English as a second language

Today's excursion: A lengthy tram ride along the Danube and out into the working class part of Budapest.  On the newer trams, the recorded announcements are in both Hungarian and English  when there's a connection to the metro.  Most restaurants and shops in touristy areas have signs in English -- the language that works for everyone.  Tourists from Germany, Holland, Austria, Italy and Switzerland all speak English as their second language.

Not only do we - and, to be fair, the Brits -- export our language.  We also export our food culture.  There are McDonald's at every metro stop. Subways and KFCs create a jarring contrast when paired with beautiful fin de siecle buildings.

And there is Hunglish -- words borrowed directly from the the language of marketing: polo, pullover, TV, whiskey, non-stop (24 hour store) and many more.

But Hungarian itself may prove impossible to learn.  Unlike French and German, there are no clues.  Take, for example, the word "tej." It means "milk."  But it's pronounced "tay," which sounds like the word for tea in French and German. Remarkably, tea means tea in Hungarian and English (and Basque, for those who care about such things).

There are few cognates that sound and mean the same thing in both English and Hungarian, except for words that have been borrowed. A person with a big English vocabulary can often puzzle out the meaning of words in Romance languages and German without actually knowing the language.  Not so in Hungarian.

Adventures in Budapest, 1

Veres Palne Utca

From my study window I see the Buda hills and the Erzebet Bridge, which is beautifully lit at night.. Step out onto the tiny balcony and I can see a dingy rose-colored building with a big hole in the roof.  Repairs were clearly started but not completed.  That may be the story of Budapest -- lovely sights, but still slightly battered.

But you wouldn't know that Hungary was part of the Soviet bloc until relatively recently by looking at our street. Right next door is a shop that sells only single malt whiskey. Next to that is a coffee shop with a sign in English, "Hot chocolate to go." There's a dressmaker, a fruit and veg store that sells Canadian squash -- who knew that the neighbors to the north exported veggies -- a jewelry store, an ice cream shop, a bar, a restaurant (open 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight), some kind of financial business -- perhaps a commercial bank -- and that is just our block. Two blocks away is the Vaci Utca, where one can eat, drink, stroll and purchase goods from Hugo Boss, H & M, Nike and Lacoste and a variety of German stores.

Lots of tourists, but lots of Hungarians, too, crowding the outdoor cafes even during 45-degree weather.  And what am I if not a tourist, albeit a long-term one?  Loving it.