Speaking in tongues

From Economist.com

South-East Asia's language wars continue

HAD he been president of Indonesia, not France, Charles de Gaulle might have modified his famous saying about cheeses and asked how to govern a nation with over 700 different languages. The answer, as elsewhere in South-East Asia, was to impose a “national” tongue.

As the region’s countries became independent, most wanted their citizenry to speak the same indigenous language. But choosing an acceptable candidate sometimes proved difficult, laying the ground for “language wars” that still rage.

A new collection of essays* from the Singapore-based Institute of South-East Asian Studies (ISEAS) reviews the region’s struggles to build monolingual nations. Several themes emerge: first, globalisation is forcing governments to reconsider restrictions on daily use of English; second, with the economic rise of China, governments increasingly see their ethnic-Chinese populations as assets rather than threats; and third, democratisation and decentralisation may revive local and tribal languages. Each of these trends may undermine the quest for a unifying national language.

The language wars have been particularly bitter in the Philippines. Shortly before the second world war, the country—semi-independent but still under America’s sway—chose Tagalog, already widely spoken in the populous region around Manila, as its future national tongue. This annoyed speakers of the archipelago’s 120-odd other languages, so a new, official version was invented, incorporating bits and bobs from other local tongues, called Pilipino, and later renamed Filipino.

Despite recurring rows, the adoption of Filipino by schools and the mass media made the language almost universal. The 2000 census found that 96.4% of those with at least elementary schooling could speak it.

But many Filipinos have come to realise the benefits of speaking English—the de facto world language—and have grown concerned over its waning use. Though the census showed that 64% of over-fives could speak English, their fluency may be fading.

Record numbers of Filipinos work abroad; their remittances help support the economy. Like India, the Philippines has also been enjoying a boom in call centres and other outsourced work that requires good English. So, in 2003, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered schools to “return” to teaching mainly in English (though, as ISEAS’s book shows, most were using it for mathematics and science lessons all along).

That same year, the Malaysian government ordered a return to teaching basic maths and science in English after decades of aggressively promoting Malay. Again, this directive responded to worries that a competitive advantage was being lost (similar concerns surfaced in India and Sri Lanka too). Policies to force Malay down the throats of Malaysia’s large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities have done more to divide than unite the nation: many minority children now go to separate schools where they mostly speak Chinese or Tamil, as they do at home.

Indonesia’s national language—a version of Malay called Bahasa Indonesia or just Indonesian—is unusual in that it is not the tongue of a dominant group: only about 3% of the population are ethnic Malays. This has helped make it acceptable to the country’s 300-odd other ethnicities, but means that it its adoption has been slow. Even today, while over four-fifths of the population understand Indonesian, only about a third use it as their main language.

Indonesia’s former colony, Timor-Leste (not covered in ISEAS’s book), uses Portuguese, the little-spoken language of a previous bunch of imperialist invaders. That has left it tongue-tied: Tetum, the main vernacular, is seen as insufficiently developed for official use. Many people understand Indonesian but many no longer want to hear it spoken. Having adopted the American dollar instead of a national currency, the country may also see a drift towards English, the language of its rich southern neighbour, Australia.

Most South-East Asian countries have significant ethnic-Chinese minorities, towards whom official attitudes have been at best ambivalent. But China’s growth is encouraging some governments, like Thailand’s, to promote the teaching of Chinese where once they might have discouraged or barely tolerated it.

Similarly, Singapore is dominated by an ethnic-Chinese, British-educated elite that has promoted English as the main working language, but in 1998 the government launched a campaign to encourage people to speak Mandarin. This was soon followed by another to stop standards of English slipping: young Singaporeans tend to speak slangy “Singlish”.

Most South-East Asian schools (Singapore excepted) struggle to teach the basics; teaching world languages as well as the national language may increase their struggles. In some cases—notably Indonesia, where decentralisation since Suharto’s fall in 1998 has boosted provincial power—the challenge will be amplified by demands to restore the status of regional and tribal languages.

Similar pressures may emerge in Thailand. Although standard Bangkok Thai is compulsory for all school lessons, about a third of the population, in the country’s north-east, speak Lao as their native language—in December’s election candidates courted voters there by addressing them in their own tongue.

