As we begin a new semester, I wanted to share some different
English words I have heard around campus over the past five months. This is the
third article of this type, but I have found many, many differences between our
“Englishes.” I described the way things are said in Uganda first and then the
way I would say them back home (U.S.).
luggage
This word makes me laugh because I first heard it from one
of my friends when he complained that he had too much luggage. We were walking
quite a distance when he said this and I could not understand what he was
trying to tell me. The term luggage is
often associated with a trip when carrying is a suitcase or duffel bag. But my
friend used it to describe all of the things he needed to carry with him while
walking. I now know that luggage can be used to explain things you are
carrying, no matter how long the trip.
sloping down – walking
down
Many people use this phrase on campus because our university
basically sits on the side of a mountain. One of my colleagues used this phrase
a couple of weeks ago and said, “I am going to slope down to the canteens to
get some lunch.” I was so confused because I did not really understand the
phrase, but I deduced that he meant he was going to go down the hill to the canteens.
We often use the expression “walking down” if we are talking about going down
in elevation.
wise acre – smart alec
I absolutely love this phrase and will use it back home. I
first heard this phrase when talking with other lectures and they said students
were wise acres. I asked them what it meant and they told me these are
students/people who think they already know everything. We often refer to these
types of people as know-it-alls or smart alecs. It seems that this is not a
positive character trait in either usage.
uses of sorry
One of my favorite things about Uganda is the many uses of sorry.
People use sorry when you drop something, sneeze, cough, etc. People
also say sorry if you are having a hard time, had a death in the family, or
went through a bad experience. For example, earlier this week I forgot my
wallet in my apartment and needed to borrow some money from a colleague for
lunch. He immediately apologized and then offered to give me some money. I’ve also
noticed people use sorry when they misunderstand me or do not hear me, which is
often. I know my American accent often throws people off, so I try to speak
more slowly and use words that are common. At home, we use sorry when accepting
fault such as a mistake or offending someone. We also use it if we
misunderstand someone by saying, “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you. Could you
please explain?” I really appreciate the way people use sorry here because it
is genuine and honest. People truly feel for you and want you to feel better,
which adds to the beautiful feeling of community.
yes, please – what
I have always been curious about people saying yes, please when I call them instead of what. I asked a colleague about this and
he said that it was rude to say what
because it is rude in the local language. Therefore, people transfer the
cultural expectations in the local language over to English. Waanji is the way most people respond
and that is a polite way of saying yes,
please. At home, we usually say what or
yes when answering someone and it is
not thought of as rude. I have learned to adjust my language so that I can be
thought of as polite.
Some other words I have noticed are the following:
course – major (such as BAED, BLANG)
coursework – assignments/homework
reduce my hair – cut my hair
chit – small note
lay the bed – make the bed
tarmac – highway (paved)
polythene bags/kavera – plastic bags
Overall, I have learned many words over the past five months
and I look forward to learning many, many more. Have a great start to the
semester!
