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Subject:RE: Learn a new language From:"Sharon Burton-Hardin" <sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 13 Jun 2003 07:24:03 -0700
I have worked with several companies that were multicultural - many members
of the team spoke different native languages. I am trained as an
anthropologist, I always ask about the native languages. Always. I ask to be
taught the basic polite words or phrases I need to survive. These are:
Please, thank you, I am sorry, excuse me, and Nice to meet you (or however
that phrase works in the target language). In that order.
Everyone has always been happy to help me learn to be basically polite. I
don't remember them now, but I have been taught these phrases in a wonderful
African language I cannot spell, 2 Chinese dialects, Russian, Polish,
Vietnamese, Dutch, Yucatecan Maya, Farsi, and Hindu. I currently have an
eastern European male housekeeper and am trying to learn these words in
Czechoslovakian, which I can barely spell, much less speak!
When I make these language requests, I also ask genuinely serious questions
about their culture and family structures and marriage expectations and all
that stuff. The whole thing is just very interesting to me. People respond
to people being really interested in them.
Of course, I ask these same questions of cab drivers, bell captains, any one
who is from another culture. My husband is always amazed that I can, in 20
minutes, get people to share all sorts of stuff about where they come from.
I am just terribly interested in this stuff. The wonderful diversity of our
cultures.
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