17 March, 2007

Wordplay

S and I were walking to school this week when a friend of his ran up to join us. "Hallo S! Hasst du deinen Roller heute mit?" (Did you bring your scooter with you today?)

I was surprised since scooters have been outright banned for first and second grade children. So I chimed in: "Can you do that? I thought it wasn't allowed!?"

Which was met with wide-eyed alarm.

It was only after S took over and started chatting with the kid that I realized he'd said not Roller but Wolle (yarn) which they were supposed to bring in for art class...

***
B was savoring slices of icy cold watermelon for his snack. He cleared his plate and asked: "Mom, can I please have some more Bahtermelon?"
"What? You mean watermelon, right?"
"No, bahtermelon because it's bahtering my teeth!"

Har dee har har...

***
A smarmy salesman who had been recommended by M's colleague came by the other day and started his schtick as soon as he walked in the door. Smiled really big and then complimented me on the dog.

I ducked back into the kitchen to turn off the stove and S came downstairs. The guy apparently strode over, shook his hand and said: Was bist du groß! Und, ich höre dass du ein kleinen Bruder hasst? Verprügelst du deinen Bruder? (What a big boy! And I hear you've got a little brother-- do you beat up on him?)

S just stared at him with a questioning look. So the guy smiled and asked him again, but then louder:

Verprügelst du deinen Bruder?

I came back into the room, and, seeing the incredulous look on S's face, assumed that he hadn't understood something that the salesman had said in German. I redirected the guy's attention, let S escape and mentioned that although the kids speak fluently they might not always understand every word.

Later on that afternoon S came up and said: "Did you hear what that guy asked me? Why would he think that beat up on B???"