On class on Wednesday we had a really interesting discussion about some idioms used in the Spanish language. You can tell a lot about a culture from the idioms that they use. Our idioms in America are very centered around time (such as "time is money"). Where as Spanish idioms seem to deal a lot with food (such as "me vale queso" which means I don't care, but literally means something like: that matters to me as much as cheese).
Last night I was watching Ocean's 13 and there is one part where one of the "mormon twins" is working in a factory in Mexico. One of his co-workers warns him "algo es peligroso" (something is dangerous), to which he responds "Peligroso es mi nombre medio" (literally: Dangerous is my middle name). I thought this was funny because the subtitle read "danger is my middle name." It's interesting how we try to get our idioms to fit in another language and sometimes it doesn't work, especially when we translate wrong.
I wonder sometimes what impression my use of the Spanish language is going to give the native people there; I still have a lot of Spanish to learn. Every time that I mess up my grammar or use the personal tú instead of the formal usted I am labeling myself as a outsider. Of course, with my pale skin and 6'8" I will stick out like a sore thumb, but language is something else.
The nice part is that I will be able to use my lack of language proficiency to my advantage sometimes. If I admit my mistakes and inadequacies but express a real desire to learn, that should open up the hearts of the people of Irapuato. Who doesn't like someone who is struggling hard to learn your language and culture? They should be happy to help, and as I seek to learn in friendship, I am sure they will respond in like kind.
And I will be feliz como una lombriz (happy as a worm).
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