Delima Kasih

All I want for Christmas

Being tagged with a meme is a rather strange sort of thing. Being tagged twice and in two different languages is something else altogether. Thanks to LB and Hokkienlang, I now have to tell you what I want for Christmas, who I’d like to get it from and why.

Twice.

Why twice? Those who’ve played tag before know why: getting tagged once is sore, twice feels like you’ve been clubbed with a stick. A nasty, big stick. With splinters.

I’ll tell you once in English, with all the bells and whistles. Then (because Yvy still hasn't got her sampan paddle to lend me) I’ll tell you a second time with a rough, splinter-filled stick called Hokkien-uar.

Because you asked for it.

As LB was quick to point out, I need new slippers. I’d like a new pair of slippers from the people who make Hush Puppies, pretty please. If they can make slippers just like the shoes, my toes will be ever grateful and it will be easier for me to be a good plink for all of next year. ;)

I would like a talent for languages. Why? I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…. I suppose a talent for music wouldn’t hurt too. While getting the world to sing (in perfect harmony), I’d get to learn about all sorts of people and history and things. How’s that for a vacant cop-out? I’d like this from the one and only Jordan McVay. JM’s life is a wonderful example of where the Great Story can take you. Go Jordan! (Of late, I’ve lost JM’s URL. If anyone can help me with this, I’ll be most grateful. Honest!)

That’s a third, isn’t it? OK, I’d like Jordan McVay’s new URL, please. I ask because I like his writing and his never-say-die approach to life. The latter is literally true as he has survived a nail-biting encounter with cancer. This man is so cool it makes me look like a total n008. I’d most like you, kind reader, to place this wonderful piece of information in my (virtual) Christmas stocking because I’ve been a good(-ish) plink all year but have managed to lose his URL. Please can I have this third present because without it, I can’t claim the second?

And now, the Hokkien translation. It’s not exact, so get a Hokkien friend to point out the discrepancies for you. Watch out for splinters. ;)

Wa char meh hor LB kar Hokkienlang ‘tag’ tiok. Jit eh lang kio gua chor ‘meme’ tu si kao giak jialat liao. Hor neng eh lang ki ‘tag’ tiok pun kaopeh kaobu liao. Nao hiah! Jit leh iong Eng Boon lai ‘tag’ gua, koh jit leh giah Hokkien Uar lai khar gua eh thao! Tu si annekuan eh peng yiu lai peik lang ki jo kangkueh.

Jo hammik neng tao? Neng eh peng yiu, neng eh ‘reng kuej’… aiyah, gua kong neng tao lah! Jit tao kong Eng Boon, tei ji mai kong Hokkien Uar. Bo sukak eh lang ehsai ki tiao lok hai!
LB-kokor ku zhar uu kong liao, gua ai jit siang ei-thuar. Gua eh sin ei-thuar si ai Hush Puppies cho eh. Cheng liao Hush Puppies eh ei jin song. Ai si ee nang eh jo liao jit siang ei-thuar siangka Hush Puppies eh ei, gua cheng liao kao giak khui sim. Khui sim liao cho jit ni eh hor kangtao. Bo cho pai lang liao!

Tei ji leh, plink si ai lang kak gua zhun sehkai lang kong eh uar. Hokkien uar, Kngtang uar, Jippun uar, Hindi, Tekkok uar, longzong pun ai! Ancua leh? Gua ai kark gui sehkai chio kua, chio suisui…. Ai si gua eh hiao immkak punsi ho leh. Gua ti kark zhun sehkai chiokua eh si, gua ehsai khua patt sek lang ancua kong uar, ancua cho mi kia. Neng ku uar lah: Keng Giam. Mai snio anne chueh lah! Ai hor gua jit geh ‘present’ si Jordan McVay. JM jiak liao boh kau si zhap ni eh png pun uu anne chueh keng giam. Keir ieu Jordan! Gua jin ku boh ki thak JM eh borlok: phang ki liao ee eh URL. Jialat arh! Meir jueyjuey chau uar pun URL choei boh than. Annekuan leh, gua ai thoe keir jit eh ‘present.’

Ancua leh? Gua ai Jordan McVay eh URL. Torlongla…. JM sia eh borlok jin ho thak. Uu thangsi chio kao lao bak ieu. JM guzhar uu sibeh jialat eh keng giam: ee tiok ken ser…. Tiok liao pun bochap. Chekhak ki khua eeseng, jiak iok, thai kuak; tongkim ehsai kong hosay liao! Wah, gua thia liao pun kiasi…. Tolongla, tolong ka gua chuey Jordan McVay eh URL. Gua gui ni cho hor eh plink, tapi chueh bo than ee sin eh URL. Ai si boh ee eh URL, gua ancua khuan ai ki kio JM lai kark guakok boon?!

I’ll have to figure out who to tag, but I’m drawing a blank at the moment. How about this: everyone is cursed to have a very Merry Christmas to all and Good, plinky-type things in the New Year. Can’t get any better than that, can it?

posted by plink @ 7:36 am