"Did you already eat?" I asked in his dialect from the doorway.
The Asian man turned from his computer and looked at me funny. "Did I what?" He responded in his dialect.
"Did you want some more to eat?"
"Did I WHAT?" He said looking mildly condecending and yet utterly confused.
I sighed. "Uh, didyah eat yet?!" I said in English with my American accent. It took a minute for this to sink in. He interpreted my previous phrases (which were apparantly incorrect.) corrected the grammar, and then laughed.
"Oh, no, I'm fine."
Wow, the simplest question can be misinterpreted according to Grammar, tone and pitch of your voice, and mix up of actual words. Plus problems in cultural differences. Maybe I shouldn't have been asking if he had eaten yet. Maybe I should have just given him another bowl and said "eat, eat, eat." a common phrase in Chinese. Who knows. Hopefully will be an easier way to communicate after I have lived in their country for some time!
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