.664-05:00Yeah, I used to work at a law office and one of th...Yeah, I used to work at a law office and one of the things I learned to say was the Spanish equivalent of "I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish. Would you like to leave a voicemail for [name of person who actually did speak Spanish]?"<br /><br />For some odd reason, that would give folks the idea that I could actually understand a rapid-fire stream of the language...Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14775794907218052899noreply@blogger.com