Sun
Aug
31
Checking students' work... and smiling!
I’ve asked one of my groups of students to write a short paragraph discussing either what’s considered rude or polite in Argentina… As I go through their answers on Sun midday (it’s sunny and warm, I’d rather go picnicking!), some lines that I find worth sharing for a smile:
- “In Argentina, the people aren’t very sociable, perhaps they have problems, so usually they’re rude”. Another student writes: “in Miami, I realised that people there are very polite, … Maybe if we do the same we could live like them” (sic) (God bless us! If this is the way our own people see ourselves! ;-))
- “If you’re into being polite, you have, for instance, to give your seat up to pregnant women, and ancient people, somewhere to be”. (Lord, take me before I get that old, please!) (NOTE TO SPANISH NON-SPEAKERS: ancient is a false cognate for Spanish, “elderly people” are referred to as “ancianos” - actually, this is the polite way to refer to them)
- “Another way to be disrespectful is to have a baby when you are very young.” (So, that’s it, the problem of teen motherhood boiled down to “lack of respect” :-P!).
No offence meant!;-)
Do you remember any similar instances of “miscommunication” by students of yours (due either to L1 interference or cultural gaps)? Please share them via the comments!
:-D
Gladys
