Camino language

Languages are funny things. Each one holds a history of the development and culture of a group of people. It is a form of communication, organised and recognised by others.

At the moment I can speak English fluently and I have basic conversational skills in French as long as they don't stray into complicated territory. Spanish was absorbed more naturally and I think I mix up Spanish and Italian when I speak it. I have no Dutch or German at all, luckily they mostly speak English. Irish is mainly used to impress or sate curiosity and I usually just end up saying "it was a dark and stormy night" something I learned in primary school.

The general questions you get asked time and time again on the camino are ones that should be recognised and you should be able to provide some sort of answer for them.

(Yay another list!)

How are you? - complicated question. People ask you this unintentionally and it is normal that a pilgrim will give you a long list of ailments and probably more than you bargained for with this simple question.

How are the feet? Is a more intimate question designed to be asked with a smile. You'll get or give a groan in response. No more is needed.

Where did you come from? - this can mean three things. Where are you from originally? where did you start the camino from? and where did you come from today?

The first is easy
The second is tough if you split it up like I did and you have to explain
And the third is to gauge how far you walked, and if it was good enough.

Are you walking alone? Is usually followed with, oh you are brave!

How far are you going? Is the next logical question and can be interpreted as impressive if you say "I go to Santiago", super impressive if you say finnistere but it is kind of pathetic if you say anywhere closer than these two. It is expected that you have an impressive excuse like, "oh I have to go back to saving orphans in Syria" or "I'm protecting baby whales against Japanese whalers" to have to cut short your ultimate destination of Santiago de compostella.

If you are in an albergue the questions are,
- are you staying here?
- is it nice?
- is there wifi?
- are there spaces left?
- are you having the peregrino menu?
- can I turn off the light
And - SHHHHHH! Which is the same in every language.

For essential grub and drink the only things you need to know are -
Agua- water
Cervesa- beer
Cafe con leche- milky coffee
Vino tinto - red wine (you aren't allowed drink any other wine in Spain, I don't make the rules)
And
mas vino tinto - more red wine (again, I don't make the rules)


Everything else is a pointing affair. They are great believers in having the food on the counter under glass so choosing is so easy. It's probably going to be a sandwich with ham and cheese or a tortilla which is like a massive thick omlette with bits of potato and cheese in it (yummy scrummy)

I had this little girl come up to me in Rabé and she started babbling away at me. I said the second most common thing next to "gracias" which is "lo siento, no hablar español" or I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish. She squinted at me, the way only 4 year olds can and said the exact same thing to me, but slower and louder. Her mother was laughing two seats away as I smiled and nodded and made agreeing noises. Eventually she got the point that I literally was the stupidest person on earth and it was her duty in life to teach me. Botas and pantalones are two words I will never forget because of little Nomi. Unless Nomi actually means chest, jumper or heart, she kept saying Nomi pointing at herself. I can only assume, who knows.

People in shops and bars are slightly less patient or maybe more embarrassed and this is when the universal language of pointing and numbers comes in. The word "cuanto?" Is brilliant for everything, and the receipt pushed across the counter is used instead of a conversation. But I'm getting better at numbers now.

Mostly, I think language is about understanding what the other person is trying to say. Sometimes you can do it with one language, sometimes you need four. Sometimes none and paper has to do the job. In the end it is about getting inside the other persons head, seeing how they see you and what they want to tell you, or seeing your needs from their point of view. They want to help you, just like you do. All you have to do is be willing to sound a bit silly, look a bit silly and accept that you don't know everything but you both know something. Using that common ground as a diving board, jump in to the deep end.

You already sound like a fool for not learning the language before you arrived, what have you got to loose?

Xx

Buen Camino!