Recognizing root words across different languages can be useful. I can get by in French, and I understand a great deal of Dutch. Studied German as well. Sometimes it allows me to understand what's going on when I'm listening to another Romance or Germanic language. It is not a perfect science, though.
My wife, who was carrying our twin boys at the time, went into labour, and we rushed to the hospital in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. The doctor advised us that the babies were oriented feet first and there was a danger of the umbilical cords getting tangled and losing one or both babies. The decision was to transport her to Ste. Justine Hospital in Montreal, and perform an emergency cesarean.
They packed Francine up in an ambulance, and I headed home to leave instructions for my parents-in-law to take care of our oldest before following. The ambulance had trouble with traffic, while I came by a different route. In spite of my stop, I arrived only minutes behind them.
I was directed to follow an orderly who didn't speak a word of English. He asked me if I wanted to "assister" with the operation. Assister in French actually means to attend, but that isn't what I thought. I'm sure my eyes went as wide as soup bowls. I was having horrible thoughts about cutbacks to Canadian healthcare programs. I'm a woodworker, not a doctor. I want her to survive this. I was responding with "juste regarder," which means just look. The orderly was nodding yes, while I was shaking no. I went into the operating room anyway and talked to the conscious end of her through the whole thing.
Stressful situation, which is funny now but not at the time. It did have a happy ending, as the above photo can attest
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