Comments on: Small talk, Ziva and art: more thoughts on ‘culture above’ and ‘culture below’ http://cultureby.com/2008/10/more-thoughts-on-culture-above-and-culture-below.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 23 May 2012 20:32:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: peter http://cultureby.com/2008/10/more-thoughts-on-culture-above-and-culture-below.html/comment-page-1#comment-1215 peter Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:26:11 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=184#comment-1215 This post reminded me of a conversation I once had in Seoul, South Korea, with a Korean colleague following a meeting the two of us had had with an American colleague, who had said something very emphatically as the meeting finished, and then left us. My Korean colleague took me aside to ask, "What is a bippy?", "Why is it sweet?", and "Why would I bet it?" This post reminded me of a conversation I once had in Seoul, South Korea, with a Korean colleague following a meeting the two of us had had with an American colleague, who had said something very emphatically as the meeting finished, and then left us. My Korean colleague took me aside to ask, “What is a bippy?”, “Why is it sweet?”, and “Why would I bet it?”

]]> By: Ray http://cultureby.com/2008/10/more-thoughts-on-culture-above-and-culture-below.html/comment-page-1#comment-1214 Ray Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:49:19 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=184#comment-1214 I work with a lot of writing from non-native speakers of English, who let's be clear, are definitely smart. I am constantly removing awkward idioms which I'm sure they learned in English class or from books like the Spears example. These idioms are tweaked as they slowly evolve, and what seems fresh, normal, and stale is quite subtle. By the time, they are codified in a book, that are often stale or cliched. The example I love to use is my friend (also very smart,) trying to explain the word "Duh" to some Taiwanese friends. The expression is pervasive (much to the dismay of all English teachers, I'm sure) to the point of being mundane. Definitely, culture below. But, what does it mean? How do you even say it? A lot of cultural meaning is packed into a three letter word, that can mean everything from, "that is obvious" to "are you stupid?" Intonation is crucial in saying it, because you can control the amount of sarcasm being expressed. All that meaning is communicated in a second, which may not be flashy, but is really interesting. I work with a lot of writing from non-native speakers of English, who let’s be clear, are definitely smart. I am constantly removing awkward idioms which I’m sure they learned in English class or from books like the Spears example.

These idioms are tweaked as they slowly evolve, and what seems fresh, normal, and stale is quite subtle. By the time, they are codified in a book, that are often stale or cliched.

The example I love to use is my friend (also very smart,) trying to explain the word “Duh” to some Taiwanese friends. The expression is pervasive (much to the dismay of all English teachers, I’m sure) to the point of being mundane. Definitely, culture below.

But, what does it mean? How do you even say it? A lot of cultural meaning is packed into a three letter word, that can mean everything from, “that is obvious” to “are you stupid?” Intonation is crucial in saying it, because you can control the amount of sarcasm being expressed. All that meaning is communicated in a second, which may not be flashy, but is really interesting.

]]> By: AJ http://cultureby.com/2008/10/more-thoughts-on-culture-above-and-culture-below.html/comment-page-1#comment-1213 AJ Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:20:20 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=184#comment-1213 Wisdom from taxi drivers? How Thomas Friedman of you :) But a fascinating post. I should look up that book myself. Wisdom from taxi drivers? How Thomas Friedman of you :)

But a fascinating post. I should look up that book myself.

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