They're talking about the hokkien language on the Nut's blog today....
I live in Klang, and it's almost a natural guaranteed consequence that I am Hokkien (which I am).
But, like the Nut, both my parents are English teachers (retired now) and we never had any grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins or such living with us. Just the Booker brood.
So growing up, I never had to speak anything else but English to be understood. Even in school, everyone spoke English.
And as a natural almost guaranteed consequence of that, I dont really speak Hokkien.
I mean I DO speak it, only I cant say that anyone in Klang (or in any other hokkien speaking province) will understand it.....
Booker : Pappy! Wa lang kha tan ai khe to lok ah?
[Pappy! Where are we going later?]
Pappy : (*Pained look on his face*)
Khe chiak ming kia lor
[To eat lor]
Booker : Khe tolok chiak? Ho chiak boh....
(and i go on to rattle on in what i thought was pretty good Hokkien, feeling rather proud of my hokkien heritage... when my dad stops me midsentence, wearing an expression like he just heard fingernails on a whiteboard....)
Pappy : Speak in English *term of endearment for me*................ Please........ speak in English.
Sigh...
6 comments:
hahahahahahaha..... so farnee....
I'm half cantonese, half hainanese... and I can't speak the hainanese lingo.. I could understand but no speak...
Hainanese:
wa bak tia bo bak kong. . .
Hokkien:
Wa eh hau tia beh hau kong. . .
We're so BANANA books...
We don't bother with Hokkien at all when even Cantonese can sometimes cause all parties listening to us to wince. :P
Merv, missed you yesterday leh!
Hope you're feeling better already :D
As long as you can order BKT and Pai Kut Peng in Hokkien and made yourself understood to the shopkeeper, that be the most important thing..hee hee!
And to order green vegetables!
I think your Hokkien is no 1. he..he..
Babi punya bunny!
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