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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 12:42:43
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quote:
Not everyone has friends in remote villages and not everyone wants to 'slum it' on holiday. Many people want a bit of luxury from time to time.
Bev, that's distasteful referring to Gambian homes as 'slums' they may not be to the standard that you & I are use to, but they do there very best with much pride.
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The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 12:51:23
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Sab and Hes, I think you guys are missing Bev's humor. I do not for once think she is degrading Gambian homes. Here is a woman who spends a good deal of her time in Gambian rural homes leaving behind the luxuries of London; the hotels in Banjul, serekunda, and Kotu...
i have no doubt that Bev has enormous respect for these people, because she always talk proudly about our people, epecially the wisdom of the simpler life in rural Gambia... |
Edited by - kayjatta on 22 Sep 2008 12:55:04 |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 12:58:29
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Kay,
Sab and Hiz are right. Bev is so ful of herself. Its no homour. A bit of respect for the people she calls friends in the country side. Where i come from in the provinces is not as modern as where i used to live back in the urban, but its no way near a slum.
Bev should apologise for insulting a whole people. |
madiss |
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 13:24:13
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what a rubbish assault on bev. she is not talking from her point of view. she is talking from the point of view of those who want posh hotels and have no interest in gambia or its people or life. she used brackets to emphasise her own ironic displeaasure of the phrase- slumming it- that tourists like that would use, and still said "each to their own". in no way is she calling gambian homes "slums". i cannot believe how you could so misread the meaning.
sab and hiz, you have misunderstood and attacked.bev is probably one of the more empathetic toubabs you will ever meet on this bantaba.take a chill pill.you guys and madiba should read her intonations more carefully. you missed it.ENTIRELY!
madiba, it is you who should apologise in this instance.
don't scare off the likes of bev from your bantaba - else you will be soon left with a gamnbian-only forum - unless you would prefer it that way. |
Edited by - lurker on 22 Sep 2008 13:38:42 |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 13:33:25
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"Slumming it" is a well used English langauge phrase and does NOT mean that people live in slums. It simply means staying somewhere that doesn't have all the benefits and facilities that we are lucky enough to be used to at home ...
I thought we were trying to keep personal attacks out of Bantaba??
Often we may disagree but to be personal (to anyone at all) isn't, surely, what we're all about?? |
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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 13:40:22
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point taken Lurker..hardly an assault thou - but personally I would never use the term 'slum' it is a family home to someone, somewhere in the world.
Chill pill! On the menu for LatriKunda tomorrow if G.Ex don't go bust overnight...
regards, sab. |
The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
Edited by - sab on 22 Sep 2008 21:21:41 |
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 13:47:16
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| safe trip. sab. assault mainly from others, sorry if included you in that phrase. |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 14:24:51
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| Lurker, me apologise? Mate better check ur head. How can i watch someone degrade and de-humanise my abode and my country-men. the term is derogatory. I won't withdraw a syllable of wat i said. so soothe urself |
madiss |
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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 15:23:48
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Courtesy of the Free Dictionary.com
Idiom:
slum it
To endure conditions or accommodations that are worse than what one is accustomed to.
So, if I was used to living in a house with two bathrooms and then had to 'make do' with just the one while on holiday or whatever, I too would use that phrase.
How is that "degrading and dehumanising your abode and your country-men", Madiba? "The term is derogatory" - oh, I get it this is along the lines of what Janko was saying "I belief those who interpret Toubab as derogatory are projecting their own meaning and not conveying the actual meaning of the word".
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It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 15:37:27
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this is the umpteenth time where it becomes clearer that there is a huge difference between having a basic grasp of english and then actually understanding it.
english is not about vocabulary syntax,and grammar alone. it usage has nuance, sarcasm, inflection, intonation and humour, if you can use it or, see it when it is being used.
clearly some are beginners or simply do not understand its complexity and thus miss the subtleties of the qualities that make english the modern lingua franca of the developed world.
madiba is still blissfully ignorant of bev's , now frequently explained, use of idioms. shame he has to be so obdurate in his defense of his own shortcomings when it comes to understanding bev's posting. his continued defense merely compounds his lack of grasp of this posting. perhaps a gambian could translate her irony back into his own language, so that he may understand what we all else managed to . |
Edited by - lurker on 22 Sep 2008 16:13:38 |
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MADIBA
United Kingdom
1275 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 17:30:29
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Thanks for the English Language lessons. However, i can and do understand the highest level of the Queen's English. I have studied in English for close to 30yrs . I have been to and graduated from English Universities anyway.
The issue here is the mis-use of the term slum. Whether as an idiom or not.
Slums are mainly extensions of major cities charactarised by over-population, squalor and abject poverty. I have seen slums in Nairobi, Accra, Abidjan, Casablanca, Delhi etc.
Now the kiang or Jarra that Bev's visits and stays has none of these. In slums no meaningful farming takes place, in slums there are no back gardens, in slums poor sanitation is the order of the day due to excessive use of the limited social amenities such as water taps, in slums there are ususally public toilets etc etc.
As far as i know the idiomatic use of the term slum, is also insensitive.
This link may help
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/slum
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MeMe
United Kingdom
541 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 17:39:57
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| I think we were/are discussing the term "slumming it" or "slum it" which is different to the noun slum .... yet you seem determined to turn this into some sort of perceived slur on the Gambia and/or Gambians which is laughable .... |
It is better to die standing than to live on your knees - Ernesto Guevara de la Serna |
Edited by - MeMe on 22 Sep 2008 17:48:35 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 18:21:53
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Luker and Me me, you seem to understand me. The other postings misunderstand me completely. I didnt say SLUMS....'slumming it' has a different meaning.
I don't think there is much else to say really.
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 22:46:59
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ok im going to try and respond to these posting in 1 as there seem to be some confusion .
Looks like everyone picked up on one word and run with it.
MeMe thanks for the explanation I was fully aware of what Bev meant. I hope everyone is clear.
Lurker please re-read my reply to Bevs posting it was not an assault it was a response to her criticism of me.
Do I not have the right to respond?
I have no issues with Bev we have shared private conversations why would I want to scare Bev or anyone away from anywhere? That comment makes no sense.
I have no idea why Bev seems to target my posting this is the 2nd one in this thread ,but she has her reasons.
I was setting the record straight regarding My experiences.
My question was Why use the term 'slum it' when did I suggest this is what I do?
I never mis read anything!
Ive lived in Favelas im am perfectly aware of what a slum is.
kayjatta I missed the humorous points in Bevs posting to myself, im sure if you point them out I may get them.
Seems like this bandwagon is rolling on fine, like I asked of Bev please do not read into my postings something that is not there. |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2008 : 22:56:55
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sorry for asking comparison analysis of only gambian and turkish men which causes so much mess. I should have included british men too (they would probably less favorite ones i guess) so bev and hz. princess would have some common.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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