Troublemaking in another language
Last week in Papua New Guinea, missionaries Adam and Julie Martin learned a new Akolet word. They also learned how not to use it.
After learning the word troublemaker, Julie thought she had a good opportunity to use it that afternoon.
"I was taking laundry off the line on my porch when I saw our friend, Gili, out near our yard cutting down some bananas," Julie wrote. "I called out to him, jokingly, 'Hey, you troublemaker, what are you doing?'"
Gili chuckled and continued on with his work.
The next day, while working with Gili, Lonsi and Gelio, the Martins learned the real meaning of the word.
"We were discussing different types of wrongdoing such as stealing or not listening to your parents," Julie wrote. "I piped up and offered that troublemaking like that was bad. They all looked at me and said, 'No, trouble making is adultery. That's what that word means.'"
Then, in one horrifying moment, it dawned upon Julie what she'd called Gili.
The Martins apologized profusely and explained what they were told the word meant.
The three Akolet men said in disgust, "Who told you that's what it meant? They were so wrong! You should check what words mean so you don't go around saying things like that!"
"Fortunately they weren't mad, but I'd guess they all had a good laugh later," Julie wrote. "You just have to laugh at yourself when you're learning language. It's much better than any other option.
"As you can see, we still need lots of prayer as we move forward in learning the Akolet language."
After learning the word troublemaker, Julie thought she had a good opportunity to use it that afternoon.
"I was taking laundry off the line on my porch when I saw our friend, Gili, out near our yard cutting down some bananas," Julie wrote. "I called out to him, jokingly, 'Hey, you troublemaker, what are you doing?'"
Gili chuckled and continued on with his work.
The next day, while working with Gili, Lonsi and Gelio, the Martins learned the real meaning of the word.
"We were discussing different types of wrongdoing such as stealing or not listening to your parents," Julie wrote. "I piped up and offered that troublemaking like that was bad. They all looked at me and said, 'No, trouble making is adultery. That's what that word means.'"
Then, in one horrifying moment, it dawned upon Julie what she'd called Gili.
The Martins apologized profusely and explained what they were told the word meant.
The three Akolet men said in disgust, "Who told you that's what it meant? They were so wrong! You should check what words mean so you don't go around saying things like that!"
"Fortunately they weren't mad, but I'd guess they all had a good laugh later," Julie wrote. "You just have to laugh at yourself when you're learning language. It's much better than any other option.
"As you can see, we still need lots of prayer as we move forward in learning the Akolet language."