Lost in Translation

On this, my second trip to Myanmar, I was determined to improve upon my Burmese language skills and really attempt to incorporate myself into conversations. This would mean that I would need to expand upon my current mastery of the language, which consisted of one word. This would require real effort. On my mini-tour of Asia just one year ago, I had been amazed at how each country I landed in, seemed to have a much more bizarre-looking written language than the country prior. Myanmar was the last stop and it seemed that when written, Burmese was a series of intermittently placed "O's" and upside down "J's," all hanging from a bar, like the tail of a monkey. Still, I was determined to be able to add Burmese to my resume by the end of the trip.

Burmese is a tonal language, similar to Cantonese in this aspect, and this means that there can be several different meanings to one phrase. It just depends on the emphasis that is placed on certain syllables. Let this be a cautionary (albeit humorous) tale for any budding Burmese speakers out there.

I arrived, happily reunited with my friends, and told them of my plan. They were so pleased! If they had doubts about the success of my mission, they did not express them to me. The Burmese are a very polite people, and they would never want to say or do anything that would cause someone true embarrassment. This politeness, in part, was my downfall.

My first phrase to master: "Let's go!" When spelled phonetically, it looks something like "twam me." I used this one quite liberally and enthusiastically, at any available opportunity in which these words were applicable. Going shopping? "Twam me!" Headed to the restroom? "Twam me!" You get the idea. Many times though, I was met with blank stares, or even giggles. I just assumed that they were impressed with my ability to throw around casual phrases. Finally though, I began to suspect that something was terribly amiss with my choice of phrase after a Burmese bus rider laughed openly at me, not even attempting to hide his amusement. This is when I turned to Mi-Mi, my good friend and translator, and asked her what I was doing wrong. When she started laughing, I knew that my dream of fluency would soon be coming to an end. She took a few minutes to explain that "twam me" with an emphasis on the "me" meant "Let's go!" The other way to say this phrase was evenly, with no emphasis placed on either syllable. So guess which one I had really been saying all that time? Mi-mi could barely contain her hilarity while informing me that I had been cheerily announcing to the good citizens of Yangon that "I have black teeth!" My dream of fluency died on the spot and was replaced with a liberal dose of sheepish chagrin.