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Language and social justice

Intercultural communication over coffee

By June 7, 2012June 26th, 201248 Comments4 min read13,759 views
  • Receptionist: Help yourself to a cap!
  • Shiva: Pardon me?
  • Receptionist: Help yourself to a cap!
  • Shiva: [blank stare]

This was a conversation I had in the reception area of a storage company on one of my first days in Australia back in 2008. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary ‘cap’ can refer to (a) ‘a head covering,’ (b) ‘a natural cover or top,’ (c) ‘something that serves as a cover or protection,’ (d) ‘an overlaying or covering structure,’ (e) ‘a paper or metal container holding an explosive charge,’ (f) ‘an upper limit,’ (g) ‘the symbol ∩ indicating the intersection of two sets’ or (h) ‘a cluster of molecules or chemical groups bound to one end or a region of a cell, virus, or molecule.’ While I may not have had all these definitions at the top of my head, as someone who had studied English as a foreign language in Iran for many years, the general thrust of all these meanings of ‘cap’ was clear to me. The problem was that none of these meanings of ‘cap’ seemed to make sense in the context in which I found myself.

While I was frantically trying to figure out in my mind what I was supposed to help myself to, the receptionist noticed my incomprehension and beckoned me to follow him into a corner where there was a coffee machine. He pointed at the coffee machine and slowly started to explain that this was a coffee machine, that coffee was a beverage, that it was nice, and that Australians liked to drink coffee, and that there were different types, and that a cappuccino was particularly nice because it had a frothy top.

As it dawned on me that in the receptionist’s variety of English ‘cap’ had nothing to do with ‘coverings’ of any kind but was short for ‘cappuccino,’ I was mortified. The receptionist had thought my lack of comprehension was a sign not of a linguistic problem but of my ignorance and backwardness. I was so offended that anyone would think a sophisticated Tehrani like myself didn’t know about coffee! How dare he be so ignorant, insular and condescending?! Even so, I could not confront him. Fuming inside, I meekly accepted my bitterest-ever cappuccino. I took all the blame to myself for not having adequate English to have a smooth communication with ‘a native speaker’.

Intercultural communication over coffee (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

 
This humiliating encounter made me question the many years of English language learning I had been engaged in since my early childhood. Despite all my best efforts of many years and the investment of my parents, here I was in Australia incapable of effortlessly and gracefully accepting a cup of coffee without being taken for a barbarian. It all seemed extremely unfair and in the past four years I’ve often experienced a nagging feeling of jealousy that my English was still deficient despite all my striving while ‘native speakers’ could have it all – and without the least bit of effort!

I have also come to realise that ‘English,’ like all languages, is dynamic and subject to change and that even ‘native English speakers’ encounter new words every now and then and miscommunicate in unfamiliar contexts. This realisation has been one step towards healing my tarnished linguistic confidence.

Trying to extend myself and to understand my in-between position better, I undertook a postgraduate course in Cross-Cultural Communication, where most of the teaching and reading I was exposed to stressed cultural differences as the source of miscommunication in intercultural communication. This has been an ongoing source of puzzlement for me: in theory, it made perfect sense that Australian and Persians, for instance, had different cultural values and orientations and so, of course, there would be problems when they meet. In practice, however, none of the miscommunication I have experienced in Australia seems to have anything to do with culture. My humiliation at the hands of the receptionist had nothing to do with the fact that Persians prefer indirectness and elaborate politeness routines where Australians are direct and to the point. On the contrary, as far as culture was concerned, this was a misunderstanding between two coffee lovers, i.e. culturally similar people.

Despite the fact that I now hold an MA in Cross-Cultural Communication, my feelings of English deficiency together with a lack of real cultural differences has remained a brainteaser until a short while ago when I read Ingrid Piller’s new book Intercultural Communication and there the explanation leapt out at me from Chapter 10: when misunderstandings in intercultural communication are derived from linguistic problems, they are often unfairly attributed to cultural issues as soon as it comes to “English-language learners, particularly if their proficiency is more than just basic” (Piller, 2011, p. 147).

So, my English is the proud result of my efforts, and Australians and Persians are pretty similar. It’s just that newcomers and old-timers in this country find themselves in positions of unequal power (or legitimacy) which they like to dress up as cultural differences.

Iranian coffee culture, by the way, dates back to the 9th century!

