Who said that speaking Mongolian couldn't kill you?

The Mongolians have a way of agreeing with something that is said similar to the way that we say, "Uh huh." The best way I can describe it is this: put your tongue way up near the roof of your mouth and make sure that your mouth has lots of spittle in it. Then quickly inhale. Mongolians make this sound many times in conversation usually subconsciously I am sure. I asked someone one time what it meant, and he did not even notice that he had been making that sound. But it is just one way that Mongolians quickly and unobtrusively express their agreement.

Several years ago, I decided that if I wanted to speak Mongolian like a Mongolian person, I would have to learn how to make that sound. The first few weeks that I made that sound, my tongue close to the roof of my mouth and with a quick intake of breath I always expected the Mongolians to laugh at me. After all, to American ears such a sound seems odd in speech. (One American described it as a cough.) But the Mongolians did not react at all. They just kept right on talking.

With time, it has become second nature when my mind is in Mongolian mode to simply make this sound whenever I want to unobtrusively express agreement. Well, let me tell you that speaking Mongolian in this way can be hazardous to your health.

Last week, I was eating rice at lunch with some Mongolians. I do not even recall what the conversation was about but remember that subconsciously I wanted to agree so I did the little quick inhalation thing. But one should never try to inhale quickly while eating, especially while eating rice. The result was several pieces of rice heading down my windpipe. I briefly choked, coughed, and tried to be dignified in it all.

Fortunately, the rice did not get lodged in my windpipe; and after some coughing and hacking I was able to breathe again. But I'm telling you, speaking Mongolian can kill you.