I was just reading an email from my sister, in which she referred to a particular incident that I thought I'd share with you. I've heard this story a hundred times (it happened over 25 years ago), but each time I hear it, it makes me laugh.
To begin, I should explain that in NY, the state colleges offer exchange student programs. That was how I ended up in Puerto Rico, btw. My sister spent one year as an exchange student in Spain. Unlike me, who, after nearly 27 years of speaking Spanish still can't shake my heavy American accent, my sister has a true ear for languages. From the start, she spoke Spanish like a true Spaniard - her accent was so impeccible that the Spaniards mistook her for a native.
While in Spain, my sister decided to take a ferry ride to, if I recall correctly, Italy. She went to purchase her ticket, and had the following conversation with the man at the ticket counter:
Man: May I have your number, please?
Sis: Oh, was I supposed to take a number?
Man: Excuse me?
Sis: I didn't know I was supposed to take a number. Where are the numbers?
Man: No, I mean *your* number.
Sis: I don't have a number. What number do you mean?
Man: The number they gave you when you were born!
Sis (thinking the man had mistaken her for a Spaniard, and assuming that babies in Spain receive some sort of citizenship number or something): Oh, no! I'm an American. We don't give babies numbers in America.
Man: Is this some sort of joke?
Sis: No, I'm serious. I don't have a number.
Man:
Everybody has a number!
Sis: Maybe everybody in Spain, but I'm an American. I don't have a number!
Man (visibly annoyed and losing patience): If you do not give me your number, I cannot give you a ticket.
Sis (frantically trying to think of some number she can give this man to appease him): There *is* a number on my passport...
Man (in a "duh"-tone-of-voice): Well, *that* one!
When my sister turned her passport over to the man and watched him write, she suddenly realized her mistake. During this entire conversation (which took place in Spanish), they had been talking about my sister's "nombre" - which is *not* the Spanish word for "number", but rather for "name"!
The poor man's frustration is understandable if you re-read the conversation, substituting the word "name" for "number"!
- Vicki
LOL! That was funny. I've been taking Spanish for the past 3 years, and I just love the language...I could totally imagine the convo in my head!