[Buddha-l] languages

[Jim Peavler]

About 20 years ago I worked in southern California. Several of us  
often lunched at a Japanese sushi bar that was run by a Japanese  
gentleman whose English was so poor we could hardly understand him,  
though he seemed to understand us well enough. We were all fond of  
soft-shelled crab when they were in season, and especially liked the  
way he fixed them, so whenever he would get in a fresh bunch of them  
(which was fairly rare) he would call us and we would all rush down  
to his place for lunch. On one trip when we had a little extra time  
to spend we each decided to have a second crab. The place was very  
busy and he was occupied at the front bar, preparing sushi. So he  
yelled out in what sounded to us like perfect Spanish that he needed  
three more soft-shell crabs.  Soon a short Mexican man came out with  
a platter of crabs.  We asked our host about his and he said that it  
was important to his business that he not get to sounding too good at  
English because his Japanese-ness was a necessary part of his  
marketing. However, it was essential that his help understand exactly  
what he meant.

Long before that I worked in a Porshe garage in Boulder where the  
German mechanics and owner were careful to protect their German  
accents for the same reason.

Perhaps this explains why I talk like an uneducated cowboy from the  
mountains.

probably not.