August Newsletter

“The many languages of Lima”

I have heard several people in the U.S. say that Spanish is an easy language because there are so many words like English.... Well, that probably is true for the first year or two of Spanish in High School or College. Once you get on the ground in a country like Peru, however, Spanish is as complicated as any other Romance language.

Here in Lima, there is a wide variety of Spanish that is spoken. About a week ago, a linguist in Lima pointed out to us, that the kind of Spanish which one speaks in Lima depends on several factors. Our linguist friend mentioned 4 different kinds in Lima alone. And Spanish in Peru varies in the jungle, mountains, and other coastal areas, as well. That is just Spanish. Then, there are varieties of other languages in the country.

As seminary professors, we need to understand the variety of Spanish that students may use when they ask questions, so we are trying to learn at least two different kinds of Spanish for that: two different languages, in effect.

The first kind is the one you learn in language school. The other is the one spoken by many people on the street, with words that are not found in the dictionary, or if they are in the dictionary, have different meanings on the street. Both languages represent different worlds. Even people born and raised in Peru, who speak the first language, can not understand the second. That is how different it is. I call the street language "taxi" or "maintenance" because it seems that many taxi drivers and maintenance workers speak this second language.

How are we doing?

Language school: Julie and I have finished language school. We have two tutors who help us weekly. Our language abilities increase daily. We are on track for what we need to do.

Present Ministry: Julie has been asked by Bp. Godfrey to be his equivalent of Fr. Peter Schofield in the Diocese of Albany, with respect to coordinating matters relating to people in the ordination process. Julie and I are also preparing to teach our next courses as a team at the seminary: in October. We are visiting parishes and learning Lima.

Residency papers: We are well on the way, we hope, to get our residency visas and carnets. It is an interesting process. Much patience is needed.

Prayer Requests:
• Listening and Speaking skills
• Seminary courses
• Continuing adjustment and good health
• Residency papers process

Blessings! – Julie, Shaw, and Lydia