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“Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

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Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#41

Post by icebraining »

learnstats2 wrote: post #33
ajuc wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You feel gratitude when you receive change from the shop clerk and say "thanks, bye"? I guess the word "gratitude" is routinely badly translated, too, in that case.

> You feel gratitude when you receive change from the shop clerk and say "thanks, bye"? I know that many people are saying this robotically, but I personally feel genuinely grateful that the shop clerk has chosen to do this, and that they typically do a good job - providing me with a good level of service that greatly benefits me. I recognise that it is not a fun job and that clerks often have to suffer poor conditio…

It's obvious that it's appreciated

Not around here, it isn't. I tried that three times, giving up after getting a mix of disinterest and hostility.

Which frankly confirms my instincts, I only tried because I've learned not to assume that my preferences match the general public's.

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#42

Post by cactusface »

jmadsen wrote: post #16
jmadsen wrote: post #12

Perhaps he doesn't understand that "thank you" is usually meant as a simple, polite acknowledgement. A heartfelt expression of gratitude in English is said not with a stock phrase, but by stopping, looking at the person, and explaining your gratitude to them. He is confusing our stock phrase with something that is an entirely different concept.

If I may extend my own post for a moment, this is a common problem of trying to translate words & phrases directly. For example, most people know that "Arigato" is Japanese for "Thank you". Except that's really wrong. Arigato is inappropriate in most cases, and "Sumasen" or variations should be used. But if you tried to translate them via the dictionary, you'd be quite confused as arigato comes from "thank" and su(mi…

Wait a minute, sumimasen only means thank-you when it's a thanks plus a kind of apology for making someone go to some trouble. Some version of doumo arigato gozaimasu is really fine in most other situations!

http://www.tofugu.com/2013/10/24/sorry-for-saying-thank-you-...

http://www.livinglanguage.com/blog/2013/06/20/how-to-say-tha...

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#43

Post by codeN »

Come to think of it, in India I have almost never really "thanked" many among my family, but have done it for almost everybody else, and often I have found a compliment works in places where a thanks might seem too formal. Saying "I had an amazing time at your place and will miss the food" carries the sense of gratitude without the sense of formality in India.

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#44

Post by wazari972 »

learnstats2 wrote: post #33
ajuc wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You feel gratitude when you receive change from the shop clerk and say "thanks, bye"? I guess the word "gratitude" is routinely badly translated, too, in that case.

> You feel gratitude when you receive change from the shop clerk and say "thanks, bye"? I know that many people are saying this robotically, but I personally feel genuinely grateful that the shop clerk has chosen to do this, and that they typically do a good job - providing me with a good level of service that greatly benefits me. I recognise that it is not a fun job and that clerks often have to suffer poor conditio…

that's what I think as well:

- thanks for doing your job correctly, in a manner I appreciate/have nothing to complain against

- thanks because you're not a machine, whereas many people may disdain you and act like they're facing a machine

- thanks because I don't want do give you orders, it's your job to serve me, but nonetheless I don't command you

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#46

Post by alienchow »

jmadsen wrote: post #16
jmadsen wrote: post #12

Perhaps he doesn't understand that "thank you" is usually meant as a simple, polite acknowledgement. A heartfelt expression of gratitude in English is said not with a stock phrase, but by stopping, looking at the person, and explaining your gratitude to them. He is confusing our stock phrase with something that is an entirely different concept.

If I may extend my own post for a moment, this is a common problem of trying to translate words & phrases directly. For example, most people know that "Arigato" is Japanese for "Thank you". Except that's really wrong. Arigato is inappropriate in most cases, and "Sumasen" or variations should be used. But if you tried to translate them via the dictionary, you'd be quite confused as arigato comes from "thank" and su(mi…

May I know your source for this?

Arigatou pretty much just means "Thank you".

Arigatou - "Thank you" Sumimasen - "Excuse me" or a milder version of "sorry" Gomennasai - "Sorry"

If I help my Japanese roommate grab some stuff from the convenience store, he says arigatou. If he wants to really be polite he could add on "suman, meiwaku kaketa." (sorry for troubling you)

I'm not arguing against the fact that we shouldn't do literal translations between cultures, but more that you're giving misleading ideas on Japanese language.

If someone holds the door for you, or brings you a napkin, you can pretty much just say "arigatou". They will most probably just reply, "iie".

Source: JLPT N1 and member of a Japanese Teamspeak game clan for 7 years now.

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#47

Post by DanAndersen »

When I was an English teacher in China, I noticed something similar. Saying "thank you" to friends I made there resulted in a look of confusion, being taken aback, and not quite knowing how to respond. Over time I noticed a pattern and concluded that the interpretation was that friends shouldn't need to say thanks to each other, and saying it turned interaction into something more formal and less friendly.

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#48

Post by learnstats2 »

icebraining wrote: post #41
learnstats2 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You feel gratitude when you receive change from the shop clerk and say "thanks, bye"? I know that many people are saying this robotically, but I personally feel genuinely grateful that the shop clerk has chosen to do this, and that they typically do a good job - providing me with a good level of service that greatly benefits me. I recognise that it is not a fun job and that clerks often have to suffer poor conditio…

It's obvious that it's appreciated Not around here, it isn't. I tried that three times, giving up after getting a mix of disinterest and hostility. Which frankly confirms my instincts, I only tried because I've learned not to assume that my preferences match the general public's.

While I show you respect for your effort, you could try it 3 times per day. If you feel genuinely grateful, I recommend that you try more.

Some people don't appreciate it; some people think you are being ungenuine; some people don't notice or care; some people find it uncomfortable that you're choosing to break the social code; some people are confused by that. Yes, you're right.

So what? Are you giving thanks because you want a service worker to validate you, or because you are grateful to the other person and you want to show your appreciation?

I interact with many store clerks more than once and, on the second occasion, I want them to know clearly that I wasn't pretending when I gave thanks the first time. A majority appreciate it.

Re: “Thank You” in Hindi and English Mean Very Different Things

#49

Post by littletimmy »

As a non-American, this was one of the biggest culture shocks I faced. On the surface, relationships in the US seem very transactional (not making the judgment that they are really transactional). For example, in the US a son would thank his parents for paying his college tuition. In my culture, this would be insulting because it would suggest being distant from family, in the sense that the son ought to believe his parents wealth is his also, and later willingly contribute his earnings when his parents need anything. It is a difference in the degree to which individualism is the norm.

Reminds of the book "Debt" by David Graeber. He talks about how many cultures have systems where everyone is indebted to their family and community, and this debt is never to be settled. To want to settle a debt (or to even calculate it) would indicate that a relationship has ended. So it is a huge culture shock to see the degree to which calculation plays a part in US relationships (like Sheryl Sandberg precisely splitting domestic chores with her husband 50:50).

I have a feeling that the non-American system is better because it fosters closer family ties, but that might just be because that's the system I'm familiar with.

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