To hell with it...

Phraseology is an integral way of how we communicate, but it's a subtletly quickly lost when you leave your native language (and oh, how frustrating that can be). In a second language-themed entry for today, I figured I'd share a perfect example of one of my regular experiences as an expat, conversing with non-native English speakers.

me: i have loads of friends who go to salons regularly. hell, [friend A] and [friend B] are planning to go together soon
Valentin: why hell ?
me: it's emphatic
Valentin: don't understand
me: i think in this context, it is an emphatic way of saying "for example,"
Valentin: oh okay I didn't know. so hell = for example ???
me: you say [statement, ie. a lot of people do something], then you follow the statement with "hell, [example, ie. these ppl i know are doing that something]"
Valentin: that's a really weird way to say i.e. enfer... [enfer = hell in French]
me: like, "everyone likes puppies, hell even [random mean person who hates everything] likes puppies"
Valentin: got it ! "et même ...... !!!"

From savagechickens.com

So now (having been completely distracted from a conversation about salons) I've come to recognize that yet another one of my don't-think-twice simple expressions is actually oddly untranslatable. I mean, in what kind of language can hell = for example? ...ah right, in mine.

Most especially in all these simple daily surprises, living abroad is truly an eye-opening experience and an exercise in self-discovery.