Language Lessons

I don't know how it is where you live, but a lot of the stores around here are fiercely bilingual, usually English/Spanish. I often wonder what the various Chinese / Japanese / Tagalog / Korean -speaking folks think of this, but that's the subject for another entry.

The result is that many products are labeled in at least two languages, (French being the common alternate choice). Rich and I enjoy learning words and phrases in other languages this way.

In Office Depot one day, I discovered that large paper clips are also trombones. I can see the resemblance.

One of Rich's favorites is Ferreteria (Hardware). However often he looks, however, he's never found any ferrets in this department.

I was tickled recently to learn the etymology of the name of a city to our north — Corte Madera in Marin County. Our local hardware emporium has an area for custom wood cutting, aka corte de madera.

Try it sometime. See what interesting new words you can learn by just going to the store.

Language Lessons ( in category Trivial Pursuits ) - posted at Fri, 23 Dec, 16:05 Pacific | «e»