[HPFGU-OTChatter] Of curls and culture

[Ladi lyndi]

--- Tabouli wrote:
> Sometimes, though, the answers *can* be quite
> easy.  Take the workshop I ran today, for
> example.  In it, I briefly mentioned the way
> English speakers use indirect phrasing and
> complex grammar to phrase things politely (e.g.
> "I was wondering whether you could possibly
> lend me a book?" versus "I want your book."),
> and explained that most East Asian languages do
> not do this.  Instead, the politeness is often
> built into the pronouns and verbs, and the
> phrasing is quite direct and simple.  Hence
> international students from some Asian
> countries speaking English as a second language
> can come across as very abrupt, because they
> are translating directly from their own, direct
> language and losing their "politeness coding",
> without knowing how to use the complex
> politeness coding used in English (with its
> tricky tenses and question forms and so on).


Lynn:

This is true with many second-language situations
or just cultural differences.  Knowing this makes
it easier to accept and understand rather than
reject and get defensive in situations.  It's
also important that people really understand
their own language and culture which I think many
just take for granted and don't consider when
interacting with other cultures.  For me, tone of
voice carries a lot of weight in determining what
someone is saying, yet, in other cultures, the
same weight or inferences aren't put on tone
which can lead to a misinterpretation of what the
person is saying.

You also get priority differences, class
differences, etc. between cultures which can lead
to prejudices when we presume others should share
our own beliefs in areas.

My husband and I just say "culture clash"
whenever we confront issues which may arise due
to the differences in the American and Dutch
cultures or, as we're dealing with now, the
military and civilian culture.  And believe me,
I'm finding it a huge culture clash.  LOL

Lynn

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