So apparently our little Haitians do this slow, deliberate, scrunchy-eyed blink that is culturally a very rude gesture.
Malot first whipped it out after I correctly used the Creole phrase, "Please don't do that". You should have seen the shock in his face. It was a bit like watching the Wicked Witch realize she's melting! The thought that crossed his eyes was like, 'Who on earth told HER those magic words!"
And then he blinked at me.
I didn't think anything of it because I didn't know it was code.
Later at dinner when I gently told him that again for something (probably flicking ice at someone) he blinked at me again and Nichole started laughing and explained the significance of 'the blink".
Now that I know that it means something it's much easier to see when he's getting a bit defiant. Which, in this case, means I really AM understanding him and he really IS understanding me.
Brent and I might have to bring this habit home. I can just picture an argument where we both start deliberately and slowly blinking at each other.
"Oh, yeah! Well, blink you" just doesn't sound rude in English.
But at least I know he's trying to tell me something.
3 comments:
Oh, I don't know. "Blink You!" sounds pretty rude to me. I think I might have to start using that.
Isn't that hilarious? Andre blinked at me in his high chair when he was 10 months old! He wanted something that I wasn't giving him and was ticked. I couldn't believe it! I knew about the blink but was like, "no...he couldn't have learned it that young!" but he did it several times over the next couple of months. He has outgrown it now, but it is funny. It really is insulting because its like, "I am closing my eyes--you do not even exist--that is how stupid you are!"
I love it! Such a subtle insult that you wouldnt catch it. I am going to start using it too!
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