Bi-Lingual Scouters
Richard Sullivan (rjvlsullivan1@PRODIGY.NET)
Thu, 22 Jan 1998 01:37:32 +0000
Oh the problems of communications in this multi-cultural world: =20
On Sun, 18 Jan 1998 14:44:09 -0400, David Grima
<dgrima@COURIERPUB.COM> wrote:
>A friend in Downeast District of Pine Tree Council, Maine, sent me this
>message. Is there anybody in the UK or elsewhere who can help?
>"David, I'm looking for an Australian or possibly British Scout catalog,
>specifically for woman's wrap around uniform skirt. Have any contacts?
>Sue"
>In the UK and Australia, please substitute catalogue for catalog. I am
>bilingual because I am from Coventry, England, but live in the USA. It
>took years of study to get this proficient in both languages. American =
and
>English use a lot of the same words, but they do not always mean the =
same
>thing.
>Many thanks to all,
>David Grima
>CM P206
>Rockland
>Maine
>USA
David,
So TRUE! While,..eh, whilst living in the UK and Scouting
with the Channel District of the Transatlantic Council, I learned just
exactly what you mean:
At my first "Bi-Lingual" camporee, INTERLINK '94 hosted
jointly by the Surrey County Council and Channel District, at Hesley
Woods Scout Camp in Cobham, I was startled to hear a Brit GSL ("Group"
NOT "Girl" Scout Leader) mention to our mutual friend Ian Ford, "Ian,
I shall pop down to the providore for a few fags. Fancy anything?" I
was "Gobsmacked" to hear Ian reply, "Just a little Fairy Liquid, if
you would, Roger." We registered in a Marque [mahr-KEY] and drove up
the lane in a Vauxhall. Spent the night is a "Gilwell", too. =20
Since then I have learned to keep my suspenders out of sight
and to keep my braces in my mouth, especially when I am about "with
the lads."
For BSA Scouters: "Fags" are, of course cigarettes and "Fairy
Liquid" is a popular brand of dish washing liquid. A Marque is the
Mother-Of-All Tents (Bigger than a GP-Large) and a Vauxhall is a
Chevy. A Gilwell is a wall tent, not just the National Training
Centre. Suspenders are ladies garters and braces are what we Yanks
call suspenders. And "the Lads" can mean the guys at the pub or the
boys and girls in the pack/troop/group. =20
Now, where's my woggle...it's gone walkies on me. =20
Yours In Scouting,.er, ah,..Cheers,
Dick Sullivan
Unit Commissioner & Dist. Membership Chairman
Chief Solano Dist./Mt. Diablo Silverado Council
(Fairfield, CA)=20
Wood Badge NE-IV-74 Damp Freedom - Daupthe, Germany
"And a good old ADC, too..."
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