Even authoritarian Vietnam is increasingly allowing broadcasts in the languages of its small ethnic minorities. If Myanmar ever democratises, its many ethnic groups will doubtless seek a rollback of official efforts to promote Burmese, though, as the ISEAS book notes, these have in fact helped opposition groups to communicate with each other.

More worryingly, teaching global as well as local languages may entrench class divides: while rich metropolitan kids enjoy increasing returns from learning English and Chinese, schools in the impoverished provinces, expected somehow to teach global, national and local tongues, may fail to equip their pupils adequately in any.

“Language, Nation and Development in South-East Asia”, edited by Lee Hock Guan and Leo Suryadinata, published by the Institute of South-East Asian Studies, Singapore.

Shoe insult: abusive or just lost in translation?

For Arabs, odium is never more keenly stated than with a shoe. We look at the rich style of insults around the globe

"Ow!” as Austin Powers famously said to the assassin Random Task. “That really hurt! I'm going to have a lump there! You idiot. Honestly! Who throws a shoe?”

Muntazer al-Zaidi throws a shoe. Or rather, he threw two. Both were aimed at the head of George W. Bush, as he gave a press conference in Baghdad this weekend. “This is a farewell kiss, you dog,” the Iraqi TV journalist shouted. “This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”

It was a powerful sentiment, rendered strangely ridiculous. Because he threw a shoe. Who throws a shoe?

Arabs do. In fact, in the global scheme of things, we in the West (you, me, George Bush, Austin Powers) are somewhat in the minority in not having a problem with feet at all. In much of South East Asia, it's considered rude to cross your legs while sitting down, for precisely this reason. In the north Indian town of Dharamsala, my friend Hamish was once nearly lynched by a mob of pacifist Buddhists for accidentally pointing the soles of his feet at the Dalai Lama. True story.

As you may already know from that slightly tiresome bank advertisement, it's very easy to cause foreign offence, inadvertently. In Japan it's rude to blow your nose (nobody seems sure quite why) and, as in China, rude to leave your chopsticks standing up in a bowl of rice (because this mimics a funeral rite) . In the Philippines, you can be arrested for beckoning somebody by curling your finger, because this suggests that he or she is a dog.

In much of southern Europe and North Africa, the “thumbs up” sign doesn't mean “yes” or “super” or even “I'm doing a Paul McCartney impression”, but in fact means “sit on this”. The “this” in question does not necessarily refer to your thumb. In Turkey, the “OK” circle sign refers to be the bit they'd sit down with. Almost everywhere else in the world, it is deeply rude to point. In India, you are expected to point with your chin. Somehow.

Such is the potential for inadvertent rudeness when dealing with another culture, the poor shoeless al-Zaidi should probably consider himself lucky that George Bush didn't just pick up the missiles and say: “Excuse me sir, you seem to have dropped your shoes.” Effective rudeness requires research. If you are going to insult somebody from another culture, it really pays to know what you are doing.

You can go a long way with hand gestures. The extended middle finger is fairly widely understood, but the same cannot be said for our beloved British V-sign, which even Americans might associate with Winston Churchill, or hippies.

Other global alternatives include the French fist (clench, punch to the sky, put your other hand in the crook of your elbow) and the Greek moutsa, which is similar to the American “talk to the hand”, but with the strong, unspoken insinuation that the hand contains something. Something brown.

You may also wish to try the Indo-Pakistani coutis (open your hand, put your thumbnail against your teeth and say “cutta”), or one of the many, many Arabic alternatives such as the one where you clasp the fingers of your left hand, and touch this fist with your right forefinger. Italians are particularly fond of what has become the rockstar Satan sign (clenched fist, first finger and small finger extended, twist your wrist) which is traditionally supposed to suggest cuckoldry. Pretty much all of these, it goes without saying, are intended to convey the message that the victim really ought to go off and have sex with something and/or endure the ordeal of something else having sex with him or her.

Exceptions to this rule include the Japanese four-fingered stab (similar to the moutsa but with the thumb tucked in against the palm), which suggests that the insultee is some kind of four-legged beast. There is also a little-known Saudi Arabian sign which involves making a V-sign with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, and placing this over the side of the other, which roughly translates as “I shall ride you as I would a donkey”. This should also be non-sexual in nature, although that obviously depends on exactly how fond your interlocutor is of his ass.

