Monday, June 25, 2012

Live intercomprehension in Bangkok!

I could not believe my ears!


This afternoon, on my way back home, sitting in my regular van from Victory Monument(in town Bangkok) to Rangsit (Northern suburb), a Thai guy who was reading my book over my shoulder from the sit behind me, finally asked in broken English : "It is like English, but it is France, right?". I confirmed to him that the book was in French. He then asked, to my biggest surprise! : "Must be police book, no?". And YES, it was a detective story! I was so impressed I asked if he knew French. He did not, but one of his good friend, a PHD mechanical engineer (?), was learning it. He asked then if I was a teacher, I confirmed, but I remember telling myself "You must ask him how he found out about the content of the book!". He answered: "I see some words same English". I looked at the page I was reading and tried to spot the words he might have recognized - I was so excited - but I did not have to look for very long - first line: "Des voitures de police" - So that was it! It was there, right on the top of the page - not that extraordinary after all...  (Le syndrome [E] by Franck THILLIEZ p117)