Sorry, Mr. Shakespeare...I just couldn't resist. Well, the helo-jockies decided to take off an hour earlier than scheduled, so am back in my nice comfy CHU until tomorrow. No complaints from me, as I'm not really looking forward to this mission anyway. (I've gotten used to not having to wear my helmet, heavy body armor and carry my rifle...yeah, dang it, I know I'm a Fobbit.)
By the way, I've learned a few phrases of Swahili to greet the African guard force on the FOB. "Jambo, Bwana!" Next mission is to figure out what language most of the Third Country Nationals (predominently from India) speak, so that I can pick up a few bits of that for use in the DFAC and Laundry Facility. I really enjoy the Bollywood musicals, so it's cool to hear that kind of music playing in most of the support facilities on the FOBs over here.
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For your TCNs from South Asia, you can't go wrong with "Namaste."
ReplyDeleteSafe travels.
Okay, Tony, I'll trust you...but if "Namaste" means, "Nice butt, sahib", well, I know where you work, dude! : )
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, what language is that?
Namaste: an ancient Sanskrit greeting still in everyday use in India and especially on the trail in the Nepal Himalaya. Translated roughly, it means "I bow to the God within you", or "The Spirit within me salutes the Spirit in you" - a knowing that we are all made from the same One Divine Consciousness.
ReplyDeleteThe more formal greeting Sanskrit Namascar pronounced NAH-mah-scar is also used in India, though less frequently in Nepal. The Hindi "Jai Bhagwan" is also in common use, and carries the same meaning.
Source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Namaste
It is one of those terms that crosses linguistic borders. I know people that speak Urdu and Hindi as their primary languages, but use Namaste as a common salutation.
ReplyDeleteAs far as your caboose... I'll leave that to Mrs. Leprechaun, Sahib.
I knew I could trust you, Tony...I used the greeting several times yesterday and today, and was rewarded with delighted smiles. (Wait a minute...that would also happen if it was a "nice butt, sahib" phrase. Hmmm) Well, since nobody asked me out, I'll assume it was taken as a positive!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bro!
Make sure you do the hand gesture too-- palms together, thumbs near your sternum, upper chest/lower neck level. I know how much my friends appreciated us Westerners making the effort to learn a bit about their culture.
ReplyDeleteAll kidding aside, I've done the gesture and the phrase, and it has been received very well. Thanks very much for the liguistic assist!
ReplyDelete