[Theforum] culture-differences

[Madhu Menon]

At 04:09 AM 10/31/2001, Dex wrote:
>Can ya guys help me out then, and point it out (offlist) when I do it?
>While embarrassed that I do it, I'd like not to, but need help (the fun
>of living in your own box sometimes)

Be glad to, Scott. And I'm feeling evil right now...

>They're as common as McDonald's. They poise themselves as much lifestyle
>(hip coffeehouse sheik without the piercings, dreadlocks, and 420) as

Um, I think you meant "chic" as in "conforming to the current fashion", not 
"sheik" as in "A leader of an Arab family or village". :))


>of course, there's nuthin like countering with Chilean or Indian
>references! I wanna hear em =)

Successful communication only happens when the other person understands 
what you're trying to say. If I made Indian references, most of you would 
be (rightfully) left scratching your heads. Besides, I don't think there's 
any other Indian on thelist. :P

I could cry myself hoarse about how Indians don't eat curry for breakfast, 
that we don't play elephant polo, that we're not all snake charmers, that 
the English-speaking population of India is more than the population of 
USA, that not all of us live in abject poverty, and (gasp!) we have 
McDonald's too, but it wouldn't be very relevant.

>I know Ikea is Swedish (a little irony there, shoulda thrown in a [sic]
>to make sure, eh?)

No, a "[sic]" is used to show that you've quoted something verbatim, 
despite an apparent error. You're talking about your own post, so it 
doesn't apply.

Sorry, I'm obsessive about my English. Spent too many years interacting 
with Brits. ;)

You'd be surprised how many people think that Heinekken is German, or that 
Nokia is Japanese (Holland and Finland respectively).


aardvark wrote:
>feh... sissies...

OK, I just have to know. What's the meaning of "feh"? I've seen it used on 
mailing lists several times, but can't figure it out, other than from context.

Erika wrote:
>not impossible.  I'd call it a "soft d."  From the way you describe.
>
>Not a common English sound, but common in other languages.  Russian
>has one I think...

It's actually a "thumping d". It's got a lot of strength put into it. And I 
don't believe there's anything in the English language that uses it 
properly. But then, you've only got 26 letters in your alphabet. I've got 
over 40 in Hindi and 52 in Malayalam, both languages that I speak here 
(yeah, India's got several languages. Most people here speak at least 3 
including English.)

>Just understand that US citizens have a tendency to be geographically

And this list is probably the first place I've seen Americans willing to 
admit that. It's a good start :D

>and cross-culturally challenged.  Work with us, Madhu.  Kick our
>asses.

Hoo yaa! I'm hereby conferring on myself the title of "Evolt Ass Kicker". I 
promise to do my utmost to discharge my duties effectively. ;)
I'm probably not the best person for the job, however. Thanks to Cable TV, 
Hollywood, family abroad, and of course the Internet, I'm quite familiar 
with many elements of American and Brit culture (so I know that "Jell-O" is 
a brand of jelly, even though it's used in a generic sense.)
I can also do some pretty good accents if you want. One of my dreams was 
(and still is) to be a voiceover actor for cartoons.


>Why does Steve refer to himself as a mom?  Why not a dad?

It's just an Internet term used for the social administrator of a mailing 
list.
(For those wondering who Erika and I are talking about, it's Steve 
Champeon, listmom of the www.webdesign-l.com list. I believe Amanda, Rudy 
(Jeff, have you unsubbed?) are also subscribed there.)


> >2) Damn time difference (India is 10.5 to 12.5 hours ahead of USA).
> >By the time I get the digest, somebody will have already helped
> >someone out.
>
>Why not subscribe non-digest and filter it into a special box?

Waaaaaaay too much mail to handle, Erika. I already filter digests into a 
"Mailing lists" folder. Apart from Evolt, I'm also subscribed to sigia-l 
(Information Architecture), CHI-WEB (human-computer interaction), 
InterfaceMafia (UI), webdesign-l (er, web design), and theforum. And these 
are just discussion lists. If you add up announcements lists as well, 
probably another 30 more. And yet, I need them all to keep updated on 
what's happening. Digests make it easier to follow conversations in one place.


And since I'm the instigator of this "culture" thread that has since gone 
on to totally off-topic posts, I'd like to sound like an admin (though I'm 
not) and say, get back on-topic kids.

Oh, and sorry for poking holes in yer spelling, Dex. Like I said, I was 
feeling naughty.

Thanks,

Madhu



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Madhu Menon
User Experience Consultant
e-mail: webguru at vsnl.net