"Oh, you're a computer programmer? How many languages do you code?"

[muckefuck]

The dreaded question! Every profession has one and Saturday night at Bear Night I got it twice. profundojoe, bless his heart, allowed me a very convenient amendment. If the question is "How many languages can you speak the way an opera singer can be said to speak a language?" it suddenly becomes a lot easier to answer.

My silly co-worker, not knowing the treadmill I walk on, set me up by telling seemingly EVERYONE about what a master polyglot I am. I really didn't know what to say because a noisy bar already plays havoc with my audio processing of English. All I need for total humiliation is to have my claims put to the test by having someone try to get me to say or respond to something in a foreign language under such adverse conditions. Can't remember how I weaseled out of that situation...

Comments

[alcarilinque.livejournal.com]

I just always beg people to define 'speak' and 'language' for linguistics, and tell them I learn languages well but I can only say I speak English and Finnish, and let them muddle over the rest. Always fun otherwise to say I forget how many I've studied.

Good way of turning it around though, with the opera bit!