Saturday, September 10, 2005

it's all about your translation

i'm a singer. not just in the shower, i guess you could call me a professional. i have been paid on many occasions to sing a tune. i have sung in many languages, many styles and many venues. it's a passion and a privilege. i love it! i've never really thought about the fact that in the audience might be someone who actually speaks the language i consider foreign and yet, am singing. much practice, coaching and pronunciation go in to preparing a foreign language solo and by the time it is performed, i've worked on it a great deal.

however, having recently heard a norwegian children's choir sing Oklahoma (my state song) i came to the realization that my best effort may be comical to the owner of said foreign language. you see, these children were beautiful and practiced, very professional and when they broke out into...(and Oklahomans and lovers of Rogers and Hammerstein, feel free to sing along)...OOOOOOOOOOO-K-LAHOMA where the wind comes sweeping down the plain....they actually sang...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-Kay-lahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain...made sense to them.

makes me go hmmm...cause i might really not know the words. maybe the shower is safer...

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