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04

Mar

10 Cultural Do’s and Taboos: Chatting Around the World

by Janine Boylan on March 4, 2013

surprised girl, illustrating cultural taboos in conversation

It’s a good idea to know cultural taboos before you speak!
© Thinkstock

Hot (and Not So Hot) Topics

There are certain things you just shouldn’t talk about.

I’ve had a few Oh, I see moments around this—what is a culturally taboo topic in one place may not be in another. And, on the flip side, what is acceptable in one country, may be taboo in another. Sometimes it’s not until you’ve made the mistake that you learn the rules.

  • In some countries, including the United States, Indonesia, and Sierra Leone, asking adults about their age is generally considered taboo. In Vietnam, however, it is an important inquiry. The way you address someone older than you is different from how you address people younger than you.
  • “Are you married?” is a harmless question most places, but, in Afghanistan, it is considered rude to ask a woman this question.
  • Politics, religion, economic and social issues? Many avoid these topics when first meeting someone. In Nigeria, people love to discuss these topics and more—and strangers will join right in conversations to share their opinions.
  • Have a good joke? In places like Venezuela and Uganda, simple jokes are welcome. But if you are a man meeting a Yemeni woman in a business situation, jokes will not only fall flat, but they may also be seen as inappropriate and strain the meeting.
  • In many places like Taiwan, Sudan, and Syria, asking about one’s family is a welcome topic, but, in rural Thailand, it should be avoided until the speakers are well-acquainted.
  • Discussing one’s weight is considered appropriate in Ecuador; in the Democratic Republic of Congo being overweight is a sign of good health and mentioning it can be considered a compliment. Don’t try this in the United States.
  • Calling people by their names without their permission is offensive in Cambodia.
  • In Costa Rica, avoid talking about investments, money, or the market.
  • “How much do you make?” is considered a rude question in countries like Croatia, Germany, and the United States; in China and Ecuador, it is a normal topic of conversation.
  • In Thailand, it is actually against the law to criticize the royal family.

So how do you avoid cultural taboos when chatting around the world?

It’s always safe to talk about the weather!

The Centre for Intercultural Learning has a long list of cultural conversation do’s and taboos, sortable by country.

Kwintessential has a guide to culture, customs, and etiquette, presented by country. 

VIA Adam Wooten, Deseret News

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Crossing Cultures/Cultural Do's & Taboos/Language & Culture/Worldwide Sites

18

Feb

Language Speaks Volumes About Cultural Differences

by Janine Boylan on February 18, 2013

Language can reveal so much about the values and priorities in a culture. That’s why I love learning about different languages and discovering the richness of cultural differences. Perhaps Rita Mae Brown best described the connection between language and culture when she said:

Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.

One Thousand Names

What would you call this animal? To me, it is simply a reindeer.

Reindeer, illustrating that languages reflect cultural differences

There are 48 terms in the Northern Saami language for the shape of reindeer antlers.
© Thinkstock

People in Norway rely heavily on reindeer like this one for transportation as well as for food. Owners need to easily identify their animals. So the people have developed very precise language to talk about the animals.

Dr. Ole Henrik Magga reports that, in the Northern Saami language in Norway, there are over 1000 words that each convey a precise description of a reindeer, based on its gender, age, and appearance. For example, the word váža is used to describe a full-grown female reindeer which has already had a calf. And a siekŋa-njunni  is a reindeer whose hair around its nostrils is a different and unexpected color from the rest of its hair.

Oh I see!  The details in language are a wonderful mirror of the culture in which the language grows.

Shades of Blue

In English, we use the word “blue” to describe all shades of the color from sky blue to deep indigo. The Russian language does not have a single word for blue, instead it separates blue into light blues (goluboy) and dark blues (siniy).

shades of blue, illustrating that languages reflect cultural differences

Is it light or dark blue?
© Janine Boylan

Lera Boroditsky has done a number of studies on language. She reports that it is easier for native Russian speakers to see the subtle differences in shades of blue because, since childhood, they have been calling the two blues by distinct names. Similarly, she found that people who grew up speaking English had greater difficulty distinguishing between differences in the shades of blue.

Oh, I see! The words you know can shape the world you see.

A Cell is a Cell (Or Is It?)

A mobile, a cell, a cellular, a portable—those are all words used to describe cellular phones in different parts of the word.

cell phone, illustrating that language speaks of cultural differences

In Japan, a cell phone is called keitai, “portable.”
© Janine Boylan

In Sweden, another word for mobile phone is nalle, a teddy bear. The term was coined in the 1980s when portable phones were very expensive and only newly rich “yuppies” were able to buy them. People called the phones yuppienalle, the yuppie teddy bear, to mock owners and their expensive “toys.” But the teddy bear term stuck.

And, in Germany, the device is called a “handy.” One source says the name came from the Word War II “Handie Talkie,” the handheld walkie talkie the troops used. Since that time, the term has been used for various mobile devices, and today is synonymous with a mobile phone.

