Welcome to Ellis Toussier-Ades Bigio-Antebi's
The Story Behind "Spanish In An Instante"
s m i l e
"Spanish In An Instante" is by far my longest cognate poem, and my
proudest achievement as a Poet (if three poems a "Poet" makes...)
I want to tell you how I wrote it, because there's
a funny story behind it. After I had written
The Language Revolution and
A Cognate Fanático I was amazed with my own ability to write in rhythm and rhyme... I
wanted to see if I could make a living writing funny poems (very
difficult)... and I wanted to see if I could set anything
into rhyme (I can).
I decided, then, to try to set a joke in Spanish into rhyme. I
started to write the poem, but pretty soon... towards the beginning of
the poem... the rhyme took me off into a different direction... So
even though I was advancing, it had nothing to do with the original
joke... and soon I had no idea how I was going to end it! As I
wrote it, it was news to me too...
At one point I was stuck for almost three months. Then one
morning I woke up and I had solved the problem... I had a great
ending for the joke... it was funny, and it was also perfect to
illustrate the lessons in the book.. I liked it so much that I
couldn't wait to finish writing the poem... I was laughing as I
wrote it. I couldn't believe it was me writing it.. (maybe it
wasn't, but it came through me, so I claim to be the author...)
Here's the original joke:
Venancio, (a standard Spanish character in jokes, like "little
Johnny") is going to New York, but he's worried because he can't speak
English. A friend tells him (in Spanish) "Don't worry... it's very
easy to speak English... just speak Spanish very slowly... That's
English!"
So Venancio, who is a dummy, says "Really? Well, then I can speak
English easily." So off he goes to New York... and once he's there
he decides he wants to go see the Statue of Liberty. But he gets
lost, and so he has to ask a stranger for directions... it happens
to be a Mexican (who apparently has received the same bad advice)
"Per - do - ne," says Venancio. "Cómo llego... a la...
Es - ta - tua... de la... Liber - tad?" (Excuse me, how do I get
to the Statue of Liberty?)
And the stranger answers "La... esta - tua... de la... Li - ber - tad?
La... Esta - tua de... la Li - ber - tad... está... a la...
derecha, y... luego... dos cua - dras... a la... iz - quier- da."
(The Statue of Liberty is to the right, then two blocks to the
left...)
Then Venancio answers: "Gra - cias. Yo soy... de Madrid... Y...
usted... de dón - de es?" (Thank you. I'm from Madrid. Where
are you from?)
And the stranger answers "Yo... yo soy de... México." (I'm from
Mexico.)
And then Venancio answers "Pero... Si... usted es... de México, y...
yo soy... de Madrid... entonces... porqué estamos hablando en
inglés ?!!!" (But if... if you're from Mexico... and I'm from
Madrid... then... why are we speaking in English?!!!)
So that's the story behind Spanish In An Instante. If you still haven't read it, it is because you haven't written to me...
After you have read my poems, please write to me and I will tell you how to get to Spanish In An Instante:
The Language Revolution and A First Short Lesson
A Cognate Fanático and A Second Short Lesson
You might also want to read about my book,
Toussier's Cognate Words
You can also send me your favorite short poems or essays or
jokes about languages in general, and if I like them I might
add them to my English Language
Treat site so everybody can enjoy them.
Please send them to:
etoussier@hotmail.com
I have been accepted into Phenomenal Men of the Web for my
Amazing Cognate Poems. Thank you.
I Am A Proud Member Of:
The Phenomenal Men
Of The Web
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