[OT] Cultural differences (was Re: Defining Pet Features and Essentials)

[Ralph DiMola]

J,

Very good points!!

I spent 1.5 years in Japan. I was having cocktails with some Tokyo locals
and I was tired and wanted to be able to accomplish what I promised the next
day and refused a tumbler glass of whiskey from Karamura San late in the
night. I went back to the hotel and found out the next day that I insulted
him BIG-TIME. Moral: You can't always know local customs but learn from your
mistakes. I bought him a tumbler of whiskey the next time we went out and
all was forgiven. On the "thank you" thingy... In Japan the more random
"Gazimus"s (spelling?) one places in a conversation the more polite you are.
And to be Really polite end the sentence with "gazimusssssssssssssss" and
stretch those s's out. I think the vast majority of us try to acclimate to
local customs so we can respect other cultures and not insult the locals.
But in the end it's one of those "live and learn" things.

Ralph DiMola
IT Director
Evergreen Information Services
rdimola at evergreeninfo.net

-----Original Message-----
From: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-bounces at lists.runrev.com] On Behalf
Of J. Landman Gay
Sent: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 3:14 PM
To: How to use LiveCode
Subject: [OT] Cultural differences (was Re: Defining Pet Features and
Essentials)

Ender,

I marked this as OT because we've gone off-track, but this is fascinating to
me and I'm glad your reply was still in my inbox.

> Whereas "pig" is condescending, "ox" means dumb, "dog" is pretty
insulting.

"Pig" here means dirty, sloppy, unclean, even though pigs are naturally very
clean animals. "This place is a pig sty" means your house is a mess. Ox
means dumb, same as you. A dog is just a dog, except for female dogs which
are bitches. "Bitch" here is a so commonly used for a querrelous woman (or a
man's property) that I've met people who don't know it actually refers to
dogs.

> In fact, I love dogs as animals; they're cute, loyal, fun, smart.
> But as a swear, it's rough.

Another thing westerners are puzzled by is the insult about shoes. To us
they are just apparel. I do understand that shoes pick up street dirt and
are unclean, so it makes sense I guess. But if you threw a shoe at me, I'd
be offended by the gesture but not by the item you chose to do it with.

> I should have thought about the nuances between cultures.
> That was clearly my mistake.

Don't feel too bad, we all do it. We are products of our culture, which is
taught to us before we can even think about it. Americans are typically
thought of as rude and after visiting the UK, I see why. We are perceived as
brash and self-centered. One example is that we typically don't use "please"
as often as they do in the UK, because in America that would be perceived as
constant pleading, and perhaps a sign of insecurity. In the UK it is simply
a polite way of speaking. When I was visiting, I tried to remember to say
"please" more often than usual, just to fit in. I probably failed.

> Another important thing about this issue is being over-touchy / 
> short-tempered of Middle Eastern people.

I suspect that part is more human than cultural. I know a lot of people here
that behave that way too, and there are areas of the U.S. where criticising
their culture or patriotism enrages them. I think it goes back to our tribal
roots. The community is the bedrock of our identity, and insulting it also
insults us personally by association.

I almost decided to major in cultural anthropology in college, the field is
so fascinating to me. Humans are a diverse breed, and yet we have far more
in common with each other than we have differences.

And I am glad this conversation occurred, because it makes us all more
aware. One thing is a disadvantage to you though: your English is so good
that it is easy to forget you live so far away. :)

-- 
Jacqueline Landman Gay         |     jacque at hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software           |     http://www.hyperactivesw.com


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