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

[Marja van Waes]

On 13/07/2012 15:11, Wolfgang Bornath wrote:
>  this was meant as example how
> things can take a real bad turn if "yes" and "no" are not used in
> their true meaning.
>

I agree life would be a lot easier if worldwide we would give exactly 
the same meaning to "yes" and the same to "no".

However, even one person can use the word "yes" in different meanings, 
depending on the situation

* to indicate he understands the person who is telling him something 
(not to be mistaken for agreeing with him)
* to indicate enthusiasm about how a situation is developing
* to indicate he agrees with something

Besides, when hundreds of thousands of persons in a certain area give a 
different value to the word "yes" than you, are you sure their value 
isn't just "different" instead of "wrong"?

If it were wrong, it would cause problems among themselves, however, 
they don't have those problems. There are only problems when interacting 
with people who don't give the same meaning to the word.