2.4 Using peoples titles Flashcards
using peoples titles across the world 4 points
1 there is a considerable variation in social attitudes when it comes to the use of titles
2 Australia and the United States resort readily to the use of first names even after a brief acquaintance
3 This tendency may be reinforced by a corporate culture which reinforces the use of first names for its own reasons
4 other cultures have a complex etiquette regarding title use, which you need to understand
what are forms of address
2 points
different ways of addressing people according to their status, the relation between the speaker and the addressee and the situation
2 for example, ‘Bob’, ‘Mrs Massoud’, ‘Dr Herrera”, ‘love’.
German customs (traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something) when you meet a German for the first time 8 points
1-Err on the side of conservatism
2 make direct eye contact with your new acquaintance
3 shake hands briefly, but firmly
4 use a formal greeting such as ‘Guten Tag, Herr Schmidt’
5 Make sure to use the polite way of addressing Germans first (Sie)
6-German customs put a lot of emphasis on the correct form of address and the use of a persons title, particularly if you interact with business contacts, a person you have never met before, the elderly and people entitled to your respect (e.g. your superiors in a business setting or an academic context
7 First names and the casual form of address (du) are reserved by German customs for friends, family and younger people, like university students.
8 When your new acquaintance, neighbour or coworker offers to talk to you on a first-name basis, courtesy in German customs dictates that you accept: they are trying to be particularly friendly
Which two things should you avoid doing on meeting a German person for the first time
Use ‘du’ and the person’s first name (unless invited to do so)
2 Use ‘Fraulein” to when addressing women as it is even more outdated than the English ‘miss’ and is often regarded as patronising by younger women in Germany
What does ‘phatic’
Phatic is the term applied to phrases or communication which have a social function rather than necessarily conveying information
2 Phatic communication is popularly known as small talk.
3long time no see, you look well…
3 it is rhetorical and it’s not expected to receive a lengthy or meaningful response
how do you greet people in china (this is a generalisation which is pretty useless)
In china is common to greet people by shaking their hand and using a simple greeting
What are the four different categories for addressing people in china4 points 4 points
in china you can address people by their job title (President Hu, Manager Zhang)
2 their professional or educational qualifications (Lawyer Wang, Dr Yang)
3 by their profession (Teacher Wang, Police Officer Liu)
4 by their title and surname (Mr Wang, Ms Zhang Ying)
What name combinations do you use to address Chinese people
You can either call Chinese people by their family name or by their full name
What are the three different ways of greeting people when you meet them for the first time in Chinese 3 points this is just a generalisation
the three ways translate as:
1 Hello/Hi
2 Nice to meet you
3 An honour to meet you
“long time no see” or “You look very well today” are two examples of greeting which group of people? Generalisation
they are two examples of greeting acquaintances in an informal and friendly way
Why a generalisations can be problematic when it comes to languages and cultures 3 points
1 so any text that discuses behaviours or attitudes of particular groups of people is bound to make generalisations, but these groups are not homogeneous
2 it is not unusual to find that many useful and potential material is flawed to some extent due to over-simplistic generalisations
3 such material can still provide valuable information, practical advise or raise issues for debate, provided that you are aware of any potential limitations
What is the point of reading texts that make generalisations and do not give an objective account of reality 6 points
1 it would be practically impossible to write a single text about culture without resorting to some degree of generalisation at some point or another
2 grouping people into categories carries a danger, but it si difficult to imagine how else one could refer to cultural differences
3 generalisations can work well as a starting point, which can then be refined and expanded over time (remember the example of the Spanish students)
4 material that is too comprehensive or dense can be hard to navigate
5 text written from a personal perspective, can provoke important critical reflection and allow you to zoom in on a particular topic and help you to make up your own mind
6 the important thing is to understand the limitations of the material
