Monday, July 21, 2014

Would a babelfish translate poor English?

This sounds snobbish.  I am not a grammar nazi....well slightly but not like some people I know.  I make an effort to use words and punctuation properly but I am aware that I make mistakes.  Plus I use strange words all the time.  Words that, unless you are from here, you may not understand.  I think the first time I said "I have the freesons"  in front of my college boyfriend (who is not from here) he looked at me like I was nuts.  His response was something along the lines of  "you have free masons...what?"  Anyway, I am more or less wondering if the fabled leech like creature from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy would translate some of the gibberish I hear in my day to day dealings. 

I'm southern...I've been exposed to improper English and Cajun French/French my entire life.  But sometimes I seriously have no idea what people are saying and I swear it is English (or some variation of it).   I'm usually really good at deciphering enough of the words to carry a conversation but as of late it has become increasingly difficult.  I swear last week I had the Cajun guy from "The Waterboy" on the phone!  I know it is poking fun at us but there really are people down here that speak similarly.  Sometimes I revert to "um can you send me that in an email?" just because I can't say "can you repeat that?" anymore as it is becoming borderline rude.  At least in email I can attempt to figure out the communication. 

So that is my question would the storied Babelfish translate the ramblings of my fellow southerners?  I'd like to think it would because we do speak our own language down here.  Why doesn't this thing actually exist!?!  I feel bad when I cannot recognize what is trying to be communicated but it is to the point where I am like are you even trying...?  Seriously...are you having me on? Because it is not funny. 

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