Ugandan English, or Uglish, is a dialect all to itself. If you’ve not been seen in a while, you’re lost. If you are going to sit and wait for someone, you’re benched. If you’re having an affair, you have a side-dish.
Today, I was walking to class with two of my students, and one was telling me all that he has to get done in the few remaining weeks of the semester. He had been an electoral observer during the presidential election, and today is (hopefully!) the last day of the local elections. He told me that he is supposed to be observing the elections, but that it’s too far to travel, and he has too much work, so he’s going to observe by phone. I just about fell over laughing. Even the other student laughed at the incongruity.
Please understand that I am not making fun of my student at all-he’s a good student, and I appreciate his work observing the elections. I am, however, noting that the language has its idiosyncrasies. He will be checking in with the people who report to him constantly throughout the day.
So what does it say about me that I completely understood him?
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