Cebes Bones

On the most recent test we had to fill blanks in a dialogue. I honestly couldn't tell what she wanted me to put there, because the Catalan as well as I could read it said,

Hello, I would like 2 kilos of cebes, please.
__________
Yes, thanks.
_______________
Now I would like a half kilo of cheese, please.
__________
No, nothing else, please. How much is it?
___________
Yes, with card.
Have a nice day!
_____________

The main problem was cebes, and what he could ask me about cebes that I would reply 'yes, thanks' to after already saying what and how much I wanted. You see, I didn't know what cebes were. I thought quickly. It must be a kind of food, but what kind? And what can he ask me about them? I thought about going for something vague like 'ripe', even though it seemed silly for someone to ask if I wanted ripe fruit (shouldn't that go without saying?), but ultimately I was worried that cebes might mean eggs or meat or something (even though I already knew those words)... and ripe beef? Ewww.... So I settled on 'bones' and knew I was giving up the points.

Do you want good cebes? Yes please.

XD

But I got the test back today and she took it. I also looked up cebes - it means onions. Funny, I had learned calçots... but I guess there are several kinds of onions... and it's only reasonable for us to learn all of them before we learn silly things like the words for pants or rain. After all, food is very important to the culture, or something like that. :P Our primary textbook is almost as ridiculous as Liisa's old German book, wherein chapter two was entitled Polypen in der Nase. When we were all in the classroom last minute for this same exam, I suddenly said, in desperation, but with my tone carefully controlled to sound as if it was the most natural thing imagineable, "I hope everyone remembers the word for screwdriver!"

A long silence. Then laughter.

------------------

Emily and Shelby and I were putting our script together and one of us asked the others, "Would you do it again? Take this class, knowing what you know now?"

Shelby said that it had been an accident from the very beginning - she thought she was signing up for a culture class until she came to class on the first day and Monica was speaking Catalan. She hadn't really planned on learning a new language for 3 humanities credits. Emily's going to study in Valencia, so she guesses it doesn't really hurt to know the little bit that she's learned.

What have we learned? I have to admit that I haven't given Catalan enough of my time or vital energy either in class or outside of class, so I feel that I keep dancing on the breaking point without actually treating Catalan like it's own language, rather than some sort of elaborate cipher for Spanish. Doesn't help that every Catalan speaker I know speaks Spanish as well as or better than Catalan, and that goes for most of the genuine Catalan speaking population as well. Another semester, perhaps, of total immersion 3 hours a week (I am fully aware of the oxymoron)... Yes, I can often follow Catalan now - as I could before. I can sort of mock it by forcing my Spanish through an awkward Catalan filter. So would I do it again?

Yes.

We've made history, in our own small way - the first Catalan Symposium at Mizzou will be held this evening, and probably the audience will consist mainly of Romance professors and our own small class, but it's something. Our class was one of the first in a general, non-linguistics focused University, and if Monica has her way, our moderate success will only help her to develop the program more fully.

And as for myself, I got my humanities credits and I could have gotten them learning even more about poetry in the Golden Age instead, and whatever you say about the usefulness of Catalan, I think you'll agree that it might be more useful than learning a bit more Lope de Vega, especially considering my future career plans.

And practicalities aside - there's something you gain from learning, always, I think... I've made friends in the class, I've laughed a dozen times at Monica's habits and antics, I've learned about the festivals, feelings, and history of a proud and wonderful people... I was surrounded by Catalan until my mind started to soften around the edges and admit it's sounds and rhythms, even if it's only a first step - even French seems less foreign to me now, by association, and if you know me you know that's no small thing. I like music in Catalan. I like the high up desperate sound of Raimon (Al Vent) and the quirky Antonia Font (Wa Yeah).

I learned something. And I don't think learning can ever be a waste, not really.

And next time I go to Catalunya, I can ask for good onions or a screwdriver. Totally worth it. Wa yeah!