The best spoken insults, internationally, also tend to be uniformly sex-based, although there does seem to be a heartwarming diversity therein. Almost all of these are obviously unprintable in a newspaper such as The Times. Still, if you really need to know the best ones, I suggest you fire up Google and search for the Bulgarian one about what you should do with a “Carpathian long-haired she-wolf”, the Spanish one about from where you should suck butter, and the Mandarin one about just why you ought to wear a green hat.

Or just Google the phrase “Arabic insults”. Some of those will make your eyes water. Don't even get me started on the one about “your mother's ribcage”. In a midst of a list of the kind of horrific things that Arabs have figured out how to say to each other, the phrase “Surmayye a'raasac” rears up like an old friend. It just means “A shoe is on your head”.

In the case of George Bush, it was about six inches out. No idea how you'd say that.

Hugo Rifkind

Doing Business in The Middle East

The Middle East is an area which carries many stereotypes and myths. Before doing business in the Middle East it is imperative to learn about areas such as business culture, business etiquette, meeting protocol and negotiation techniques. Through such knowledge stereotypes are broken and barriers to communication reduced.

When doing business in the Middle East, it is wise to bear in mind the great diversity within the region. However, a common religion, language and culture make the highlighting of general traits and features for the region valid.

In this short guide to doing business in the Middle East, business culture and etiquette are explored. These are in no way meant to represent a comprehensive summation of tips on doing business in the Middle East, but a highlighting of some main areas one may consider.

Islam

One cannot talk about the Middle East in a cultural sense without mentioning Islam. Islam permeates all levels of society. It provides guidance, values and rules for personal life, community relations and ways of doing business.

Within the confines of this short introduction, justice cannot be served to such a highly complex faith. Therefore, it is advisable that one conducts their own research on Islam before doing business in the Middle East.

However, we can look at a few examples of the manifestations of Islam and the way in which these may impact your business trip.

Muslims are obliged to pray five times a day. Prayer times are announced by the mosques using the call to prayer (azan). Not all Muslims go to the mosque. Some pray at home or in the office. Daily routines, appointments and meetings must be fitted in appropriately around prayer times. Friday is the day for congregational prayers and it is obligatory for all males to attend.

Avoid trying to do business in the Middle East during the month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from dawn till dusk which involves refraining from eating, drinking or smoking. During business hours general activity is reduced depending on the nature of the company or organisation.

There are two major festivals of note. Eid al-Fitr follows Ramadan and Eid al-Adha follows the annual pilgrimage. These holidays last approximately three days although it is not uncommon for the government to extend these. It is best to avoid doing business on or near the two Eids.

Doing Business - Meeting and Greeting

The traditional Islamic greeting you will hear is 'Asalamu alaykum' (peace be with you). As a non-Muslim you would not be expected to use it, but if you did you would receive the reply 'wa alaykum salam' (and peace be with you).

When doing business in the Middle East, handshakes are always used and can last a long time. Islamic etiquette recommends that one waits for the other to withdraw their hand first before doing the same. Always use the right hand. Do not be surprised if your hand is held while you are led somewhere. Holding hands among men is common and does not carry the same connotations as it does in the West.

Arabs are fairly informal with names when doing business and generally address people by their first names. John Smith will be addressed as Mr. John. Arab titles of note are: Sheikh (an old man, scholar, leader), Sayyid (descendant of the Prophet Muhammad) and Hajji (one who has performed the pilgrimage).

Doing Business - Gender

The roles of men and women are far more defined in the Arab culture. Interaction between the sexes is still frowned upon in certain arenas. However, when doing business in the Middle East it is not uncommon to come across women.

If you are introduced to a woman as a male, it is advisable to wait and see if a hand is extended. If it is not, then do not try to shake hands. Avoid touching and prolonged eye contact with women.

Doing Business - Business is Personal

Many Westerners that have lived or worked in the Middle East might use the words chaotic, disorganised and frustrating when discussing doing business there. Although this is a matter of perception, it is true that business runs on very different tracks to business in the West.

The Arabs do not separate professional and personal life. Doing business revolves much more around personal relationships, family ties, trust and honour. There is a tendency to prioritise personal matters above all else. It is therefore crucial that business relationships are built on mutual friendship and trust.

A consequence of this mentality is the system known as 'wasta'. If you have friends or contacts in the right places then rules can be bent or things done more quickly. The system works on the basis that favours are reciprocated and never forgotten. Although it may seem biased, it is something that should be exploited when doing business in the Middle East.