Shiva Motaghi Tabari

Author Shiva Motaghi Tabari

Dr. Shiva Motaghi-Tabari received her PhD in Linguistics from Macquarie University, where she is now an Honorary Postdoctoral Associate. Her PhD research focused on the intersection of parental and child language learning in migration contexts. She also holds an MA in Crosscultural Communication from the University of Sydney. Her research interests include intercultural communication, family and bilingual education and migration studies.

More posts by Shiva Motaghi Tabari

Join the discussion 48 Comments

  • Carlos John Manapat says:

    Between the “cap” over the cappuccino, the presence of cultural differences towards intercultural communication presents an interesting lesson to explore the unprecedented creativity of English in various environments. I have thought of such a story through my experiences adapting to the language of niche online discussion boards. Such an effort has evolved the creativity of the speaker as it has transcended to a new dimension as we see it.

  • Jose Daniel Cabrera says:

    Thank you for sharing your experience, Dr. Shiva! Regarding cross-cultural communication, I sometimes doubt my English language abilities when thinking about situations where I have to interact with foreigners and people who I do not culturally belong to. They might use slang and terms I am not familiar with, but as you have stated, this isn’t a result of my inability to express myself with the language. It instead is just merely a result of not being versed on how they communicate.

  • Zion Bishop Ortiz says:

    Right on, Dr. Shiva! Over the years, this scenario is still prevalent, especially among tourists who are non-native English speakers. With the continuous evolution of the English language, newer words appear every now and then and can really be confusing for us non-native speakers. Despite being an English major who has experienced talking to native speakers on an everyday basis in a role-playing game, I still find some of their vocabulary bewildering — to the point where I have to sometimes silently search for its meaning really quick on google to somehow be able to relate to what they’re talking about.

  • Kenneth Dizon says:

    What a very intriguing story, Dr. Shiva! It is true that language is every changing and dynamic. I experience these types of situations with my relatives who are native English speakers, but that the end of the day despite the different cultural background we still understand one another.

  • Kaela Madrunio says:

    Such a riveting sharing, Dr. Shiva. I, myself, a member of Generation Z and a coffee lover at that, didn’t have an idea that “cap” is a shortcut for cappuccino. The English language has definitely evolved through time and I’m sure you can attest to that. I have realized that even being a native speaker of English does not guarantee that miscommunication will not occur in such situations. How fascinating!

  • linguisticslover says:

    This was such an interesting read, Dr. Shiva. As someone who is also not an English native speaker, I also do experience some deficiencies in the language even though I’m an English major. This was such an eye-opener of how culture really differentiates people from people, and English, as well as other languages, tends to change over time. This really made me think that all of this is just made up just like how language is made up too.

  • Maybelle Go says:

    Hello Dr. Shiva and thank you for this article. I agree that it was indeed an unfortunate experience that you had encountered in this experience, but I do not think that it was a cultural issue. I just think that it is due to the dynamic characteristic of language. Reading the article reminded me of a scenario not long ago, where I was trying to teach my cousin new slang. Since I am significantly younger than my cousin by more than a decade, when I speak to her I would unconsciously use slang that I use when I speak to my friends, and I decided to ask my cousin if she knew what they meant since it didn’t feel like she got the joke I was trying to say. When she said no, I decided to teach her some of the slangs that I notice people using on a daily basis for fun. From this experience, I really learned how dynamic language is, and as someone who is fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese, I can say that with my experience, I encounter new words and slangs almost weekly or monthly. It’s fun because there is the joy of getting to learn something new.

  • Edwin Tatel III says:

    This is definitely an interesting topic! Cultural differences are truly evident in how we use language; it is also crucial to note the difficulty of learning new terms when you are not in the setting where those words are utilized. Thank you for sharing!

  • Eric Estefan B. Badong says:

    Good day Dr. Shiva! While I was reading your article, I just got reminded of three important concepts on Intercultural communication. Context, Culture, and Communicative Competence. As language researchers, it is always important for us to understand the different contexts in which a word or term may be used in different kinds of places or geographical areas. Since different speakers or communities of people have or may have different contexts when they use particular words which may be different from how we use it on our own context in our places. Next would be culture. One thing interesting about intercultural communication is that aside from it being linguistic in nature, at the same time it is also anthropological that is why culture is one of its important aspects for we are to encounter different people who came all the way from different backgrounds, contexts, and even upbringings which makes them different, unique, and of course interesting to meet and learn from as well. And lastly, Communicative Competence. This aspect is very important knowing that we meet pluralities of people that is why to be flexible enough with the proper diction, usage, and richness in vocabulary are always important so as to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and possible violence as far as as communicating with various people is concerned.

