Be like Bernie

We went out to dinner the other night with a mixed group of Brazilians and American ex-pats. An ex-pat named Nathaniel told a story about his buddy, Bernie. Nathaniel and Bernie met in Brazil learning Portuguese a few years back. Nathaniel was a serious student, building his vocabulary and focused on grammar. Bernie wasn't as focused but really liked to party. The two went out one night and while Nathaniel struggled to understand and be understood, Bernie was meeting people and having a gay old time. The difference, Nathaniel thinks, was that Bernie capitalized on the tone and cadence of the language. He elongated his vowels, exaggerated his syllables, and sang out the few words that he knew with gusto. The Brazilians appreciated his effort and matched his tone and enthusiasm. They communicated fine. I'm pretty sure Nathaniel shared this story because he watched me struggle with the language that night. It was a good reminder to relax a little and have fun some fun, get out of my linguistic shell and communicate in a different way. Be like Bernie.