Did I Say That?

Oh, the dangers of international communication.  I think I agree with Huckleberry Finn when he said something like, "Why can't humans just speak human?  Dogs speak dog, cows speak cow!  Why can't humans just speak human?" (See below for the actual conversation between Huck and Jim.)

She was struggling to get the words out in English, the only language I could understand. "This is my second Camino", she said, in her thick German brogue. "I have the time to do it over again, because my husband died recently."

To which I replied, with all of the pastoral compassion I could muster, "How nice for you."

I'm sure wars have been started over less.  "My husband died recently." ... "How nice for you!"

Fortunately no wars started on this one.  I think she realized I hadn't understood, and we moved past this into an easy relationship that lasted through the next days of  our Camino life together. 

HERE'S WHAT HUCK ACTUALLY SAID.  It was in a conversation between HUCK and Jim, in which they were amazed that a Frenchman would speak a different language than them.

"Looky here, Jim; does a cat talk like we do?"

"No, a cat don't."

"Well, does a cow?"

"No, a cow don't, nuther."

"Does a cat talk like a cow, or a cow talk like a cat?"

"No, dey don't."

"It's natural and right for 'em to talk different from each other, ain't it?"

"Course."

"And ain't it natural and right for a cat and a cow to talk different from us?"

"Why, mos' sholy it is."

"Well, then, why ain't it natural and right for a Frenchman to talk different from us? You answer me that."

"Is a cat a man, Huck?"

"No."

"Well, den, dey ain't no sense in a cat talkin' like a man. Is a cow a man? -- er is a cow a cat?"

"No, she ain't either of them."

"Well, den, she ain't got no business to talk like either one er the yuther of 'em. Is a Frenchman a man?"

"Yes."

"Well, den! Dad blame it, why doan' he talk like a man? You answer me dat!"