  • Eriz Parazo says:

    This was such an interesting read, Dr. Shiva! I was initially left puzzled by the usage of “cap” as well. The contextual process to be able to arrive at a shared meaning could sometimes really be a struggle when it comes to communicating across cultures.

  • Nicole M. says:

    Thank you for sharing your experience, Dr. Shiva! I admit that I am also quite unfamiliar with “cap” being an abbreviation for “cappuccino” and would’ve been left confused as well, despite being an avid coffee-drinker. Seeing what makes the same language different for various people is quite interesting and demonstrates a unique kind of diversity; like yes, different languages exist and have unique expressions that embody concepts unique to that culture, but seeing the way that a widely used language, such as English, can be different from itself is very fascinating. Of course, it gives way to a lot of misunderstandings, but I think that it also gives us an opportunity to learn from a different perspective, like being shown a new way to use a tool that you have used your whole life.

  • Eazel says:

    Good day, Dr. Shiva! I would like to commend you for such a enlightening article that helped me in have a better understanding of the topic. I believe that if I were placed in that kind of situation, I would also be confused because I would not be able to tell that “cap” is a shortened form for “cappuccino” in that context. I would also think that they would refer to any form of cover since that is the dictionary definition of “cap”. Although I think that this kind of situation is a ground for miscommunication, especially for foreigners who are not familiar with the varieties of English used by other countries. Hence, I agree that cultural differences certainly do pose as a great challenge in intercultural communication due to the high possibility of miscommunication.

    After all, languages are heavily ingrained in culture, and any variety can only be considered as such if there is a sustainable group of people who would understand the meanings behind the message. I believe that all of us could learn a lot from your experience Dr. Shiva on how we could be more knowledgeable not only about language but also culture to avoid miscommunication. Even if we make mistakes in comprehending their language use, we should accept it as part of the learning experience in immering ourselves with their culture. I think further studies on this subject could invest in observing the use of colloquial speech as applied by native speakers in intercultural settings so that awareness of cultural differences can lead to a positive learning experience.

    • Shiva says:

      Thank you, Eazel! I’m glad that you’ve found the article interesting and useful. All the best with your journey in this fascinating field 🙂

  • Francesca Fernando says:

    Very engaging article, Ms. Shiva!
    As an aspiring translator, I have always motivated myself to learn the culture to which the language refers. It is interesting to read your article as it gives insights on the importance of learning intercultural communication to become a great translator. I find it engaging to learn the colloquial terms present in culture, and I believe it is an interesting area to cover as well! Thank you for sharing this information with us! I am intrigued with the potential implementation of programs for the translator and interpreter trainers as I believe can help in learning more about intercultural differences and adapt in such!

    I also want to include that there have been issues in regard to intercultural communication in various contexts and in many situations as not many people learn about intercultural communication. This can lead to a lot of misinterpretation, I believe it is wise to implement intercultural communication in academic situations to serve as building blocks for individuals. I do appreciate your article as it sheds light on the crucial engagement of learning intercultural communication and the standards of learning such discourse process. The lack of knowledge in regard to intercultural communication can really create a void in communication, which is best to learn and to give emphasis on such.

    • Shiva says:

      Thank you Francesca! I’m glad you found the article useful. Intercultural Communication training and education is indeed incredibly important to help everyone adjust their communication to avoid misunderstanding and promote clarity and harmony. All the best with your studies and learning journey 🙂

  • Janica Recuenco says:

    It was an eye-opening to see and read your insightful post, Dr. Shiva! As someone who is also a coffee drinker, I can personally relate to your experience because for some instance, I experienced similar problems and misunderstandings when the time I had to speak with different languages as well. I have a relative of mine who speaks British accent, he’s very fluent in speaking English but I am not. So the common problem I always encounter upon having conversation with him is his pronunciation of words which I cannot truly understand at all due to his British accent. This is often the case in being a first timer to know how native speaker English differs in so many ways from each other. Somehow, it reminded me of the lesson we had during our class with Dr. Tenedero, wherein Lingua-cultural conflict occur in various countries.

    • Shiva says:

      Thanks, Janica! Glad that you’ve found the article interesting and that you could relate to the experience. Lucky you and other students who are learning from such a knowledgeable academic in the field! Dr Tenedero is amazing and I’m sure you’ll learn a lot in her classes 🙂

  • John Paul 4ELS2 says:

    Given that there are a number of varieties of English, misunderstandings can happen often to two English speakers that have difference in culture. Your experience reminded me of the time I visited Australia with my cousins. I was at the movie theater with them and they were buying popcorn. I do not exactly remember what the cashier told us but I remember us being confused at what he said. Even before that incident, I was trying to adjust my English speaking skills as there was a distinct difference between my English and Australian English. I think that the lesson here is that even if we are good at something, there still some things that need to be learn and in this case, we need to learn about the culture outside of our own. Learning other cultures could help broaden our horizons and give us a sense of appreciation of how diverse and interesting the world ca be.

