The Question from Someone a World Away

[Scott West]

Please forgive; I know this subject has been 'done to death', but I have to share this:

A good friend and his beautiful Ukrainian bride joined me and my wife for dinner last night. His wife, recently arrived from the Ukraine (rural Kiev, actually), has EXTREMELY broken English complete with HEAVY rolled "r"'s, half-broken and rearranged sentences - a very nice person, just very difficult to understand.

Being from rural Kiev her husband translated she had never seen or even heard of a kilt. We were at the "Schnitzel House" in Jacksonville, Florida, and I was wearing my tank (Buchanan Hunting Modern - on the right in the pic at http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/o...x.html?t=51045), green irish wool sweater, Ferguson Britt muskrat sporran, lovat green Lewis hose w/bottle green tassle-style flashes. She sees me, immediately points and says "Neeth, whaht ees?" I replied, "I'm sorry, I don't understand." She comes back with "neeth, clothing." I again answered, "I'm very sorry, I don't understand what you're asking (I'm starting to get a clue at this point)." Her husband, beginning to laugh hard by now, says "She wants to know if you're wearing anything under your kilt!" "Oh!," I spouted, "well, Queen's regimental rules, ya know. (with a grin)" He translated for her, and it was priceless to see a VERY wide smile erupt from her.

Amazing, even someone from a vastly different culture and society is urged to ask "the question". Amazing, simply amazing.

[Arlen]

Wow. That's quite a story!

[McClef]

Oh the "question" is a pretty universal one all right!

[Highlander31]

Great story. That is a question that doesn't recognize borders.

[Rex_Tremende]

That is a question that doesn't recognize borders.

Apparently recognizing a kilt isn't required either.

Regards,
Rex.

[unaspenser]

thanks for the chuckle! Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose, eh?

[McFarkus]

Even when they don't know it's a kilt, they have the same question.

[Nighthawk]

That's hilarious! I had a similar experience with a Japanese woman a few years back. She was an exchange student, and had no idea what to call my kilt, so she said "Your skirt is quite beautiful." I of course told her that it was called a kilt, and she asked "Why? Japanese men just call theirs skirts!" And of course... she wanted to know what we wear under our... It was a very nice conversation- I learned a bit about her culture and she learned a bit about mine. These kinds of things make the world seem just a little bit more diverse every time I have them, and it makes the world seem a whole lot more interesting.