Sometimes You Learn the Most Wonderful Things
An Ethiopian colleague came by my office
yesterday and said, "Do you know what 'Jill' means in
Amharic?"
"Do I want to know?"
I asked, fearing vulgarities having to do with body
parts.
"Maybe not," she said,
her eyes twinkling. My fears added excretion to the list and I wondered how bad
this game might get.
"Okay,
better lay it on me."
"It
means silly or goofy." I sighed with relief and told her I actually quite liked
that. Later in the day, I called my mom and told her my East African
secret.
"I never knew that,"
she said.
"Well, it apparently
also means girl in Old English or one of its root languages," I
said.
"Goofy
girl."
"Yep."
Posted: Friday - February 16, 2007 at 07:13 AM
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