Folium: How Are You Today? via Visual.ly
Folium: How Are You Today? via Visual.ly
How Are You Today? via Visual.ly
We write a lot on LEAF about how everyone around the world is more alike than we realize. Peoples is peoples! Today’s Infographic comes from Skype via Visual.ly (am I crazy for not being used to international web address endings yet?)
When we meet new people, there is always the time of adjustment. An awkward time where you search for those common bonds to build levels of relationship and trust. “Breaking the ice” is a universal experience! We see how people from around the world prepare for this first step as much as we do!
http://youtu.be/KQgfgB-vgT0
Peoples is peoples!
Take a few minutes and see how these icebreaker greetings are said, and what they mean when they are translated to English. You’ll find that while the meaning is essentially the same, many forms have evolved from their respective cultures.
For example, “Quel bon vent vous amène” means “What is the wind that brings you here?” How did this expression come into being, and what are the winds like in France to create such an expression that is understood by French speaking people across the country? These are elements that we consider when phrases like these come into play.
Homer via Fox.com
I believe my favorite is the Chinese greeting, “Have you eaten yet?” That’s just awesome. Let’s skip the feelings, the names, the need to connect on an empathetical level. I like a host who just gets down to the brass tacks and says “Have you eaten yet?” Hunger, one thing that the world can agree on. Perhaps this is why I’ve gone up so many pant sizes since learning new languages…
As Homer Simpson once said in Jerusalem. “There’s one thing we can all agree on… Peace and chicken.”
Have you had any “icebreaker” experiences in other languages. Disasters? Successes? Share it with us in the comments below!
