The little old woman stared at the white man in shock. He must be a ghost, come back from the grave--after all, he just gave her a prophesy!! She was going to become pregnant!The white man visiting the remote village for the first time was confused at the great uproar. Hadn't he just said nanterane or hello? Alas, he actually said ne antegahane which essentially means, you're pregnant! Despite the spelling differences, the two words sound very similar when they're said quickly...he just accented the wrong syllable!
Kosseck finished the story, and the whole Kamano-Kafe translation team roared in laughter. "Catherine, you must say nanterane!" they admonished me, grinning. "Don't be like this man!"
Languages are poignant displays of God's amazing creativity. I continuously marvel at how languages can express the same thing in so many different ways! Check out my newsletter for more language tidbits from the Kamano-Kafe, my observations on church holidays, as well as my upcoming travel plans as I head back to the US!
March 2016 Newsletter
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Happy Easter!