  • PeterL says:

    My native language is English; I think I’m a “coffee connoisseur”; and I wouldn’t have understood “have a cap”. From the context, I’m guessing that it’s Australian slang for “cappuccino”. So, misunderstandings can occur even amongst native speakers (of different dialects).

    A classic example of mis-communication is the verb “to table “, which has opposite meanings in the United States and Canada/UK/Australia/etc:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_(parliamentary_procedure)

    (And, of course, this applies to other languages. I lived for a while in Osaka and one word I learned was “naosu”, which means either “to fix ” or “to tidy up / put away”. I used this word in Tokyo and got a strange look – in Tokyo, it only means “fix”; to tidy up is “katazukeru”. Silly foreigner, using weird language … but I didn’t feel humiliated, just amused that I had learned Osaka dialect when I had thought I was learning standard Japanese.)

  • Nicole DC says:

    What a nice read, Dr. Shiva! I can personally relate to your experience. Oftentimes, I feel really bad whenever language barriers or linguistic problems arise due to intercultural differences. I came from a family that speaks only the Filipino language. So whenever I am exposed with my English speaker friends, classmates or acquaintances, I am not familiar with the terminologies that they use. I feel bad because I feel like they think of me as an ignorant person but in reality, I am just having a hard time adjusting to their wide vocabulary because of my family’s culture of speaking only Filipino in the household. These experiences can really affect the confidence of people like me.

  • Adrianne says:

    Thank you for that very insightful sharing, Dr. Shiva! As someone who hopes to live in Australia someday, this is interesting and extremely helpful in somehow knowing the culture there little by little, and as a lover of coffee myself, I now know how to say and understand cappuccino, the ‘Aussie way’! 🙂 On a more serious note, these certain unfortunate circumstances, like yours, that we come across with having multicultural backgrounds and experiences are indeed a learning point to further strengthen the way people view and interact with others beyond the corners of our education. I also was able to read a chapter from Ingrid Piller’s book on Intercultural Communication, and one key takeaway I had from it is how there will always be a need to work harder to create a safe space for everyone where cultural and linguistic diversity is acknowledged and valued in order to reach our full potential in intercultural competence. I believe this goes for both second-language learners and ‘natives’ not just for effective intercultural communication but also because it’s just a human thing to have.

    • Shiva says:

      Thank you Adrianne for your important input! I’m glad that you’ve found the post interesting and helpful, and indeed a great takeaway message from Ingrid’s book! All the best with your journey in this field and raising awareness by sharing your insights and learnings 🙂

  • Marvi Quirong says:

    Thank you for sharing your insightful experience, Dr. Shiva! I think this just speaks of how there is much more to culture than just the typical large scale of individuals situated in the same country or place, but also of culture in terms of interest. Though I also drink coffee, I would not have known of this ‘cap,’ have I not read your blog. Perhaps coffee connoisseurs would have known about ‘cap.’ Nevertheless, misunderstandings are inevitable in intercultural communication and it is up to the interlocutors on how they would improvise a strategy to understand each other in a way which is not offensive for both parties.

    • Shiva says:

      Thanks Marvi! You’re absolutely right! that’s why intercultural communication learning is so important as it allows individuals to interact effectively and respectfully 🙂

  • Shiva says:

    Thanks Kiara for joining the conversation. Yes, misunderstandings happen, and I wonder how in an intercultural interaction we could be aware of the source of miscommunication, and avoid making assumptions about people. After all, we all know that misunderstandings in intercultural communication are largely derived from linguistic problems, and not necessarily from cultural differences.

  • Shiva says:

    Thanks, Aubrey! Indeed, like anything that we keep experiencing and learning in this world, there’s always room to learn something new in English and even our own home language/s 🙂

  • Andy says:

    This was an exciting story, Dr. Shiva! I completely agree that language is dynamic since it is constantly evolving. Just when we thought that we already had enough knowledge about the English language, there are suddenly new words that are being coined that we are unaware of.

    At the end of the day, though we may have different cultural backgrounds, what’s important is that we get to understand each other.

