Learning a new language is challenging. Memorizing vocabulary words, that's the easy part. It's the nuances that are difficult, like remembering to roll your r's or not being able to count past eighty (sorry, France!). Of course, for Americans, Congolese is even harder than developing a believable French accent. In The Poisonwood Bible, the Price family isn't just dealing with a completely foreign culture, they're dealing with a language where almost every word has multiple meanings. How can you tell the difference? It's all in how you say it—and the Prices usually say it wrong.
Questions About Language and Communication
- How does Nathan's preacherly tone of voice affect the way his sermons are interpreted by the people of Kilanga?
- If Nathan Price learned to communicate with the people of Kilanga instead of just preaching at them, how would things have been different?
- What does each daughter's name mean in Congolese, and how does it reflect her personality?
- Each daughter is also given a nickname by the Congolese. How do their nicknames match up with each daughter?