Oh, I see! Languages add new words all the time, and sometimes there’s a cultural spin.

Language is a wonderful window into cultural differences! What is the most interesting thing you have learned about a culture through its language?

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Cultural Diversity/Language & Culture/Worldwide Sites

14

Feb

Creative Ways To Say “I Love You”

by Meredith Mullins on February 14, 2013

Marvelous spatuletail has a creative way to say I love you and teaches us a life lesson in the process.

The Marvelous Spatuletail and his elegant tail feathers.
© Crawford. H. Greenewalt/VIREO

Valentine Love Stories Reveal Life Lessons

How can you send a meaningful Valentine’s message in a memorable way?

Chocolates

Flowers

Romantic dinner

Soul-revealing poem

Champagne toast

A truthful pledge to your loved ones that you think about them every day and not just on the Hallmark holidays?

As you ponder how best to show your love on Valentine’s Day, we offer some wacky/weird love stories and “Oh, I see” moments—creative ways to say “I love you” from our feathered and spiny friends.

Are there life lessons here? Read on . . .

The Marvelous Spatuletail: Good Looks Aren’t Everything 

The Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird really doesn’t need the word “marvelous” in his title at all. He just is. The male has elegant tail feathers, like a fluid Calder mobile or a hat at a British royal wedding.

His “tails” cross each other in graceful arcs and end with vibrant violet blue discs. He can move these feathers independently like an expert exotic dancer whirls her tassels.

The Marvelous Spatuletail is great looking. But does he rest on looks alone? Not a chance. He’s almost extinct in his native Peruvian forest-edge habitat (deforestation is the cause), so he gives the mating ritual his all.

He twirls. He spins. He flaunts his spatules. And, for the grand finale, he revs up and frantically waves his tail feathers as he hovers in front of a female. Hey, look at me! Hey look at me! Who could resist?

If video does not display, watch it here.

His dance is flashy and his tail speed impressive. Does he really need all that show?

Oh, I see. There can be good reasons to show off a little (not the least of which is preventing your own extinction). But there can also be more to love than flash (and tail speed). As H. Jackson Brown, Jr. said

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.

The Bowerbird: Setting the Stage for Love

Some might call the bowerbird a perfectionist, or workaholic. But most will applaud his desire to make everything perfect for his mate. With the skill of an architect and the eye of a flawless interior decorator, his choices are thoughtful and thorough.

The bowerbird shows creative ways to say "I love you" and teaches us a life lesson about building a beautiful home.

The bowerbird hunting for tasteful decor for his bachelor pad
© Thinkstock

He builds an elaborate tower and then tastefully appoints his home with beetles, nuts, flowers, leaves, and pebbles, and all manner of shiny things.

These gathered treasures are neatly, and artistically, arranged by color to attract the female. If one thing is out of place, he gets fussy. No disorderly bachelor pad for him. Everything is categorized and organized.

When a potential mate is attracted by the treasure trove of decorations, the bowerbird begins his song and dance, hoping that his musical abilities (and interior design skills) will set just the right romantic mood.

Oh, I see. As Mother Teresa said:

Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do . . . but how much love we put in that action.

(And a word of advice, Mr. Bowerbird. Lighten up, nobody likes a control freak.)

The Seahorse: A True Romantic

How can something so sharp around the edges and so full of spiny armor be so romantic at heart? Seahorses are just plain old-fashioned. They believe in courtship, slow dancing, and holding hands (well, holding tails).

A seahorse couple faces each other as they show creative ways to say "I love you."

The romantic slow dance of seahorses in love
© Thinkstock

Seahorse couples can be seen floating side by side, with their tails intertwined, or even floating face to face, where their bodies conveniently form a heart shape . . . to put them in the mood for love.

When the mating ritual begins, they dance gracefully, swirling around each other seductively, looking deeply into each other’s stony eyes.

Add to that the fact that seahorses are monogamous and the male carries the eggs until they’re hatched, and you have the ingredients for a perfect relationship.

Oh, I see. Romance, a faithful relationship, and a sharing of family responsibilities are hard to resist. Or, as Tom Robbins said:

We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love.

A Valentine Vote

Men and women may have different views on what makes for a good valentine. Weigh in and check back to see how results shape up.

Poll Spacer[polldaddy poll=6897170]Women, if poll does not display, take it here.

Poll Spacer[polldaddy poll=6897408]Men, if poll does not display, take it here.

This Valentine’s Day, creative ways to say “I Love You” abound. All you need is a little imagination.

At the end of the day, though, love is what you make it. And . . . when all else fails, shake a tail feather, baby.

Video VIA Greg R. Homel and The American Bird Conservancy.

Quotes VIA Brainy Quote

See David Attenborough’s bowerbird video.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Clever Ideas/Life Lessons/Quotes of Note

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