  • Jay says:

    It is not your fault Dr. Shiva even the most worldly linguists can become confused when confronted with regional slang. This holds especially true because of the somewhat well-known fact online that Australian people have the tendency to create many nicknames for various everyday things, like referring to afternoon as “arvo”, saying “Bloody Oath!” as a sign of agreement, or the ever famous “mate” to refer to a friend. This tendency according to Luu (2018) stems from the want for the Australian for “mateship”, friendliness, informality, and solidarity with other people, so I believe that the way the receptionist had spoken to you did not come from a place of belittling you but rather a genuine effort to build rapport with you and introduce you to Australian culture.

    • Shiva says:

      Thanks Jay! you’re right, sometimes our comments, questions, etc may be interpreted differently particularly when these comments and questions are made based on our own assumptions and stereotypes about people and culture, disregarding the linguistic issues as the main source of the misunderstanding.

  • Faith Balce says:

    I agreed with you when you said that “even native English speakers encounter new words now and then and miscommunicate in unfamiliar contexts.” Traveling to different countries, I have encountered several different terminologies connected to the toilet (e.g., WC – Vietnamese). It was funny that I kept telling Vietnamese people, “Where’s the CR (comfort room – Philippines)?” and they would look at me in confusion. When I actually meant toilet, my parents led me to the WC to clarify both to the Vietnamese and me.. Confusion is really evident in situations like these. I am pleased this blog entry validates my experience in intercultural communication.

  • Kiara says:

    This is an interesting post, Dr. Shiva. It can be derived that culture plays a major role in language and communication. From your experience, even though both parties understand and speak the same language, miscommunication still occurred because of your cultural differences. It is fascinating how a language can change continually and form different and new meanings. Before, when we talk about English, we refer to the American or British standard use of the language. Today, there are different varieties of English in different countries. For example, the term “gimmick” is defined as a trick or ploy while in Philippine English, it means an unplanned night out with friends. English is considered a global lingua franca but it differs in context. Being culturally aware of the English usage of a country can help reduce intercultural miscommunication.

  • Mhilea says:

    This was a very engaging post, Dr. Shiva! It is incredibly relatable to those who travel and encounter different individuals and cultures. Culture and language are highly associated, and the situation above is an example of contact between language and culture. A particular language or set of words is often identified and linked with a specific group of people. So, miscommunication in intercultural communication arises from such cultural differences. I also agree with you when you said that “’English, like all languages, is dynamic and subject to change and that even ‘native English speakers’ encounter new words every now and then and miscommunicate in unfamiliar contexts.” Furthermore, language can have developed only in a specific social setting with people who use and understand a common language. Also, the language changes frequently reflect the changing values of culture.

  • Mona says:

    This is an insightful post, Dr. Shiva!

    Learning intercultural communication develops a widening perspective towards cultural norms, linguistic conventions, and other language expressions in a particular speech community. Meanwhile, I would like to highlight the receptionist’s action, which can be commended in explaining what a “cap” is. A strategic competence was observed, which allows adapting to a particular communicative situation. I perceived that attitude towards language use also matters. Despite the cultural differences, the end goal may be to overcome the barriers and understand the intended meaning, as reflected by your example.

  • Lorraine says:

    Such a humorous and interesting read!

    I am currently taking up a course on intercultural communication and I am still learning about how “native speaker English” still differ in so many ways from each other!

    • Shiva says:

      Thanks Lorraine! I’m glad that you’ve found this interesting! All the best with your studies and discoveries in the fascinating area of intercultural communication 🙂

  • Chang says:

    I agree with you. it’s really hard to interact with those who does not share the same language culture as you,. For example a friend of mine who was born and raised in the Philippines went to Australia with her mom told me an experience she had about intercultural communication. She said that she told one of the the staffs to “open the ac” instead of “turn on the ac”. In Philippine English, it is customary to use the word “open” when referring to opening or turning on any object such as open the lights, open the door, open the window, open the switch and more. Because of this encounter, the staff was confused as to what she meant, and she had to explained that she wanted to turn on the ac.

  • Aubrey 4ELS1 says:

    Intriguing post, Dr. Shiva! I am from Dr. Pia Tenedero’s Intercultural Communication class, and your post reminded me of how daunting it is to travel to other places because of linguistic issues. This ascertains me that there is always something new to learn about English.

  • Eva says:

    Hello Shiva!
    I wouldn’t understand cap either, to be honest–taking into consideration my general stress when I engage in conversations with native speakers of English (I am Greek) along with my ignorance of the particular slang (and I am an English Language student and learner of English for over 10 years!).

