Aug 242011
‘Say something nice’ is excellent advice for anyone like me who is learning to speak ‘merican. And the ease with which Americans are able to do it is very cool. Leave a lectern and mike in NYC and this is what happens:
A lovely example of positive politeness at work. Fill it up and let it overflow, indeed.
Hi Vicki, Nice!
I’m so glad you’re back – well, I’ve been missing your interesting little spots! That’s a good opener for Sept. classes, right?
Though, I suppose my German participants reaction will be – “superficial Ammies”(as in Americans).
Have a good ‘un!
Oh thank you so much Joan and lovely to see you too.
You’ve reminded me that some of my Japanese students have told me that America is sometimes referred to as the ‘I-love-you-culture’ in Japan. Perhaps some readers there can fill us in more on that.
Yes, it’s so easy for students to dismiss the positivity as fake and it’s sometimes hard to explain that it goes deeper and is a bit more complex than that.
As another outsider myself, I sometimes wonder if I might have more credibility when I’m trying to explain it than an American teachers – even though my actual understanding of how it works is less deep.
Just a short anecdote – one New Year’s morning we arrived at Heathrow from LA. I was carrying a bag containing a few bottles of wine I’d been given by a friend and placed the bag on the conveyor belt – promptly – one crashed to the floor making a hell of a mess – what happened?
The staff all began to sympathize with me – “oh, what a pity, I’m so sorry about your nice bottle of wine, etc. etc.” while somebody came to clean up the mess.
I’m not sure where else in the world I might encounter such genuine friendliness of this kind!
When an American says something with a smile they tend to mean it.
The people where saying what was coming from there heart, you can see that simply from the smile on there face. and plus Americans don’t go out of there way to say something unless they mean it cuz other wise it would just be a waste of time.
Where I live if you walk down the street and you see someone you smile and say hi and maybe even strike up a conversation , not just cuz it’s polite but out of the kindness of your heart. I live in a place near Seattle WA .