Posted by Nhị Ca (76..28.59) on November 07, 2021 at 06:43:45:
Nhị Ca and John, an American learning Vietnamese, went shopping at Cho Ben Thanh.
Entering a towel shop, John said to the female attendant:
- Toi muon mua khan lau moi .
The attendant:
- Ông lấy cái khăn này đi, rồi lau môi lau miệng ǵ cũng được .
John:
- Khong phai, toi co cai khan lau cu, toi muon khan lau moi
The attendant flushed, turned to Nhi.Ca indignantly:
- Cái thằng Tây này ăn nói ǵ kỳ vậy ông?
Nhi.Ca:
- John, what did you say?
John:
- I said, "I have an old towel and I want to buy a new one".
With relief Nhị Ca translated it to the attendant:
- Ổng nói "Tôi có cái khăn lau cũ, tôi muốn mua khăn lau mới" đó.
The attendant handed him the biggest towel in the shop, a kind of beach towel.
John:
- Cai nay la khan lau lon, toi muon khan lau dai .
The attendant's husband overhearing that, chased them out of the shop.
- Get out! you dirty mouth.
Once outside the shop, John was incredulous:
- Nhị Ca, why are they angry with me?
Nhị Ca:
- What did you want to say, John?
John:
- I just said: "That is a big towel, but I want a long one". What was wrong?
Nhị Ca:
- John, you need to work on your pronunciation.
John: ???
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