Do they really read english?

[Cal A Baugh]

My favorite story is when my ex-wife spent a long time studying an item in the 'hair care section' of a big box store a month or so after she arrived in the USA. She finally told me 'I need this. Buy for me'.

I looked at the package, and asked her 'Are you sure?' I know I shuddered a bit when I saw what it was, but then realized she had no idea what the hell it was....but wanted it.

'Yes!' She told me 'It not expensive, only $20!'

I took a few minutes and explained that what she held in her hand, and 'needed' was some sort of electrical LICE REMOVER COMB.

She must have thought it was a curling iron of some sort, but when I showed her those, she wasn't interested.

Another time she needed an over the counter product for a 'personal itch' in a sensitive area. She came out of the drugstore with a product, which if she had applied in the problem area, would have made her the first Chinese woman in outerspace.


It's a little funny, now guys, but don't assume your asian bride can read sufficient english to understand common labels, or takes the time to try to read them. She also thought the bottle of liquid Sevin insecticide I used in the garden, was liquid fertilizer, and was adding it to her watering can. if you're not familiar with this product, you are not supposed to eat the veggies you used it on for periods of days, to weeks after application. It can poison you.

[cccssscccsss]

She also thought the bottle of liquid Sevin insecticide I used in the garden, was liquid fertilizer, and was adding it to her watering can. if you're not familiar with this product, you are not supposed to eat the veggies you used it on for periods of days, to weeks after application. It can poison you.

Are you sure she didn't have an "agenda"?

Kidding apart, it takes a while for a foreigner to understand the full meaning of things around here.
For example, "the food is pretty good", I've seen more than few foreigners using this expression when they really like it, much like, "the food is excellent".
What I use is reversing, I ask her for the meaning of something when I suspect she did not understand.
Just make sure not to make fun of it, they are learning and some will shut down if you do that.

[reader]

She also thought the bottle of liquid Sevin insecticide I used in the garden, was liquid fertilizer, and was adding it to her watering can. if you're not familiar with this product, you are not supposed to eat the veggies you used it on for periods of days, to weeks after application. It can poison you.

Are you sure she didn't have an "agenda"?

Kidding apart, it takes a while for a foreigner to understand the full meaning of things around here.
For example, "the food is pretty good", I've seen more than few foreigners using this expression when they really like it, much like, "the food is excellent".
What I use is reversing, I ask her for the meaning of something when I suspect she did not understand.
Just make sure not to make fun of it, they are learning and some will shut down if you do that.

I really understand her, imagine just here about 20 years ago no matter what you bought all the instructions were in english but the problem was nobody can't read or talk in english.. Imagine my dad getting a patio and all the instructions were in english, a car, tv, video etc. when i said everything is everything and the computers arrived and then again all the programs were in english....for all of us english was just like chinese for you..but since then the companies have to translate in french ( but that is not the same french we talk) everything if they want to do business here but sometime you should read the translations it is so funny or stupid i should say...I learned my english when i was in the navy so i learned it the hard way never really learn how to write in english but reading i can but to understand it is something else..I send all my children to english school because i know that even here it is good to know this language. Never when i was younger i tought that this language will be so much usuful and it even save my life because of the little i knew then...Now i stil learning and thanks to every one that correct me when i make mystake. My talking is a lots better than my writting but if you ever hear me talk for sure you will know i am a real Quebecois because of my accent. I wonder how you will look like if tomorow all your instructions were in French... The differrence betwen our french compare to a french from France is about as big compare from the english like Skippy talks to english from england.. Our french is very slang.. I wrote that just to tell you that i do understand your ex....But i wonder why some of you are taking a women that is not talking your language? are you doing that for a personal challenge or what else?

[Cal A Baugh]

Her problem was to read english took some effort, so she really didn't bother. She used translation software on the computer, and a portable electronic translator, which made it easy to avoid really learning how to read some english.
You'd think the word POISON and the various poison symbols would be kind of universal.
She even cheated on tests in her ESL classes....then wondered why she wasn't allowed to progress to the next level.

[sillysally]

when people go to an unfamiliar circumstances they are making some funny moves. i m sure if you stay in china, you will be joke sometimes too~