Marne Vet
Well-Known Member
This is probably my biggest, and funniest:
Never ever use a movie to learn a language. Why? Keep reading. My biggest customer goof ever at work:
I have a Vietnamese couple on my trip that taught me to say hello in Vietnamese. It's "chow bon". So I always wanted to learn more to try out whenever I saw them. Fast forward a few months and Full Metal Jacket is on. There's a scene where the hooker tells the black guy "no no, too 'booku' (sp?)" and he replies "No little darlin that ain't too booku that's just some Alabama black snake." Now in my mind I'm thinking it means "too big". The next time I deliver to them I'm holding this huge box, and when his wife answers the door I say "Chow Bon! Too Booku!!!!" She looks at me horrified, and since she doesn't speak English very well she just stands there with this shocked look. So my
says it again, louder. Her husband working in the back hears me and comes running to the door. He says "Oh my God what are you saying?!?!" So, I repeat myself a third time. He says "What do you think you're saying?!" I say "I'm saying 'Hello, too big' because this box is huge", and he starts laughing and says "No, that's not what you're saying. 'Too booku' means '', at least that's what it sounds like you're saying. I was in total shock. Twice I yelled at his wife "Hi, !" Hahaha I explained where I got my language skills from, and he was laughing so hard he was crying. I can't even deliver there now without his wife giving me the stink eye, but it's all good. He thought it was funny. So boys and girls, never use a movie to learn a new language. Especially FMJ! Hahaha
Never ever use a movie to learn a language. Why? Keep reading. My biggest customer goof ever at work:
I have a Vietnamese couple on my trip that taught me to say hello in Vietnamese. It's "chow bon". So I always wanted to learn more to try out whenever I saw them. Fast forward a few months and Full Metal Jacket is on. There's a scene where the hooker tells the black guy "no no, too 'booku' (sp?)" and he replies "No little darlin that ain't too booku that's just some Alabama black snake." Now in my mind I'm thinking it means "too big". The next time I deliver to them I'm holding this huge box, and when his wife answers the door I say "Chow Bon! Too Booku!!!!" She looks at me horrified, and since she doesn't speak English very well she just stands there with this shocked look. So my
says it again, louder. Her husband working in the back hears me and comes running to the door. He says "Oh my God what are you saying?!?!" So, I repeat myself a third time. He says "What do you think you're saying?!" I say "I'm saying 'Hello, too big' because this box is huge", and he starts laughing and says "No, that's not what you're saying. 'Too booku' means '', at least that's what it sounds like you're saying. I was in total shock. Twice I yelled at his wife "Hi, !" Hahaha I explained where I got my language skills from, and he was laughing so hard he was crying. I can't even deliver there now without his wife giving me the stink eye, but it's all good. He thought it was funny. So boys and girls, never use a movie to learn a new language. Especially FMJ! Hahaha
