French
The other night, Daniel woke me up in the middle of the night. He was crying. “What is it?” I asked anxiously. “Please don’t make me watch Sponge Bob in French anymore.”
Despite having very little visible French, Michael still often uses French syntax when speaking in English. He generally describes injuries thus: “I’m sore at my knee”.
The Princess speaking about the generosity of a waiter which I considered significant and she considered no more than her due: “He only gave me one tablette, in fairness.”
Irish
I am doing a short Irish course. No sniggering. This may merit a post of its own in due course, there’s something to look forward to. I was telling the principal in the children’s school about this and the Princess interrupted me (sharper than a serpent’s tooth etc.) and said “Tá Gaeilge uafásach aige.”* In unison, the principal and I snapped back “aici!”**. I tentatively suggested to Mr. Waffle that he might like to speak to me in Irish as well as speaking to the children in French and he put his head in his hands. I am taking this as a no.
*”He speaks terrible Irish”
** “She!”