[Mageia-discuss] Cultural difference: "Let your yes be yes" <---> "It is rude to say no"

[Marja van Waes]

On 14/07/2012 09:06, blind Pete wrote:
> Frank Griffin wrote:
>
>> On 07/12/2012 06:01 PM, Johnny A. Solbu wrote:
>>> I tend to not answer the question,
>>
>> I think you're missing the point.  In some cultures, not giving offense
>> trumps telling the truth.
>>
>> I've found this to be the case in the past with the Japanese on IT
>> matters.  When they say "yes" they really mean "I understand the request
>> you are making", not "I am committing to doing it".  They expect you to
>> know that what you are asking is (in their view) unreasonable.
>
> Think of it as a translation problem.  They don't have words
> for, "you", "library", "book shop", or "yes".  Their nearest
> equvalents are roughly back translated as, "dear", "book place",
> "book place" (again), and "I understand the request you are making".
>
> Good translations are very difficult.

Thanks Pete!

When I started this thread, I asked:

  "How do we cope with such differences within our community?"

Thinking of it as a translation problem is the best I've heard so far :-)


>
>> It's the same with the Northern Irish kids (and probably the
>> British,since it's the same school system model).  They'll agree to do
>> things they have no intention of doing because  you just should have
>> known that nobody would do that regardless of what they promised you.
>>
>> Like I said,culture.
>