So we have mots de passes or "passwords" for when we see our Wolof teacher.
He's taught us:
xaar al ba mu am rakk--wait til it has a little brother
So when someone asks you for something, it's a little too harsh to say "no" outright. So you tell them to wait til it has a little brother, or until you have another one.
ndank ndank mooy jap golo ci niai--slowly you catch the monkey in the forest.
Patience. I'm still working on that.
lekkal lu la neex, waaye sol al lu neex nit ni--eat what pleases you, but wear what pleases people.
It's a proverb about doing what you want in private, but respecting tradition and norms in public, something they really value here.
We also get to give Sidy, our teacher (jangalekat), words too. We taught him:
I have to wash my hair tonight.
That's the pot calling the kettle black.
And this week: My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.
He told us when he was in the Peace Corps they taught him to respond to "How's it hanging?" with "Like a trumpet, wanna blow it?" without explaining what it meant. I didn't even know how you respond to that!
And the other group taught him "That shit doesn't flush."
We're thinking next week will be "I've got my mind on my money and my money on my mind."
He's taught us:
xaar al ba mu am rakk--wait til it has a little brother
So when someone asks you for something, it's a little too harsh to say "no" outright. So you tell them to wait til it has a little brother, or until you have another one.
ndank ndank mooy jap golo ci niai--slowly you catch the monkey in the forest.
Patience. I'm still working on that.
lekkal lu la neex, waaye sol al lu neex nit ni--eat what pleases you, but wear what pleases people.
It's a proverb about doing what you want in private, but respecting tradition and norms in public, something they really value here.
We also get to give Sidy, our teacher (jangalekat), words too. We taught him:
I have to wash my hair tonight.
That's the pot calling the kettle black.
And this week: My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.
He told us when he was in the Peace Corps they taught him to respond to "How's it hanging?" with "Like a trumpet, wanna blow it?" without explaining what it meant. I didn't even know how you respond to that!
And the other group taught him "That shit doesn't flush."
We're thinking next week will be "I've got my mind on my money and my money on my mind."
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