Communication does not always need a common language - a fact I had reinforced a couple of times today. It was late afternoon when I reached the University of Queensland lakes and the birds had a clear message "feed me". While I frequently do things that make me think I'm a goose, the DNA says otherwise. Yet the expressions and the noise was quite unequivocal
on that point. "What do we want: Food. When do we want it: Now" they chanted. A bit further around a dusky moorhen chick had a slight variation on the theme. The tone which crossed desperation with pathetic ness was more "Muuum. I'm hungry. Feeeeedddd me." But later in the day, my communication powers were tested in a more Tower of Babel. I'd been invited to see a play entirely in French and I'd taken up the invitation even though the only phrases I know are "open the door", "shut your mouth" and "do you want to come to bed with me tonight". Someone should totally write that play but this isn't it. Of course there were surtitles like on a foreign film or at the opera so I could follow the words. But you already know the gestures and you already know how people will behave when their children get into a fight and someone gets hurt - worse than the kids with the sticks mostly. Defending your child and your parenting skills is a universal. The play was awesome in anyone's language.
Communication does not always need a common language - a fact I had reinforced a couple of times today. It was late afternoon when I reached the University of Queensland lakes and the birds had a clear message "feed me". While I frequently do things that make me think I'm a goose, the DNA says otherwise. Yet the expressions and the noise was quite unequivocal on that point. "What do we want: Food. When do we want it: Now" they chanted. A bit further around a dusky moorhen chick had a slight variation on the theme. The tone which crossed desperation with pathetic ness was more "Muuum. I'm hungry. Feeeeedddd me." But later in the day, my communication powers were tested in a more Tower of Babel. I'd been invited to see a play entirely in French and I'd taken up the invitation even though the only phrases I know are "open the door", "shut your mouth" and "do you want to come to bed with me tonight". Someone should totally write that play but this isn't it. Of course there were surtitles like on a foreign film or at the opera so I could follow the words. But you already know the gestures and you already know how people will behave when their children get into a fight and someone gets hurt - worse than the kids with the sticks mostly. Defending your child and your parenting skills is a universal. The play was awesome in anyone's language.
No comments:
Post a Comment