Lost in Translation
Say what????
I overheard a conversation this morning that made me giggle.
It was between an adult who immigrated to Australia a few years ago and a couple of children of different ages.
Kid: That’s cooked!
Immigrant Adult: Huh?
Kid: That’s cooked!!
Immigrant Adult: I don’t understand what you mean.
Kid: You don’t understand??? Have you been living under a rock?
Immigrant Adult: Under a rock??? No. Of course not.
Kid: I don’t mean a rock rock.
Immigrant Adult: Never mind. So what does cooked mean?
Younger kid (who wants to be helpful): Cooking means making food.
Kid: NO! It means something else. Like that’s cooked. You know. It’s like....it’s cooked.
Younger kid (now just as confused as the Immigrant Adult): Cooking doesn’t mean food?
Kid: I’m trying to say something else. But she doesn’t understand.
Younger Kid: Now I don’t understand.
Kid: It’s just COOKED. Like...cooked.
Immigrant Adult: It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. Sometimes it’s hard.
Kid: It’s so easy. If something is cooked...it’s...it’s...cooked.
_________
The reason I was giggling, is because I have these interactions ALL THE TIME.
In fact, I had a version of this happen just yesterday.
I got into a conversation with two other women. None of us knew each other.
One of the women was sharing how she recently told someone that they are not Jewish because they don’t have Jewish “values”.
So I asked her to clarify what she meant.
I won’t go into all the details because it will make my brain turn inside out attempting to explain the interaction.
But basically she tried to explain how being Jewish is a religion believing in God, and if you don’t believe the truth about God, you can’t be Jewish.
So I suggested that it’s not really helpful telling someone what they are. And how religion and culture are so completely interwoven that trying to separate them in 2026…is pretty much impossible.
Turns out that the third woman was also Jewish…. and gently attempted to explain to the first woman; that there is definitely such a thing as a “cultural Jew”…because she is one.
Which made the first woman look as if her brain imploded.
And we then entered into a similar dynamic as the interaction with the kids and the adult immigrant.
It just got more and more confusing as the “conversation” continued.
It didn’t help that we got interrupted a few times.
The third woman was extremely patient in describing how her family were atheists, but would still celebrate Passover and light candles for Shabbat. Using the opportunity to talk about how to be a better person. And how there are lessons in those rituals, even if you don’t believe in God.
The first woman just couldn’t make any sense of it. Even when examples like celebrating Christmas even if you’re not religious were used.
I tried to say as little as possible, since I have these exchanges online as well and they never really go anywhere.
Like with this Christian Zionism seminar. I had so many people tell me that Christians who are Zionists aren’t REAL Christians. And I would try to explain that it’s not really helpful coming from that angle. Like, instead of saying you are not a Christian if you are racist, it’s more helpful saying that there are a lot of Christians who are racist.
Because let’s be honest. If we go about doing “purity tests” we won’t have anyone left who is a “REAL” Christian, Jew, Muslim etc etc.
Anyways…I thought I would share this exchange with you.
Communication is hard at the best of times. Add in different cultures, upbringings, languages etc etc…and it’s cooked.