The Great American FlatteryJanuary 18th 2006 |
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Slacker? I am afraid not. :) More like, too busy in my real life to update a “digital” life. This semester marks a semester of reading. Mainly out of my Linguistics textbook since both my Linguistics classes use the same book, (yea!! cheaper for me!!) I have been reading this book like the Bible on a daily basis. I find it very interesting that the authors, although prominent linguists and anthropologists, still have droppings of “American culture” woven into the pages they have written. For example, in Linguistics there is a term “Maxim of Quality” which basically refers to the truthfulness behind a statement. After a paragraph or two of explanation, the author ends the section with, “Considerations of politeness can also justify suspension of the Maxim of Quality. For instance, in order to avoid hurt feelings, you might congratulate a fellow student on a presentation, even though you thought it was the worst thing you ever heard.” HA! The Great American Flattery supported in a University textbook.
I would love to hear a German linguist on this matter. I am sure it would go something like, “The Maxim of Quality must never be violated. If a fellow student asks how the shirt looks on them, you should respond frankly and honestly, 'It makes you look fat.'” When ever I want my sister (MAP) to answer a question truthfully, I ask her for her true German opinion. She came up to me the other day and was asking me about how short she should cut her hair and was like, “Tell me your TRUE German opinion!” HAHA! :) I love my sister.
BTW, Frith – get cracking on Ender's website design if you haven't already. I want to dive into the life of William by reading his up-to-date blog! :)
Comments
is going to echo in here... echo in here... here... here....
echo
posted at 8:50 PM on Jan 20th 2006
*watches tumbleweeds tumble by*
wow, i bet whatever i type is going to echo in here. :)
tea
posted at 6:42 PM on Jan 20th 2006
Great post about linguistics! I'll be interested to read further about your learnings, especially with the "unique" Mrs. G-U-I-N-D-O-N.
Jeremy
posted at 2:12 PM on Jan 19th 2006
Was Maxiums Qualitis a Roman gladiator?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Dad Powers
posted at 8:58 AM on Jan 19th 2006
Good point Dave. I wasn't trying to make it uniquely American perse, but I was trying point out that the authors who were supposed to look at everything from a third-person point of view when it comes to their own culture, seem to be weaving in their own “culturally correct” behavior (which just happens to be American.) Guatemalans are quite the flatterers too, but the author's of this text-book were not Guatemalan. ;)
SammyK
posted at 8:05 AM on Jan 19th 2006
I love the way you write about things like linguistics and germans. That was the best article i ever read.
william
posted at 11:13 PM on Jan 18th 2006
why do you perceive flattery as something uniquely american? Even Dante laments the pervasiveness of flattery in his society.
dave
posted at 10:44 PM on Jan 18th 2006
aw, i know you're not a slacker. :) i was just teasing you, silly! ;)
now...
get back to work!!!
tea
posted at 10:10 PM on Jan 18th 2006
hear, hear!!!
err, I mean: here... here... here....
echo
posted at 10:23 PM on Jan 20th 2006