A Bilingual Boy

I am bilingual. Obviously, I know my mother tongue and use it often (when I’m happy, when I’m sulking, when I want something, when I’m tapping into the neighborhood hotline, when someone walks in front of my house, when I imagine someone walking in front of my house, etc.), but I also know English. In fact, I am actually quite fluent in spoken English if I do say so myself. 

In my mind, English words fall into four categories: important words, upsetting words, tricks and commands, and reminders.

Under the heading of important words are words like dinner, supper, walk, cookie, and do you wanna followed by a fun activity (i.e., do you wanna go to work and do you wanna go in the AC?).

Upsetting words include species on my list of arch enemies (squirrels, bunnies, etc.) and the scary way the woman in the smoke detector says “fi-re.”

Tricks and commands include boring instructional words like sit, down, wait, and come as well as all the performance tricks I’ve learned throughout the years including say your prayers, eights (a personal favorite of mine), paw, high five, wave, one potato-two potato, BANG!, and let’s dance.

Reminders include phrases like “Rigs, go do your business” for when I’ve forgotten why I’ve gone outside, “focus” for when I am distracted when I should be focusing on actually doing business, and “we’re not here to eat grass” for when I’m escorted out of the backyard because, well, while I love the taste of grass, grass doesn’t love me.

But, being the overachiever that I am, I decided not to stop solely at being fluent in the spoken word. I have also learned a number written English words as well.

For instance, the words Chewy and Baskin-Robbins both mean Rigby, or more precisely, something for Rigby. I recognize that boxes clearly marked Chewy include toys, food, bones, and, unfortunately, shampoo, while Baskin-Robbins bags have ice cream inside them (which I get to sample). And let me tell you, when those boxes and bags enter the house, well, let’s just say they get my full and undivided attention.