Monday 28 November 2011

Respect

Languages provide different resources to show respect towards the listener. Both Spaniards and English people are surprised at the much greater use of the words 'thank you' and 'please' in English compared to Spanish.

In Spanish we tend to use other linguistic resources to show respect. One resource that we have in Spanish that does not exist in English is the existence of two forms for the 2nd person - a formal one (usted/ustedes) and an informal one (tĂș/vosotros).

When Spaniards speak in English, particularly when they are not yet fluent in the language, they tend to forget to use 'please' and 'thank you' the way that English people do. Thus, they appear to be impolite.

Similarly, when English people speak in Spanish they tend to use 'please' and 'thank you' as often as in English, surprising Spaniards by their formality. This formality seems distancing to Spaniards and they sometimes even find it offensive that the English person seems to be close to them in some regards, but still has to express gratitude formally in some petty matters.

Monday 14 November 2011

Approach to interrupting in the UK versus Spain

Communicating really involves much more than being able to speak a language. I have come to learn that conversations do not flow in England the way that they do in Spain.

To an English person it must be very surprising that in Spain we constantly interrupt each other in conversation. We regularly try to finish each other's sentences, to show that we are on the same wavelength. When we interrupt in the way that is expected in conversation, this is done smoothly, using unconscious cues that allow both the speaker and the listener to know whose turn it is to speak. Of course, Spaniards also have the ability to be rude and interrupt the speaker showing disregard for what they are saying, but that is a different matter.

In England, it is expected that the speaker will have an uninterrupted chance to say what they have to say. Meanwhile, the listener patiently listens and waits for the speaker to finish before taking their own turn to speak. Thus, interrupting a speaker does not tell the speaker that you understand what they are saying. Rather, it tells them that you are not interested in what they have to say. Interrupting is rude.

Now imagine an English person and a Spanish person holding a conversation.