I love my manicurist, Nancy. She's been doing my nails for almost 20 years. She came to the Bay Area via a small boat when she fled the communist regime in South Vietnam in the 1970s. Even now she still has a strong Vietnamese accent, which, when combined with her slight lisp, can create some funny conversations.
When I was in Italy, I'm sure the Italians were thinking something similar about me: that blonde woman's strong American accent combined with her slight lisp make for some amusing pronunciations. Like the time I ordered fish gelato. Because I was trying to say the word for peach (pesca) and it came out sounding like the word for fish (pesce).
Nancy and I recently had this conversation:
Nancy: Mayleesa, in backyard, I put kacheebo!
Me: Nancy? A what?
Nancy: Kacheebo!
She does some gesturing.
Me: Oh! A gazebo!
Nancy: Yes, kacheebo!
Me: Nice!
Nancy: Now we put in a <insert sound of puppy sneezing>
Me: A what?
Nancy makes the puppy sneezing sound again.
I am perplexed.
Nancy: A tub. It has jet. It has BAUBLES!
Me: Ooooh! A jacuzzi!!
Nancy: Yes! How you say it?
Me: Ja-coo-zee.
Nancy: Ya-coo-zing.
Me: Exactly.
When I was in Italy, I'm sure the Italians were thinking something similar about me: that blonde woman's strong American accent combined with her slight lisp make for some amusing pronunciations. Like the time I ordered fish gelato. Because I was trying to say the word for peach (pesca) and it came out sounding like the word for fish (pesce).
Nancy and I recently had this conversation:
Nancy: Mayleesa, in backyard, I put kacheebo!
Me: Nancy? A what?
Nancy: Kacheebo!
She does some gesturing.
Me: Oh! A gazebo!
Nancy: Yes, kacheebo!
Me: Nice!
Nancy: Now we put in a <insert sound of puppy sneezing>
Me: A what?
Nancy makes the puppy sneezing sound again.
I am perplexed.
Nancy: A tub. It has jet. It has BAUBLES!
Me: Ooooh! A jacuzzi!!
Nancy: Yes! How you say it?
Me: Ja-coo-zee.
Nancy: Ya-coo-zing.
Me: Exactly.