Family

Autofriends

I usually drive to work.  I used to drive alone, losing myself in music and dodging Seoul traffic on my way to and from work.  Lately though, I’ve been carpooling with coworkers.  One coworker, a neighbor, meets me every morning to avoid having to take the shuttle.  It’s cheaper for her because it saves her from having to buy shuttle passes.  Fortunately, she’s not scared of my driving!  Another coworker used to join us until she took a leave of absence to give birth to her second child.  She’ll probably start commuting in with us again after she returns to work.  In the evening, I return home at different times, so my rideshare mates vary depending on who’s ready to go when I leave.  Although at heart I’m a bit of a loner and like to have time to myself, but I have enjoyed having people ride with me.  Tonight I gave a ride to a coworker I’ve hardly talked to at all, and we had a great conversation.  I’m glad now to have a chance to use my automobile as a means to spend time with people I rarely have time to spend with at work or at home.  The commute is just long enough to have good conversation with coworkers and friends you don’t spend much time with at work.

Lost in translation

Today, while out and about with my son, I heard this comment in English for umpteenth time from a Korean:  "Your son is more handsome than you."
 
If you are a native English speaker, how do you interpret this comment?  It could mean any of the following:
  • "You are handsome, but your son is more handsome than you."
  • "You are ugly, but your son is handsome."
  • "Your son must have gone his good looks from his mom, because he surely could not have gotten them from you."
  • "You and your son are very handsome, and you imparted your best qualities to him."
  • A throw-away comment that means absolutely nothing.

So, which one is it? 

 

I asked a Korean what it means to a Korean.

 

Actually,  to Koreans, this utterance is a throw-away comment, something Koreans say to fathers with cute kids.  It’s intended to be small talk, not a referendum on the child’s looks or the father’s appearance.

 

Now how would a native English speaker interpret that comment?

 

I may be wrong, but I believe most English speakers would find the comment a bit negative.  Akin to the Chinese comment frequently uttered about people’s weight, "You look fat," (which in its purest sense means you look healthy, not fat), "Your son is more handsome than you" is the kind of comment that can be easily misinterpreted in English.  If you are a narcissist, you might assume that it means you are handsome and have great genes.  If you have self-esteem issues and/or are self-deprecating, you would probably take it to mean that you are ugly while your son is handsome.

 
I suspected that the comment is a rough interpretation of a common Korean phrase.  I assumed too that it is intended to be a complimentary comment.  It’s just too bad that Koreans have no idea how bad it can sound in English!

39 is a lot

This morning I fed my son breakfast.  I asked him if he wanted some cereal.  He said yes, and I asked him how much he wanted to eat.  "39 pieces," he replied.  I laughed.  Not 38, not 40?  39 pieces?  "Yes," he replied.  This evening after we returned home, he said, "Dad, I want to play with you for 39 minutes."  39 minutes?  Not 38, not 40?  39 minutes?  "Yes," he replied.  39 is apparently a lot of something.  How he came up with 39, I’ll never know.  Kids say the darndest things!