My 2010 resolution is to study Japanese again. I took a bit of a break to get all the particles in order (o, to, mo, no, here we go!) But, as this recent conversation highlights, perhaps it is best if I just take up knitting.
“Yes! Cocoa!” I said to my son through chattering teeth. “Look! On the English menu. It will warm us up!”
My son and I had spied a new small shop on our walk home from the grocery store. We were really, really, really hoping to find a hot beverage to warm us up.
“Perfect!” I said to my son. “Cocoa is on the menu. This will be easy.”
Part 1. What I think I am saying:
“Cocoa,” I said to the woman behind the counter.
“Hai,” she answered. And, that is all she did.
A few moments later I tried again.
“Cocoa,” I repeated a bit louder.
“Hai,” she said again. However, instead of making the drink, she looked around her shop and then just looked at me as if she expected me to say something else.
So, I did.
“Brrr,” I said as I hugged myself and pantomimed being cold. “Brrr. Brrr. Brrr.”
She looked at me a bit strangely.
“Cocoa,” I said one more time. Then, I pointed to the menu board behind her.
After a few moments of reviewing the menu, she pointed to “cocoa” on the board.
“Hai!” my son and I both said quite enthusiastically.
“So desu,” she said. And, then she said to me, “Co-co-ah.”
Co-co-ah? If “co-co-ah” is the pronunciation for “cocoa”, then what was I saying?
Part 2. What I was really saying:
“Koko,” I said to the woman behind the counter. (“Here. This place right here.”)
“Hai,” she said. (“You got it. A bit obvious, but you are right.”)
A few moments later I tried again.
“Koko,” I repeated a bit louder. (“Here. I am still stubbornly standing here. Telling you that I’m here. In this place. In this spot. Saying it loudly.”)
“Hai,” she said again. (“I agree. You are here.”) However, instead of making the drink (which she didn’t know I was ordering), she just stood there and looked at me as if she expected me to say something else (which would make sense because I was at the counter). Unfortunately, I hadn’t figured out my mistake yet, so instead I did this:
“Brrr,” I said as I hugged myself and pantomimed being cold. “Brrrrrrr. Brrr. Brrr.”
She looked at me strangely. (No kidding).
“Koko,” I tried one more time. (“Here. Here. Here. Love the word. Could say it all day.”). And, then (it's about time) I pointed to the menu board behind her.
After a few moments of reviewing the menu, she pointed to “cocoa” on the board.
“Hai!” my son and I both said quite enthusiastically.
“So desu,” she said. And, then she kindly tried to correct my mistake, “Co-co-ah.”
Aaaah.
Yeah, you know, on second thought, knitting is probably about right.
