Jenny, born and raised in the U.S., is visiting her father's family in Brazil. She has only a very basic understanding of the language, since her father speaks English at home. As she is taking her leave of her cousin, he says, "Lavar a egua", an expression used in his culture to wish someone success. Jenny is confused, interpreting her cousin as telling her to "wash the horse". Jenny's confusion demonstrates a breakdown in which communication code?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jenny's confusion stems from a misunderstanding of an idiom, "Lavar a egua," which is a phrase that means to wish someone success in her cousin's culture but literally translates to "wash the horse." Idioms are expressions that don't mean exactly what the words say, leading to confusion for those not familiar with the cultural or linguistic context.

Jenny, Born and Raised in the U