I know it isn’t funny to make fun of people. And the politically correct people of the world probably won’t like this article, but I had to tell you a couple of stories involving the mis-pronunciation of some words that are down right funny.
I first became fascinated with the Oriental dialect while working at Benjamin Advertising. One of my artist friends was Paula and she was Oriental. Sweet girl. I always thought we were friends but she use to call me names in Chinese like, “bach-way” and “cah-ga-hi juck-sing”. The first phrase means “White Devil” and the second phrase means, “Bamboo Head”. What do you think! Friends or Not?
During my college days I met an Oriental musical dance band. The time period was 1978, disco days. The group was a showband, “Leddy and the Up Comings”. Each night they would perform a Beach Boys set of songs.
It was then I discovered that Orientals have trouble pronouncing the “v” sound.
Now, I am not making fun and the band was very good and they sang great but they tickled me. The Beach Boy song “Good Vibrations” was sung and the pronunciations of the lyrics were, “Good, Good, Good, Bi-Bayshuns.” Sorry, I think it’s funny.
The cat daddy of all my episodes in life involving mis-pronunciations has to be when I sold and advertising ad to Mr. Wong.
Those of you, who know me, know that my last name is, Strong.
I sold Mr. Wong an ad and he wanted the placement of the ad to be in the upper white hand corner. I was in charge of not only selling the ads; I also placed the ads in the magazine. In my haste I placed a final ad in the magazine in the upper right hand corner to fill our final space for me and my other business.
The magazine was printed and distributed and every one of my clients were very happy except one, Mr. Wong. I entered his office and he had a scowl. He then said, “Mr. Twong, you done Mr. Wong, Wong!”
You can imagine how hard it was for me not to bust out laughing. But, this was serious. This was a $300 ad and I was dead wrong. I had placed the ad for myself above his ad in the upper white hand corner and I had to eat crow.
He immediately pointed out to me that he wiked me and bought the ad to help the magazine and me. He said, “I ordered upper white hand corner, but who is in upper white hand corner. Mr. Wong? No! Mr. Twong. Again, with a straight face he repeated, “Mr. Twong, you done Mr. Wong, Wong. I don’t need to abertize. I have bright sign on Air-wine highway. Look! That sign looks like Las Baygas out there.
Rest assured he received a free ad the following month. I still consider Mr. Wong a friend. I’m not sure how he feels.
I like Chinese culture, art, food and how bout that black hair but is that calendar placemat of animals is accurate? The year I was born indicates that I am under the sign of the monkey and that’s probably right but I am sure one of my x’s is the snake and Mike Rambin is the, “rat”!
|
Contact Us