Doing Business - The Spoken Word

The Middle Eastern culture places more value on someone's word as opposed to a written agreement. A person's word is connected to their honour. Contracts are viewed as memorandums of understanding rather than binding, fixed agreements. Be sure to promise only things you can deliver. Failure to do so will result in loss of honour.

Doing Business - Meetings & Negotiations

Meetings should not be made too far in advance as changes in personal circumstances may impact your appointment. Once an appointment has been made, confirm it verbally with the person you will meet a few days before.

Initial meetings are all about relationship building. Building trust and establishing compatibility are key requisites for doing business in the Middle East. One should engage in conversation and try to get to know the 'person' you are doing business with.

Meetings can be chaotic. Always be prepared to exercise patience. Phone calls are taken during meetings and people may enter the meeting room unannounced and proceed to discuss their own agendas.

Meetings are circular in nature. They do not follow a linear pattern and are not structured upon agendas or targets. Issues are raised as and when.

Punctuality is expected of foreigners. Although the Arabs place a high emphasis on punctuality they rarely practice it themselves. In fact, if Arabs want to stress that a set time must be adhered to they use the term 'mow'id inglizee' - literally, 'English meeting'. However, if you are running late do not panic as polite excuses will be accepted.

If negotiating, remember the Arabs were a trading people and are excellent negotiators. Haggling takes places everywhere, whether at the shop or in the board room. Decisions are made slowly. Bureaucratic formalities tend to add to delays. Do not use high pressure tactics as they will be counter-productive.

First posted @ http://www.kwintessential.co.uk

Thailand - Thai Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Capital: Bangkok

Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Population: 64,865,523

Ethnic Make-up: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions: Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Government: constitutional monarchy

Languages in Thailand

The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins. The Thai language, belonging to the Tai family, is the main language in Thailand although there are several regional dialects as well. Other languages spoken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer, while English use is becoming more prevalent in government and commerce. English is also being taught as a second language in secondary school and universities, which enables the English speaking visitor in Thailand to have little trouble conversing.

Thai Society & Culture

The Wai

. The wai is the common form of greeting and adheres to strict rules of protocol.
. Raising both hands, palms joined with the fingers pointing upwards as if in prayer, lightly touching the body somewhere between the chest and the forehead, is the standard form.
. The wai is both a sign of respect as well as a greeting. Respect and courtesy are demonstrated by the height at which the hands are held and how low the head comes down to meet the thumbs of both hands.
. The wai may be made while sitting, walking, or standing.
. The person who is junior in age or status is the first one to offer the wai.
. The senior person returns the wai, generally with their hands raised to somewhere around their chest.
. If a junior person is standing and wants to wai a senior person who is seated, the junior person will stoop or bow their head while making the wai.
. If there is a great social distance between two people, the wai will not be returned.

Buddhism in Thailand

. Thailand is a stronghold of Buddhism.
. Buddhists believe that life does not begin with birth and end with death, but rather that every person has several lives based upon the lessons of life not yet learned and acts committed (karma) in previous lives.
. Buddhists believe that selfishness and craving result in suffering and that compassion and love bring happiness and well-being.
. The true path to peace is to eliminate all desire, a condition which Buddhists define as 'nirvana', an indescribable state free of desire, suffering, or further rebirth, in which a person simply is, and is completely at one with his surroundings.
. Buddhism is practised in Thailand by over 90% of the population.

Hierarchical Society

. Thais respect hierarchical relationships.
. Social relationships are defined as one person being superior to the other.
. Parents are superior to their children, teachers to their students, and bosses to their subordinates.
. When Thais meet a stranger, they will immediately try to place you within a hierarchy so they know how you should be treated.
. This is often done by asking what might be seen as very personal questions in other cultures.
. Status can be determined by clothing and general appearance, age, job, education, family name, and social connections.

Thai Family Values

. The family is the cornerstone of Thai society.
. Family life is often more closely knit than in western cultures.
. The Thai family is a form of hierarchy with the parents at the top.
. Children are taught to honour their parents.

Thai Demeanour

. Thais place great emphasis and value on outward forms of courtesy such as politeness, respect, genial demeanour and self-control in order to maintain harmonious relations.
. Many of their rules of etiquette are by-products of the Buddhist religion.
. It is a non-confrontational society, in which public dispute or criticism is to be avoided at all costs.
. To be openly angry with someone might attract the wrath of the spirits, which in turn could cause violence and tragedy.
. Openly criticizing a person is a form of violence as it hurts the person and is viewed as a conscious attempt to offend the person being rebuked
. Loss of face is a disgrace to a Thai so they try to avoid confrontations and look for compromises in difficult situations.
. If two parties disagree, one will need to have an outlet to retreat without losing face.

