Yow Lok
Yow Lok is the nearest way I can spell my latest Cantonese word that I have learnt. It basically means "stop".
I decided to try my new word on a packed small green minibus when I recognized our stop coming up. I was with a new employee who has just arrived in Hong Kong and was taking him to his school for the first time.
Sitting right behind the driver I cleared my throat and, hoping I got the pronounciation correct announced "Yow Lok Um Goi" (stop please).
Suddenly the driver slammed the breaks on and came to an abrupt stop at my request, opening the doors we stepped out. So far so good. A problem soon emerged though when it was realized that we were smack bang in the middle of a roundabout, with cars going past and getting odd looks from passengers.
We navigated our way off the roundabout and eventually to the school. Later I asked Ronald, our Cantonese speaking accounts guy what I said wrong. I repeated the phrase to him and he said it was fine, what caused abrupt halt we think is that my tone sounded too urgent. Perhaps the driver thought I was going to be sick.
Bx
I decided to try my new word on a packed small green minibus when I recognized our stop coming up. I was with a new employee who has just arrived in Hong Kong and was taking him to his school for the first time.
Sitting right behind the driver I cleared my throat and, hoping I got the pronounciation correct announced "Yow Lok Um Goi" (stop please).
Suddenly the driver slammed the breaks on and came to an abrupt stop at my request, opening the doors we stepped out. So far so good. A problem soon emerged though when it was realized that we were smack bang in the middle of a roundabout, with cars going past and getting odd looks from passengers.
We navigated our way off the roundabout and eventually to the school. Later I asked Ronald, our Cantonese speaking accounts guy what I said wrong. I repeated the phrase to him and he said it was fine, what caused abrupt halt we think is that my tone sounded too urgent. Perhaps the driver thought I was going to be sick.
Bx
posted by robynandben at 6:45 PM
1 Comments:
Velly good, gleatly implessed. Did I tell you about the time I asked an Arab horseman who was taking us trecking around the pyramids what the Arabic was to stop the horse. He gave it due consideration and with a rounded english shires accent said" whoa you bastard" and guess what the horse stopped, Bibi for now x x
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