Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Code-switching

That's what they call it. You hear it on the subway, waiting in line at the theatre, and in snatches of conversation in the mall. In my case, I heard it in the elevator at home last weekend. It went like this...

Older man/young woman, possibly father and daughter, enter elevator at ground floor (I entered in basement one where I park).

Him: [Russian Russian Russian Russian Russian Russian.]
Her: [Russian Russian Russian Russian.]
Him: [Russian Russian Russian Russian, Russian Russian Russian Russian!]
Her: Really?
Him: Yeah.
(Brief pause in the conversation.)
Him: [Russian Russian Russian.]
Her: [Russian Russian?]
Him: It's a by-election.
(Doors open. They exit. Doors close. Trip resumes. Mind boggles.)

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