Pyotr P
Professional Interpreter and Translator (AIIC - Geneva, NAATI - Australia), Writer, Speaker.
What was the most dramatic case of culture clash in you business or private encounters?
This is a joke but it will give you an idea of what I am looking for (no racial stereotyping intended -- purely an example of a seemingly dramatic clash of values suddenly resolved):
Cabin service.
A Muslim was seated next to an Australian on a flight from London to Melbourne, Australia.
After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken. The Aussie asked for a rum and coke, which was brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the Muslim if he would like a drink. He replied in disgust, "I'd rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips."
The Aussie handed his drink back to the attendant and said, "Me too. I didn't know we had a choice."
Clarification added October 10, 2007:
I should have said "No racial, gender, or SPECIES stereotyping intended." One has to be real careful nowadays...
I happen to be working right now with a multicultural group of miners and mining engineers in Western Australia, thus the question.
Clarification added October 11, 2007:
Here's a tale from a friend who is in Russia right now:
I was sitting by the dezhurnaya (the duty watchperson) on the floor of a Soviet hotel while my room was being made up.
There was a large Soviet Rubin TV set there.
A Japanese fellow who spoke no Russian or English was sitting next to me, presumably also waiting for the maids to clean his room . We were watching a nature program where some animals appeared which apparently in Russian are called sony.
Two dezhurnaya ladies pointed to the screen and said smotri sony, sony!
The Japanese understood that the Russian women were pointing at the TV and saying it was a Sony.
He gave me a funny look as if to say "I can't believe how stupid these Russians are to believe that a Rubin is a Sony!"
Another good one of linguistic confusion that ended tragically was when a Japanese tourist was shot by a Texan when he was told to "freeze" when apparently trespassing on a Texan's property. The Japanese did not know that "freeze" means "stop", so he kept walking.
Answers (1)
Tom F
Editorial Director at BankInfoSecurity.com
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Just over 30 years ago, growing up in rural Maine (in the US), there was a sudden infusion of Vietnamese/Cambodian refugees in the wake of the Vietnam war. That culture clash -- and the ignorance it exposed -- was profound in its impact on me. It was the first time I ever saw racism first-hand, and it was ugly.
best,
Tom
