levity and language

Kenneth Gauck (C558382@MIZZOU1.MISSOURI.EDU)
Tue, 1 Nov 1994 12:06:12 CST

Re Tom Hogarth's language story, I know a guy whose father is Venesualian
born, who spent his early adolesence in Venesuala and took three years of
Spanish in high school. He still can't speak a word of it and when his
Venesualan relatives visit he smiles and nods and uses formula, non-commital
responces "nice", "really", "well, how interesting".

Since then he has gone to Taiwan, where, he jokes, he is known to the
American consolate as the only American to spend a year and a half in
country and not learn a singe bit of speech.

Kenneth Gauck
c558382@mizzou1missouri.edu