In which I (am) sell fish

The following conversation took place after I drank a bottle of “All You Need” without sharing with Hong.

Hong: Jao pen kon kai ba!

Me: I’m a what?

Hong: Jao pen kon kai ba!

Me: I’m a crazy egg?

(of course, I got my tones wrong)

Hong: Not kai-egg, kai-sell. Jao pen kon KAI BAA!

Me: I’m a person who sells fish?

Hong: YES

Me: Why? People who sell fish don’t share?

Uproarious laughter.

End scene.

Idioms In Common

Idioms are an important part of any language. Learning idioms in different languages give much insight into that culture. Though English and Lao differ greatly in both language and culture, we both use idioms in similar situations. Here are four common idioms in English that have counterparts in Lao: