Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I don't speak italian

This thought struck me last night as I was feeding Girlfriend's fish. Younger Son had helpfully pointed out that he likes to be talked to so I was chattering away when I suddenly realised that he wouldn't understand me being used to Girlfriend's Italian conversation.

I said the first thing that came into my head, 'Ciao.'

Fish looked puzzled. I guess it was my accent. I tried again with the only other bit of Italian I know. 'Buon appetito!'
That did the trick; he enthusiastically attacked the food flakes drifting round the bowl. I said it again for good measure and left him enjoying his dinner.

It does mean our conversation will be rather limited but it's only for a week while YS and Girlfriend are on holiday so I'm sure he'll survive.

8 comments:

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Spaghetti? Lasagne? Pizza?
I bet your Italian is up to the task in hand.

CalumCarr said...

Are you in this afternoon, Liz?

There's a van coming for you.

I suggest you leave fish-feeding instructions for hubbie. :)

Rose said...

On my first trip to Italy many years ago, I learned the word "Scusi." Not sure if you need to apologize to Fish, but I seemed to use the word a lot back then:)

Hmmm, now I'm curious about Calum's van...hope it's a fun excursion.

Liz Hinds said...

Good thinking, sonata. Unless he thinks I'm about to eat him.

I hid behind the door, calum, and they went away again.

It won't hurt, rose, to apologise. (Calum's talking about the white van that comes to take people to asylums!)

nick said...

Che bel pesce sei! Cosí aggraziato! Cosí carino! (What a beautiful fish you are! How graceful! How pretty!)

That should do the trick.

Leslie: said...

You can always flatter him by saying Ciao, Bello! That gets Italian men every time! lol

CherryPie said...

That reminds me of Dory in Finding Nemo :-)

Katney said...

I spoke Italian reasonably well for a conversation at one time. Having had no one to speak it with for over 45 years, it is fairly well forgotten until such time as I am trying to communicate in Spanish. At such times every Italina word I ever knew that is not the same or very similar in Spanish leaps from my lips.