a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment
goobster  ·  2866 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Dear Hubski, what language do you speak?

My Ukrainian contractor and his wife were finishing up building my new bathroom the other day, and I got to hang out and chat with them for about 3 hours.

She (Valentina) was clearly Ukrainian, in look and accent.

He sounds like he was from New Jersey. (In fact, I didn't know he was Ukrainian until I asked how the two of them met, and they said "in Ukraine!" And I asked Nick, "Oh! How long were you over there?" He laughed and - in his New Jersey accent - told me he was born there.)

The Russian vs Ukrainian language divide can be hilarious. I have watched Ukrainians and Russians speak back and forth. The Ukrainian understands the Russian perfectly, but the Russian can't really understand the Ukrainian. It's bizarre.

The only thing I can equate it to for my American friends is the difference between an American speaking to someone from Glasgow, or maybe the Australian Outback. The Aussie/Glaswegian understands the American perfectly, but the American gets lost easily, while still being able to understand some of words...