  • Hanna Torsh says:

    Hi Shiva

    I love this story and your analysis of it – and this is exactly the kind of language encounter that is often invisible as a language encounter as Ingrid points out so well. In the language classroom, the lack of a vocabulary and a framework to describe this kind of misunderstanding means it often becomes a kind of vocabulary list – barbie means bbq, mossie mean mosquito etc., rather than a discussion of who gets to define the English used in the conversation and why.

    You might be interested in a story from Uzolins (1993) on English Language classes for migrants taking place in the 1940s:

    The standard adopted [for good pronunciation] was ‘educated Australian’, sometimes to the bewilderment of our pupils on hearing ‘Ayerdoonmite?’ or ‘Archergontergetcherpie?’ outside the classroom. (Crossley 1948 p.5 in Uzolins 1993)

    In other words, even though the English surrounding them was clearly not ‘educated Australian’ the teachers had to teach this approach because it was ‘better’ English. This persists today in Academic English and other English for Specific Purposes curricula, where lecturers use of colloquialisms may baffle migrants or international students but it is rarely dealt with as a language issue.

    Best,
    Hanna

  • Dariush Izadi says:

    Great post Shiva!
    The same thing has happened to me but I’ve had trouble recognizing Australian Accent particularly the sound “a” as in “say” in Australian Accent though:)! I don’t know if this has occurred to you or not!

    I remember when I first came to Australia, which was nearly 4 years ago, I had to fill out some student application forms and submit them to the Immigration in Sydney in person. I had to stand in line for a bit before it was my turn to be served! Once it was my turn, the receptionist at the counter, a man in his thirties, asked for my application forms. When I gave him my application forms, he turned back to me saying that there were some problems with my applicAtion. Having thought that he said “my actions” and of course having been offended, I abruptly replied back saying “my actions”?! “What do you mean by my actions?! While laughing, he said “applicAtion” speaking with his strong Australian accent again! He repeated that phrase for a couple of times until I asked him to spell it for me:).

    Research into intercultural communication has shown that it is often not culturally specific beliefs that create misunderstanding. Rather, misunderstanding may occur where “language choice, language proficiency and language diversity are ignored or trivialized” (Piller, 2011 p. 152) as in my case!

    Piller, I. (2011). Intercultural communication :a critical introduction Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

  • Thanks, Shiva. My students in Intercultural Issues read your post last night. We had a lively discussion on various stereotypes of cultural, ethnic and racial groups in Thailand, and on the limitation of the idea of English as a free ticket to global citizenship.

    • shiva says:

      Thanks Kimie! I’m sure many of us have experienced similar encounters. As we all might have experienced, these kind of incidents can have unpleasant impacts they are not analysed from the right angle…

  • vahid says:

    Very interesting and insightful, indeed.
    I personally experienced similar problems during my stay in Australia.
    To give you an example, it took me a while to realize that “fishbowl” was not “a glass bowl one could keep fish in” but a small glass room in the linguistics department!

    • shiva says:

      Thanks Vahid! I should go and see where the “fishbowl” is before any intercultural communication breakdown happens! Thanks for letting me know! 😉

  • Annamarie says:

    Your post made me think about the emotions I feel as a foreigner in Japan when misunderstandings get attributed to cultural issues when they are really (or mostly) linguistic issues.

    But first, my Aussie coffee misunderstanding story: on our first morning in Australia, in totally ignorance of Melbourne coffee ordering procedures, my husband and I went to a Melbourne cafe and asked for “Two coffees, please.” After much back-and-forth with the cashier, we learned that we really wanted “Two long blacks.” Superficially, a similar experience to yours; emotionally, totally different: for me, the misunderstanding was a funny linguistic episode that became one of our memories from the trip. The difference, of course, is that no one took it upon themselves to explain to me about coffee. My North American accent probably steered the clerk into thinking it was a linguistic rather than cultural issue.

    Back in Japan, though, as a non-native speaker of Japanese, I well understand the humiliation you felt at the hands of the receptionist. I often feel there’s no outlet for the emotion though. When people mistake my linguistic mistakes for cultural ignorance, I sense they’re motivated to explain Japanese culture to me out of kindness, not condescension. It’s hard to take offense at kindness, but, as you wrote, the end result is tarnished confidence.

  • PeterL says:

    As a Canadian (native speaker of English), I wouldn’t understand “have a cap”, although if there happened to be a coffee machine nearby, I *might* be able to guess.

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