Language

Ever since I was accepted to SALT and knew I was going to Honduras, I have been preoccupied with language. I studied Spanish, dreamed about Spanish, worried about Spanish... After all, I studied French from grade 5 through to university (9 years!), and was still only at an 'intermediate' level. Well, there is something to be said for immersion. Yes, I studied Spanish before coming to Honduras, but that really meant very little in the grand scheme of things. I have now been in Honduras for 4 months (and 1 day!), and am further ahead in Spanish than I ever was in French. My host family and coworkers have commented that I have improved in Spanish, which makes me feel quite happy.

To confess, I never used to like the Spanish language. It felt weird to my ears, and I didn't feel any inclination to learn it. Luckily, this has passed! There are a number of words that I really like, or am fascinated by, including:

1) Ojalá - I think this is my favourite word of all, partly due to its etymology. Many centuries ago, people that spoke Arabic and people that spoke Spanish both lived in the same location (current-day Spain). And so, of course, the languages mingled a bit, and there are many words in Spanish that have Arabic origins. If you remember that in Spanish, 'j' is pronounced like an English 'h', and that you emphasize the vowel with the accent, it is easy to hear 'Allah' in Ojalá. Ojalá means "I hope that" or "I wish that", but it comes from the idea of "God willing that". Ojalá que mañana no hace frio! (Ojalá, tomorrow will not be cold!)

2) Esperanza - This word has two meanings in English: hope and wait. And in this time of Advent, I love thinking of how hoping and waiting are so integrated that only one word is needed.

3) Historia - Similarly, historia means history and story. And really, history is a story, which changes depending on the interpreter.

4) Divertido(a) - This word just makes me chuckle, since I have read too much Jane Austen. Divertido means fun. Jane Austen's heroines have a tendency to say things like, "I am excessively diverted!"

5) Madrugar - This verb means to get up earlier than everybody else. I like that an entire phrase can be condensed into one word!

On an unrelated note, my three weeks of Christmas holidays have begun. I am currently awaiting the visit of two fellow MCC yearlings. Ojalá, their trip from Tegucigalpa will not be anything like my trip there!