Please(d)

There is no word in the Danish language for please.  Our teacher told us that the Danes are a polite people, but there are dozens of ways they ask for things....all courteously, but there is no word for please.   There are words and phrases that one uses to ask nicely for something.

In fact, according to Bent (our teacher), the English had a very difficult time translating Hans Christian Andersen because of all of the courteous little phrases he uses....and so the English just keep translating the words as "please."

I intend to look that up at some point.  But isn't that interesting?  We must have spent nearly twenty minutes discussing how to ask for things in stores, restaurants etc.  The lady from England expressed her frustration...."Whenever I ask for something I am always saying Tak!  Tak!  Tak!!  and Tusind Tak!  (Thank you!  Thank You!   Thank you!  Thousand Thanks!) because I don't know how to say please.

I think for those of us who speak primarily English, that is true.  We have a difficult time asking someone for something without some kind of expression of "please."  But I will memorize all of the odd little phrases that contain hidden pleas.

It has snowed all day, and the lake is frozen over....not even the birds are out there standing or sitting...it looks quite barren.  The temperature has gotten as low as 22 degrees, which means with the windchill factor it is nearly down to 0 degrees F.  I am still acutely aware that the only people I am impressing with these facts are those running around Arizona in shirt sleeves yelling "We deserve this weather....We have earned it!!!!"

It didn't deter the YSAs from showing up for FHE.  Lea, our YSA in charge of FHE every week is a delight and always has something good planned.  Tonight, she read a beautiful story and then gave a spiritual application to it.  Then we played a very fun little game.  I think it is the game of Telestrations.  It is a game where SK shines in the drawing segment....tonight we passed our papers to the left, which meant I received his paper after he had drawn what the words said.  His finest moment was when he was supposed to draw a flying pig soaring over a city.  My best job of interpreting his drawing was a flying hippopotamus aloft over a few chinese lanterns.  I will give you a peek at that tomorrow.  Or most likely you can imagine something far more amazing than his drawing.

It is enjoyable to just sit back and watch the YSAs converse and laugh.  They truly enjoy each other's company.  While I don't understand a great deal of what they say....I understand enough and I love them.  Last week three young women came into the office where I was typing and stayed for an hour or so and spoke English the entire time!  They did it to be polite to me.  Isn't that sweet?  I am sure that the more excited they get about what they are speaking of, the more they want to lapse into their mother tongue.  But they stayed with English the whole time.

It makes me want to say, "Please  understand how much I appreciate little things like that!"...But I'll have to find an alternate route....like Tusind Tak!