Can I pose a question?

This is weird but I’m beginning to speak English like my native-Spanish-speaker kiddos who are learning English.   I’m supposed to be the model English speaker to be mimicked, but I’m losing my touch! Let me explain.

Alright, in Spanish when you want to make a question the only thing you have to do is raise the intonation on the last word of the sentence.  For example the sentence, “A ella, le gusta mucha” could mean (1) She likes it a lot or (2) Does she like it a lot? The only difference in speech is whether you make the intonation of “mucha” rise or fall. If it falls it is a statement and if it rises, it is a question. In English it doesn’t work like that. For questions (that aren’t yes or no) we change the word order and typically end the sentence on a downward intonation.

My native Spanish-speaking students are so used to raising the intonation on the last word of a question that it transcends into their English. No matter what they are asking the intonation rises at the end.  It was quite funny. Well, that is until it started rubbing off on me. The other day I asked one of the other foreign teachers a question and she busted out in laughter. I was confused - I didn’t think the question was that outrageous. Turns out I raised the intonation at the end and she couldn’t handle that I sounded just like the students.  At least that’s what she said. I was skeptical until the horror hit me last night.

I was talking to my Amiguita (the cutest kitten in the world) and I asked her a question. I finished the question and just stopped everything. I heard it myself!  I had indeed made the last word rise as I posed the question. What the heck Leanne, English is your first language, this shouldn’t be a problem!

So here's my dilemma: I speak English like a Spanish speaker and Spanish like a gringa. Lose-lose situation. Sheesh!