29 May 2007

Learning languages is totally useful and stuff.

This week in Arabic class, we learned how to say "differential equations", as in "I am studying differential equations." Have I ever used that phrase? EVER? No. Will I ever use it? Well, since my repertoire in Arabic is limited, I used in on this dude Wahid who works in my building. He stared at me like I was a total idiot. Then, slowly, he replied, in the most basic of arabic:
NO. I DO NOT STUDY MATH.

Which I didn't understand, because while we have learned the names of the more difficult arithmetic studies, including calculus, differential equations and physics, we have not covered the more general "MATH".

Then he taught me to say "As much as it offends your religion, serve me a beer."

Which is much more hilarious, even if not useful.

3 comments:

missamberm said...

Damn skippy! It's about as useful as 'In your dreams, Grandpa!', which I found infinitely useful and still consider it the most useful phrase I know in any language; even my own. In fact, I might set it as the standard first phrase to establish in any other language I dabble in henceforth.

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MB said...

All i need to know in any language is "Where's your bathroom" and "I need food." Which is why one of the first signs I learned in ASL was "sandwich."