Why, Kai?

ben

My second class at school always amuses me with their simple laughter. For example, I taught them the sentence patterns for invitation. First, the greetings part. Then, asking if someone has a free time. After that was confirming and declining an invitation. What really made them laugh was on this conversation:

KAI: I am sorry I can’t go.

TEACHER: Why, Kai?

Whenever I asked this question beginning with ‘why’ plus the nickname of the student, my classroom would be filled with laughter. At first I didn’t know why. But to my curiosity, and because I wanted not to be left behind their happiness, I asked them why they giggled when I threw the question: “Why, Kai?”

The students presumed that 'Why' and 'Kwai' had the similar sound. In their language, ‘Kwai’ means buffalo. It is an animal of ridicule. If someone is called a buffalo it means that he is weak, ridiculous, slightly stupid, and barbaric. So every time I asked my student this one, “Why, Kai?” they thought that I was stating that Kai is a Kwai or in this way, “Kwai , Kai? (Buffalo, Kai?). Putting fire to their fiery enjoyment, I asked this question almost to everyone. My second class has shallow fun but is never boring.