Pesce

by Agnes Poliquin 

This past Wednesday, we were able to take a break from classes and attend the much-anticipated Market Day in Cagli. We were informed that there would be deals on everything from backpacks to shoes, fresh fruits, cheeses, and meats, and even bulk underwear! However, Dr. Caputo told us that if we must eat anything from the Market, it should be the fried fish or a fresh pork sandwich.

The Market vendors wind all around Cagli, in corners and side streets. Some of my friends and I were on a hunt to find the fried fish truck. We decided to ask for directions, now that our Italian was better than when we first arrived in Italy, and we knew some “shop talk “ phrases to use as well. Yet, when I asked a clothing vendor “Dove pesca?” thinking “where fish?” the woman nodded and said “ah fruit!” and began to point up the street. I couldn’t figure out what was being lost in translation, so I made some fish motions. Pretending to swim, making fish faces, something very appropriate to be signing in public (just kidding). But, it worked, and the woman said, “ah pesce!” and started to make the ‘shhhh’ sound in the middle of the word. Before she gave us directions to the fish, she made us pronounce “pesce” properly with the long ‘shhh’ sound in the middle, so that in the future we did not confuse it with pesca.

Although this example of mismatch represents a language barrier, through nonverbal communication and friendliness, my friends and I were able to communicate and exchange messages with the Cagliese woman. I think people naturally, no matter what country they are in or what language they speak, revert to hand signs or gestures to communicate with people. This is something we learn from birth and as such, rely on it when our verbal communication fails.