Snagged by Abuelita or Careful with the Viejas
My grandmother, Mama, and me on her 90th Birthday.
My grandmother, a force not to be messed with, did not allow us to speak English inside her house. She wanted us to be bilingual and always said: “En la escuela ingles. En mi casa, español!”
If she caught us speaking English, she kicked us outside. So, when it is 95-degrees in Miami — and there isn’t a tree to be found for shade — you definitely do what she says and you habla habla el Spanish. Until you’re snotty-nosed and 14, anyway.
That’s when I was on the phone with a friend, speaking English, and discovered my Mama really did understand English, even if she didn’t speak it. The truth is, what a fool was I to believe that after 20 years in the United States, and a steady diet of The Price is Right, she would be monolingual?
This video post is a recount of the story, the moment my grandmother snagged me talking about her in English. (If you can’t see the video, click the headline.)
Be sure to read our post today by Señora López, who tells the tale of speaking about her non-English-knowing Suegra.
How long do we think before La Señora gets snagged?
I’m telling you, careful with the viejas.
They know stuff.
Un poquito mas:
Mama would be so proud of you just like I am.
Oh man, I’m laughing here. Great story and video.
Lately my Suegra has been trying to get involved in conversations between my husband an I, (even when we’re speaking English.) … Sometimes she’ll interject with something frighteningly on topic. Other times we might be discussing our oldest son’s Science Fair Project and she might interrupt, “Y porqué ese Obama no esta haciendo nada pues?” … Yeah, so it’s pretty hit or miss at this point, but no doubt, she is starting to pay attention.
Time for my husband and I to learn Mandarin.
Loved it Carrie. She understood more than we though.
She made sure that you spoke spanish at home. Creo que nos hizo un gran favor.
When it came to speaking English in front of any Cuban elders while growing up in Miami, I heeded the advice my mother gave me about most things (in her own special brand of English):
“You have to have very be careful.”
Enjoyed the post, Carrie!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tiki Tiki Blog, Tiki Tiki Blog and nilki benitez, Pio Pio Dot Biz. Pio Pio Dot Biz said: http://bit.ly/5PhXH5 Getting snagged speaking about Abuelita in English. Today's video post on @tikitikiblog. [...]
[...] you’re over there, I highly encourage you to check out Carrie’s video story, “Careful with the Viejas“, about the time her Abuelita understood what she was saying in English. ¡Muy [...]
This is so funny! I have similar stories about my abuelita and my father. My father does not speak Spanish and my mom and I in an attempt to hide something from him were speaking in Spanish. Well, it turns out he does in fact know a little Spanish!
I would agree that learning Mandarin is probably the best bet to hiding the true conversation…Did you get that tip, Grace?
You see, everybody, the ones who say they don’t know, do know.
Raul, love the quote…and I think I would love your Mami.