Comments | koalathebear: Global languages

koalathebear

Global languages

Jan 08, 2008 15:35

I was having lunch with Papa Koala today and as usual, our lunch was accompanied by much hand-waving, debate and discussion. As the restaurant owner brought us our coffee (I asked for two ordinary coffees and he brought us two flat whites :), he paused and said:

"I just HAVE to say something!" Then he paused and said: "It's just amazing. The ( Read more... )

languages

Comments 32

sekainozomi January 8 2008, 07:50:11 UTC

I would say something, but I fear it wouldn't be kind. As a joke, whenever my husband and I visit any Western country, he only speaks English and I only speak Japanese. I often make him translate for me, which completely befuddles the natives. One day I'll share my experiences with Mainland Chinese...again...it wouldn't be anything polite. ;-)

scottishlass January 8 2008, 08:35:43 UTC

I guess it is the same when as a Westerner you are able to speak an Asian language. A friend of mine who is tall, blonde and very not Japanese looking was raised in Japan when her dad was a diplomat there. She is fluent in Japanese and even can switch between Kinki and Kansai dialects. She is always looked at as some kind of freak in both worlds. The Japanese are stunned and just start laughing embarrassedly behind their hands and the Westerners stare at her as if she has grown a second head.

Though the whole thing reminds me of a time in the US when someone - upon hearing me speak - exclaimed that I should be speaking English with a German (he mentioned Nazi) accent if I come from Germany. *rolls eyes* Not all Germans sound like bad Nazi characters in an Indiana Jones movie.

koalathebear January 9 2008, 11:52:36 UTC

Usually I find Canadians, Kiwis, Americans, English people and Aussies are much better at accepting a non-white face speaking English simply because of the huge amounts of immigration than say Dutch or German people who might have a smaller population of Asians, but now and then I get surprised ;)

jazmin22 January 8 2008, 12:49:51 UTC

What? That's strange...Ok, perhaps it is because I have lived in US, mostly in places with a certain level of urbanization, but I can say pretty readily that I have never expected someone that looks Asian to a certain accent. Even though when I was younger, my family was not as...well off as we are now and lived in areas where immigrants and the like were abundant. So, I should maybe expect an Asian accent really...but I don't. *shrugs* :) Actually I tend to not expect any particular accents from anyone. I think I must have trained myself not to because I am afraid of looking stupid in my reactions.

coneycat January 8 2008, 12:54:04 UTC

Actually I tend to not expect any particular accents from anyone. I think I must have trained myself not to because I am afraid of looking stupid in my reactions.

I'm from a smallish city with a bunch of universities, so I am in a similar situation: it's a multicultural community with a lot of people from other countries, but I still try to default to expecting everyone I meet to be just as Canadian as I am.

I admit, I might be thrown if I met a person of Asian descent with a strong French-Canadian accent, but I like to think I wouldn't be a jerk about it. Koala, I'm impressed that you had the wit to be amused!

jazmin22 January 8 2008, 13:01:44 UTC

I lived in several larger cities when I was younger, but know I live in a small-but rapidly growing area, a lot of people have been moving here and we also have a university. It's really becoming a much more diverse area, and I have noticed that I am not nearly as surprised people who have lived out here all their lives and experiencing all this, um, cultural change at an older age.

Koala, I'm impressed that you had the wit to be amused!

I second that.

koalathebear January 9 2008, 11:59:41 UTC

I guess I was amused because he was impressed by something I found completely unimpressive :D It's like when people tell me my English is very good, I'm always kind of: "Gawd I should hope so." :)

Thread 8

rika_66 January 8 2008, 12:53:32 UTC

This story sounds so strange for me. I honestly do not understand at all what was so surprising for that man.

jazmin22 January 8 2008, 13:06:24 UTC

I can't believe he actually verbalized his thoughts to Koala and Papa Koala. I would think most people would be afraid to offend. Perhaps a result of me living in multicultural communities in the US and waiters who just speaking in pleasantries...

rika_66 January 8 2008, 13:33:41 UTC

Well, in my VERY multinational country (about 100 only 'native' nationalities, I don't speak about emigrants now!) a polite correctness is not so popular like in the US... We here used to discuss such topics as nation and race more openly ( ... )

koalathebear January 9 2008, 12:00:34 UTC

*laugh* I think he thought he was paying us a compliment or something ;) I will confess that if I ever meet a Chinese-looking person with an Irish accent, I'll probably stare :D

Thread 6

ancarett January 8 2008, 15:31:15 UTC

Wow. I'm surprised at his comment. Maybe, charitably, he gets a lot of Chinese-speakers in his restaurant and has been conditioned to expect that someone of Chinese descent is going to speak Chinese ( ... )

koalathebear January 9 2008, 11:58:20 UTC

I'm a bit surprised as well because a restaurant owner should be used to all sorts of faces and accents and voices. Then again, to be charitable maybe it's like how I used to feel when I heard Ella Fitzgerald's speaking voice. When she sang it was deep, rich and full but when she spoke - she sounded like a wee little girl :) It's just a matter of expectations about what voice/sound should come out of what face. Nonetheless, it surprises me that the first moment of surprise should last for anything longer than a moment in Australia which is pretty multicultural ( ... )