My Arrival And Settlement Pt. 5 – Language Challenges
The Issue of Language
What Tongue Do You Speak?
One of the most asked (and anticipated) question about serving here has been ¿tu habla Espanol? (Do you speak Spanish?) And my response has been “pocito” (a little).
Prior to leaving Jamaica, there was no time to receive formal training in Spanish. I left with the little I did in High School and one semester in University. I did however enroll in an online course. Since you already heard what happened with my computer and Internet access – you can imagine what also happened with the online course.
So here was I in Colon, and speaking almost no Spanish. Once again, I’m thankful that Stacey was here with me at the start. When the phone rang or someone came to the gate and launched into a conversation, I just handed her the phone or called for help. When she left – the story developed some interesting and amusing scenes. I was now forced to search my limited Spanish vocabulary for what (you already guessed), was totally non-existent in my brain!!
Sometimes even when I found the word, there was another word lurking nearby just dying to pop out to get me in trouble. What else do you think would have happened the day I went alone to a restaurant for the first time and confidently ordered ‘pecado y aroz’. The lady serving didn’t hear me or perhaps couldn’t believe what she heard. So I repeated my order, and catching up on myself said the correct thing this time ´pescado y aroz´.
For those of you who do not know – the first order (pecado y aroz) was an order of ´sin and rice´while the second order (pescado y aroz) was what I actually wanted – fish and rice. I did not need to order any more sin than I already have! 
I still do not think my boo-boo was as bad as my predecessor’s and dear friend who served this church just before me. In public, he told persons in response to a question on the whereabouts of his ‘esposa’ (wife) that his ‘esposo’ (husband) was in Jamaica!! I don’t feel so bad after all.
First Isthmian’s Bi-Lingual Ministry
Seriously though, not speaking Spanish is a huge though not insurmountable barrier. The congregation at First Isthmian is bi-lingual and speak both English and Spanish. I also have a few Haitian members who speak French, Spanish and a little English.
The members who are over 50 years of age and their children speak mostly English. They are the surviving members of the late Rev. Sylvanus Scarlett, an icon of Christian leadership and Baptist witness here in Panama.
Sunday’s Divine worship, other services and Bible Study are bi-lingual. Over the years this has been an asset for the church as more and more of the younger Panamanians recognize the importance of learning English. Participating in the worship helps them in this process.
I preach and teach in English with the help of Interpreters. The church is blessed with several interpreters who translate Spanish to English, and two nationally certified interpreters who translate both ways (Span-Eng & Eng-Span). Every aspect of the service is in both languages with a stronger emphasis on English.
Although it is going much too slowly for my liking, I have learnt a lot. I resume formal training soon. For now though, I am able to understand a great deal of what I hear and am particularly good at translating what I read – even my correspondence.
Soon I’ll be able to speak in other tongues!!
More to come,
Marvia
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December 4th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
I REALLY like the ordering of sin and rice…. Reminds me of some of my problems with the Setswana language in southern Africa. My adoptive daughter always laughed at my attempts to speak Setswana. I could never say anything just right except prayers from memory.
Look forward to reading more about your adventure and service.
December 5th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Hi Joe,
Glad you appreciate how difficult it is for some of us to get into the language. Aren’t you just amazed at how quickly children learn another language?
I wish I could speak many languages. Well I tell everyone, I already speak two languages – English and Jamaican. The latter is highly disputed by some as to its legitimacy. These critics say, Jamaican is really just a ‘dialect’ – a broken (meaning bad) version of English, with some Spanish words thrown in.
I agree with the experts who call Jamaican, our Mother-tongue. The majority of Jamaican children reared in Jamaica speak Jamaican as their first language. Eventually, we learn English in school. So I am serious when I say I speak two languages and I am now learning Spanish – my third.
In the meantime, I wonder if by some miracle I could wake up knowing several others. I do want to speak some African languages, French, German, Dutch and do you realize that world commerce and international relations is already demanding some languages from India and China?
We might have to rethink Babel afterall
Adios mi amigo,
Marvia