Something to Rely On
There are times when I feel very pleased with myself. Sometimes it’s when surveying my newly cleaned house. Other times it’s when I make an unexpectedly good meal, especially on a first attempt. Or maybe even when I write a poem I am particularly pleased with. All of that pales in comparison to when I make up a Cantonese-English pun. Not a subtle person, I usually proudly share my creation with others. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know Cantonese. I will helpfully explain it to them so they can enjoy my new joke. Yesterday on the way to work, such inspiration struck. I was going through my flashcard deck when I saw the word 依賴 (ji 1laai6) which means rely. Suddenly music started playing in my head: Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know . Ji1 laai6 (or yee lie for those of you who don’t read Jyutping) sounds pretty similar to “rely.” In order to maintain the right tone (something Cantonese songs do), you have to tweak the melody slightly, but nothing difficult. And suddenly ...