Key words
MONICA: Mmm, Chinese teachers like students to be quiet. If you speak, you will get into trouble. Chinese saying ‘Trouble comes out of your mouth.’
MIMI: Yes. Same in Thailand – in school, I mean. Mmm ... don’t be loud.
NICK: So you think that, erm, it’s the way you learn at school? That’s why you don’t want to speak?
CHEN: Yes, erm, I think it’s part of that. So, in class the teacher has the most power, you know, to control everything. And we feel a great distance between the teacher and the student. So, I think we will speak if we have permission, you know … if the teacher looks at us and says our name.
XIAOHUA: But also … erm, we come to class, you know, because we lack of knowledge, so we want to hear what the teacher say instead of the opinion from other student.
OTHERS: Mmm, yes.
XIAOHUA: So, we, erm, we hide our opinion – not hide – but when we are young, we have to see ourself as in the group, so we don’t want to waste time for the group if we express our personal opinion in a class.
MONICA: Mmm … it is traditional culture … erm, the Chinese traditional culture emphasizes our harmony very much. Harmony is the basic rule, to rule the whole society and just like harmony tries to avoid challenge and … argument. You know, that is why many Chinese students don’t ask questions and, erm, don’t disagreement to others.
AMIR: But … erm, I think not only Chinese. In Iran, it’s the same. You can ask questions after the class, but you cannot interrupt the teacher. The teacher is in control.
XIAOHUA: Amir, you are not like us: you are happy to answer quickly; ask any question you want. Are all students in Iran like you?
AMIR: I am not so confident, Xiaohua. I’m afraid to be judged in public. So I’m also afraid to lose my face.
NICK: Right. I’ve heard that before: lose face. What does it mean? OTHERS: It’s a big thing; very important. AMIR: Erm ... like, respect; what others think of us; our social value.
MIMI: Mmm. Have to think about it all the time and be careful for others. Mmm. Don’t embarrass others.
MONICA: Yes, mmm. If you don’t know others ... I think … erm, we don’t like speaking with strangers. We need time to get familiar with people to express our ideas.
NICK: Alexei. You’re very quiet today! What do you think? Do you have this kind of feeling in Russian culture?
ALEXEI: Actually, well, being afraid to speak in front of strangers, no. .... as you know, I speak a lot, all the time. But that’s because you guys don’t speak! Actually, Nick, you usually have to tell me: be quiet, Alexei! But we do have this idea of face, and people definitely don’t want to seem stupid. Maybe it’s not so strong as for you guys.
222 ACCESS EAP: Foundations
trouble harmony argument disagreement lose face social value strangers
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