+1 MrPedantic  [More info] Imagine a group of EFL trainee teachers. They are travelling to X-ia, to teach English to the Xs. But first, they have to learn a little X-ish themselves. They are to be taught X-ish by Teacher A and Teacher B. Teacher A has a poster on his wall. It says: "If you're English, and you want to understand X-ish thoroughly, you must put aside your English ways of thinking, and learn to think like an X." Teacher B also has a poster. It says: "Don't let X-ish culture dominate your usage." _______ Now here's my question, Milky:  Which approach is more likely to foster awareness of, and sensitivity to, the X-ish culture? Teacher A's? or Teacher B's? MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,705 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...

	+1 nona the brit  [More info] Read my lips Milky, are you aware that is a very rude (as in ill-mannered) thing to say to someone? nona the brit Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004 England Veteran Member 11,782 The name says it all.

	+1 milky  [More info]  Nona The Brit wrote: Read my lips Milky, are you aware that is a very rude (as in ill-mannered) thing to say to someone? Please see MR P's post about Jean-Marie le Pen. If you think that post is not provocative and rude, we have a problem with moderation here. milky

	+1 milky  [More info]  Nona The Brit wrote: Read my lips Milky, are you aware that is a very rude (as in ill-mannered) thing to say to someone? Why not delete it if offends you? You have the reins. milky

	+1 milky  [More info] "Honorifics are essential in the Korean language, and I sometimes sense in fluent English-speaking Korean colleagues and students a frustration that English is so blunt, so lacking in means of showing courtesy (and of withholding it). (See Rhee, 1994)." milky

	+1 milky  [More info] Compare this quote with Mr P's below it: Different languages – and different Englishes – might not share Americans’ conversation conventions. The topics and styles for small talk in the U.S. might give offense in France or Japan. To Arabs, U. S. conversation can seem tepid and unenthusiastic. To Americans, German Swiss sometimes seem brusquely inconsiderate of “face.” To Dutch listeners, Americans can seem too prone to self-promotion, while to Germans, Americans often sound absurdly optimistic. http://www.csulb.edu/~gilsdorf/st%20eng%20world%20eng%20jbc.htm  -- Mr P wrote: If you're English, and you want to understand Russian or Japanese or German thoroughly, you have to put aside your English ways of thinking, and learn to think in Russian or Japanese or German. milky

	+1 MrPedantic  [More info] I'm sorry if it offended you, Milky. But if you're entitled to say that "you must put aside your English ways of thinking" reflects British cultural imperialism, I'm surely entitled to point out that "don't let others impose their culture" is the watchword of several unpleasant political organisations. However, I won't mention it again. MrP MrPedantic