commuication – Pure and Simple

Actually I’m not sure this was a royal table, but let’s say it once belonged to a Hungarian noble, a piece of his past that somehow moved to another’s person’s villa.

Why do you think that might be?

Because the owner of the villa had gone bankrupt, and his villa turned into a museum. Some treasured Hungarian pieces were moved there, including the table.

Thanks to one of the museum staff, I knew about this story.

Hopefully, I got it right.

As for other information, my daughter and I had to rely on our own brains to put bits and pieces together, since everything was in German.

And you may know by now that my German is just like my Italian- two languages I never once considered learning. No idea why.

So back to the royal table. Isn’t it beautiful?

As in most museums, visitors aren’t allowed to touch any of pieces, but they can take photos.

How I wished I could pull up a chair and enjoy a nice cup of tea there.

But since that wasn’t allowed, I simply imagined it.

Those old china cups and plates, a traditional cake with natural flavours and simple ingredients.

I wouldn’t have minded wearing one of those dresses on display either. They were long, elegant, and even had a hair cover. It would have been fun.

I couldn’t imagine other guests in the scene, though.

It would have been so embarrassing as they would all be speaking German, and I’d be sitting there with nothing but a completely useless smile.

It was an enjoyable visit.

And what made it even more enjoyable was the experience of communicating with people who don’t understand your language just as much you don’t understand theirs.

But we laughed together, and somehow managed to sort the whole visit perfectly.

Perhaps one day I will try to learn some German.

Just…maybe.

With short-break holiday thoughts,

Nahla

‘I still have an accent,’ an acquentence said one day, as we were having tea and cake at a café.

I told her that I didn’t notice that at all, as her English was so good, but she didn’t seem convinced. ‘I can’t wait to get rid of it,’ she insisted, making it seem like a big problem. I couldn’t help but wonder why it was a big problem.

Do you think it’s a big problem to have an accent?

Honestly, I don’t mind. Why would you mind if your mother tongue is different from the language you’re using for communication in your new place? In fact, I find it interesting, different, and even special. Isn’t it the same when a native English, or French, or any other speaker speaks Arabic with an accent of their own tongue?

Over the years I have found that it’s hard for English native speakers to pronounce the ‘H’ in my name because it’s followed by ‘L’. Therefore, they drop the H, and instead of Nahla, they pronounce it Nala. I understand the difficulty, and don’t mind. We are created with different tongues, aren’t we? Isn’t that encouraging to learn and understand others?

In another context, a few years ago, while we were on holiday in Tunisia, I found it so interesting how their Arabic has a French accent. I really liked how different and unique it sounded. This is the same reaction I have when I meet Arabic speaking people from the Gulf region. Sometimes, it takes me a moment or so to understand, but I like how it sounds. I wonder how common it is to find people speaking the same language with different accents. Isn’t that what they call the tapestry of linguistic diversity?

The only exemption from this phenomenon is children. They are so quick, so ready to become bilingual with a fluent accent. I’ve noticed that in my own children, as well as other bilingual children. Perhaps, that’s because children don’t force it or overthink it. It just slips off their tongues so naturally and easily.

I still have an accent, and I like it.

With all the best wishes,

Nahla

Tag: commuication

The Royal Table

I Still Have An Accent