Language

Stranger in a Strange Land.

October 3, 2024October 3, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Tell us about a time when you felt out of place.

I wasn’t just out of place, I felt like I was in a different dimension. 18 years ago I arrived in Czechia unable to understand much beyond hello. Now, some would say that my Czech hasn’t improved that much, but I can more than get by. But upon first arriving in this new land I lived with my girlfriend, now wife, plus 5 of her family, none of whom spoke very much English. Talk about stress! I started smoking again just so I could escape and not feel like a fish in a bowl.

I don’t want to make it sound so terrible, I am still here after all, and they all did their best to welcome me. But I did feel very unsure of myself, although never doubting that I had made the correct decision in moving here.

Really?

September 5, 2024September 5, 2024 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

If you had to give up one word that you use regularly, what would it be?

It is not that I really love the word and would miss it. I would just love to have it eradicated from my vocabulary. I just can’t stop using it. I don’t even notice when I am doing it. But when I check my work or run it through a spell checker it seems to be everywhere. Everything is really big, or I don’t really know, I am not really sure, really? Aaagh!

Crank – 4 Ways

April 17, 2018 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Feeling bad-tempered,

so don’t wind me up.

I could get weird,

with too much stimulation.

June 24, 2017September 19, 2019 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

Lush: A Welshism

February 11, 2017 neilhayeswritesLeave a comment

The people of Wales speak a whole other language. I am not speaking about the 20% of the population who actually speak the Welsh language. I mean the rest who speak English, more commonly referred to as Wenglish. A strange combination of languages; people use Welsh words, which they often don’t really know the meaning of, as part of their everyday English.

But a dissection of Wenglish can wait for another day. All regions in Britain also use a healthy dose of regional slang, and Wales is no different. For example, when I hear the word “Lush” I do not think of thick, green grass rolling across the hills. I do not think of an extravagant meal in an ornately decorated restaurant. I think of two women standing in a clothes shop looking at a dress saying, “That’s lush that is!”

You see, in Wales, lush simply means really, really nice. Nothing is nicer than if it is lush. Clothes can be lush, you can look lush, you can be lush. My new car is lush, my boyfriend is lush, this pizza is lush. It is simply the highest compliment you can pay to something. If you are ever in Wales, listen out, it won’t be long before you hear it, LUSH!

Lush