Etiquette & Customs in Thailand

Meeting Etiquette

. The wai (as mentioned above) is the traditional form of greeting, given by the person of lower status to the person of higher status.
. Thais generally use first rather than surnames, with the honorific title Khun before the name. Khun is an all- purpose form of address that is appropriate for both men and women
. In general, wait for your host and hostess to introduce you to the other guests. This allows everyone to understand your status relative to their own, and thus know who performs the wai and how low the head should be bowed.

Gift Giving Etiquette

. If invited to a Thai's home, a gift is not expected, although it will be appreciated.
. Gifts should be wrapped attractively, since appearance matters. Bows and ribbons add to the sense of festivity.
. Appropriate gifts are flowers, good quality chocolates or fruit.
. Do not give marigolds or carnations, as they are associated with funerals.
. Try to avoid wrapping a gift in green, black or blue as these are used at funerals and in mourning.
. Gold and yellow are considered royal colours, so they make good wrapping paper.
. Only use red wrapping paper if giving a gift to a Chinese Thai.
. Gifts are not opened when received.
. Money is the usual gift for weddings and ordination parties.

Dining Etiquette

If you are invited to a Thai's house:
. Arrive close to the appointed time, although being a few minutes late will not cause offence.
. Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not, remove yours before entering the house.
. Ask another guest to confirm the dress code.
. Step over the threshold rather than on it. This is an old custom that may be dying out with younger Thais, but erring on the side of conservatism is always a good idea.

Table manners

. A fork and spoon are the usual eating utensils. However, noodles are often eaten with chopsticks.
. The spoon is held in the right hand and the fork in the left. The fork is used to guide food on to the spoon. Sticky rice, a northern Thai delicacy, is often eaten with the fingers of the right hand.
. Most meals are served as buffets or with serving platters in the centre of the table family- style.
. You may begin eating as soon as you are served.
. Leave a little food on your plate after you have eaten to show that you are full. Finishing everything indicates that you are still hungry.
. Never leave rice on your plate as it is considered wasteful. The words for food and rice are the same. Rice has an almost mystical significance in addition to its humdrum 'daily bread' function.
. Never take the last bite from the serving bowl.
. Wait to be asked before taking a second helping.
. Do not lick your fingers.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Relationships & Communication

. Thais prefer doing business with people they respect.
. Relationships develop slowly and do not flourish after one meeting; it may take several meetings.
. Always be respectful and courteous when dealing with others as this leads to the harmonious relationships necessary within business.
. Thai communication is formal and non-verbal communication is often more important than verbal communication.
. Rank is always respected. The eldest person in the group is revered.
. It is difficult for most Thais to say no, so you must be cognizant of their non- verbal communication.
. Watch your body language and facial expressions, as these will be believed over your words.

Business Meeting Etiquette

. Appointments are necessary and should be made one month in advance.
. It is good idea to send a list of who will be attending the meeting and their credentials so that Thais know the relative status of the people attending the meeting and can plan properly.
. You should arrive at meetings on time as it signifies respect for the person you are meeting.
. Although most Thais will try to be on time, punctuality is a personal trait.
. Always send an agenda and material about your company as well as data to substantiate your position prior to the meeting. Allow sufficient time for the material to be reviewed and digested.
. Remain standing until told where to sit. The hierarchical culture has strict rules about rank and position in the group.
. Written material should be available in both English and Thai.
. You must be patient.

Dress Etiquette

. Business attire is conservative.
. Men should wear dark coloured conservative business suits.
. Women should wear conservative business suits or dresses. Women need not wear hosiery.
. Since Thai's judge you on your clothing and accessories, ensure that your shoes are always highly polished.

Business Cards

. Business cards are given out after the initial handshake and greeting. In theory, you should give your card to the most senior person first. . It is advisable to have one side of your business card translated into Thai.
. Using your right hand, deliver your business card so the Thai side faces the recipient.
. Look at a business card for a few seconds before placing it on the table or in a business card case. As in most Asian countries, it is polite to make some comment about the card, even if it is only to acknowledge the address.