Swearing in Swahili!
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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.
Many of the animations were produced using Flash and will no longer work.
Nursing patients with artificial hips, it was often my job to walk them down the ward soon after their operation. Some were nervous but they had to be 'got going' on the new joint.
One day I was about to escort a splendid elderly gentleman for his first walk. To reassure him, I said 'It might sting a bit so it's OK to swear, as long as it's in Swahili!' - that being the first language I could think of.
He gasped in surprise and asked 'How did you know THAT? I spent 20 years with the Army in Kenya and I am fluent in Swahili! I can't WAIT to tell my wife and daughter when they visit tonight!'
We positively WALTZED up that ward, and I still have no idea why I chose Swahili.
Date submitted:Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:27:17 +0000Coincidence ID:4871
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