The Greek Interpreter: Or Nearly All

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Title: The Greek Interpreter: Or Nearly All
Author: gardnerhill
Word Count: 60
Rating: G
Warning: None.
Summary: It’s not just Greek to Mr. Melas.

***

“Chinese?” I asked.

”Wǒ zhǐ néng shuō yīdiǎn zhōngguó.” Mr. Melas smiled. “I find that both this tongue, and Japanese, are crucial languages to master these days.”

“Really, Watson,” Holmes chided.

So I spoke in in a language that made Holmes blink and turn his head.

Mr. Melas smiled and replied in the same language, “I speak some Pashto, too.”

***
Author’s Note: Mr. Melas says “I speak a little Chinese.”

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

I do like this lost scene. Thanks. *is impressed by gardnerhillian linguistic skills*

[debriswoman]

Holmes...you still have not learned, have you?

[godsdaisiechain.livejournal.com]

Never underestimate an army doctor!!

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Holmes never will get Watson's limits ^_^ And I love how good-natured Mr. Melas is - indulging Watson's 'testing' ^^

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Ah ha! Three Continents is not just the language of love!

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Keep up Holmes!

[mrs-tilford.livejournal.com]

ډیر ښه!

[sanguinity]

Heh. The two of them take such delight in pulling out a little surprise about themselves that the other hadn't known about.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm a proud alumnus of Google Translate University.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Limits - Watson duznt haz dem.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Nor someone who's been stationed someplace where you have to learn local phrases for "More beer" and "get me a horse."

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

How often have we bypassed that throwaway line "I speak all languages - or nearly all"? Perhaps Mr. Melas is amused by their amazement.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Mais non!

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

You can't read Kipling poems set in India without a good chunk of it being in Hindi. I figured Watson would have picked up a bit of the local speech.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

مننه!

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

"Watson, how many rabbits do you have in that hat?"

[godsdaisiechain.livejournal.com]

Is there a big difference?

; )

[castiron.livejournal.com]

Love it!

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Thanks!