Comments on: Cultural Colloquiums and Blog Writing http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/ Helping you learn more and do more with WordPress Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:32:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Are You Writing Well for the Living Web? « Lorelle on WordPress http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-706287 Are You Writing Well for the Living Web? « Lorelle on WordPress Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:59:24 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-706287 [...] Cultural Colloquiums and Blog Writing [...] [...] Cultural Colloquiums and Blog Writing [...]

]]> By: Are You Really Writing For Your Blog Audience? at The Blog Herald http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-265025 Are You Really Writing For Your Blog Audience? at The Blog Herald Tue, 08 May 2007 16:09:21 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-265025 [...] May 4, 2007 at 8:15 am by Lorelle VanFossen - In Cultural Colloquiums and Blog Writing, I shared a joke that I had grown up with and thought was very clever and funny that I told to a [...] [...] May 4, 2007 at 8:15 am by Lorelle VanFossen - In Cultural Colloquiums and Blog Writing, I shared a joke that I had grown up with and thought was very clever and funny that I told to a [...]

]]> By: Lorelle VanFossen http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24839 Lorelle VanFossen Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:25:19 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24839 Your story reminded me of a last minute decision to spend Christmas in Jerusalem. We had plans to leave the country to head out to somewhere with snow and had to cancel. Homesick for the sounds and scenes of the holidays, we headed for a week in Jerusalem. I asked the hotel concierge where we might find some Christmas. He had no idea. We walked into the Old City to find the Swedish Christian Information Center was open, a tourist mecca for Christian tourists, but rarely open during the last few years of the Intifada as there were no tourists. I went inside and told an elderly woman at the information desk, "I'm looking for Christmas. I haven't had a Christmas in over 4 years. Where can I find Christmas?" "Where in the world could you possibly be," she hissed, shocked and stern at the same time. "And have no Christmas?" "Israel." Her brow cleared as realization dawned. "Ah, yes, well, of course." There is no Christmas in Israel. Sure, there are spots of Christmas in the Christian Arab and foreign nationals compounds and other sections inside of Israel. My husband loved it because he could do last minute Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve with no crowds because it was just another day of the week. There is really no Christmas as Americans are used to in Israel. The fact that she was so outraged that I could be anywhere with no Christmas, when she herself was staying in a country that has no Christmas, was too funny. Did we find any Christmas? Yes, sorta, kinda, too funny, but that's another story. Colloquiums and society sayings are limited to just words. Events, holidays, dates, and cultural symbols are also perceived differently depending upon your familiarity with the culture and society. This all makes you think, doesn't it? Your story reminded me of a last minute decision to spend Christmas in Jerusalem. We had plans to leave the country to head out to somewhere with snow and had to cancel. Homesick for the sounds and scenes of the holidays, we headed for a week in Jerusalem. I asked the hotel concierge where we might find some Christmas. He had no idea. We walked into the Old City to find the Swedish Christian Information Center was open, a tourist mecca for Christian tourists, but rarely open during the last few years of the Intifada as there were no tourists.

I went inside and told an elderly woman at the information desk, “I’m looking for Christmas. I haven’t had a Christmas in over 4 years. Where can I find Christmas?”

“Where in the world could you possibly be,” she hissed, shocked and stern at the same time. “And have no Christmas?”

“Israel.”

Her brow cleared as realization dawned. “Ah, yes, well, of course.”

There is no Christmas in Israel. Sure, there are spots of Christmas in the Christian Arab and foreign nationals compounds and other sections inside of Israel. My husband loved it because he could do last minute Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve with no crowds because it was just another day of the week. There is really no Christmas as Americans are used to in Israel.

The fact that she was so outraged that I could be anywhere with no Christmas, when she herself was staying in a country that has no Christmas, was too funny.

Did we find any Christmas? Yes, sorta, kinda, too funny, but that’s another story.

Colloquiums and society sayings are limited to just words. Events, holidays, dates, and cultural symbols are also perceived differently depending upon your familiarity with the culture and society. This all makes you think, doesn’t it?

]]> By: kamla http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24835 kamla Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:08:00 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24835 It was our first semester break and a bunch of us (mostly non-US students) were celebrating on Christmas eve. Suddenly one of the students burst into our apartment shivering from the cold, but looked visibly happy that he had finished grading the papers for his prof and mailed the results to the professor at his home address. He was a teaching assistant (TA). We cheered and rushed to get him some food and drink. Out of the blue one of the other grad students (it was his third year in grad school) asked him,"Were you asked to post the results?" The TA answered:"Yes." The grad student responded: "oh, oh, you better go and rescue that mail from the mail box. What the prof meant is that you needed to post the results on his door so that students can look at their grades the next day." And, you should have been there to see the utter look of dismay that crossed the TA's face. He went back and actually tried to retrieve the mail from the mail box. Did you think he succeeded? Post meants to mail in other parts of the English speaking world. Post, in the US, also means to paste or post something on a board etc. Then there was the time when my professor and I were speaking at cross-purpose.Why? It all had to do with the word "moot." That is another story. "Forhereortogo," is another term that flummoxed most of us when we went to the cafeteria to order food. You see it translates into: "For here or to go...." :) Kamla It was our first semester break and a bunch of us (mostly non-US students) were celebrating on Christmas eve. Suddenly one of the students burst into our apartment shivering from the cold, but looked visibly happy that he had finished grading the papers for his prof and mailed the results to the professor at his home address. He was a teaching assistant (TA). We cheered and rushed to get him some food and drink. Out of the blue one of the other grad students (it was his third year in grad school) asked him,”Were you asked to post the results?” The TA answered:”Yes.” The grad student responded: “oh, oh, you better go and rescue that mail from the mail box. What the prof meant is that you needed to post the results on his door so that students can look at their grades the next day.” And, you should have been there to see the utter look of dismay that crossed the TA’s face. He went back and actually tried to retrieve the mail from the mail box. Did you think he succeeded?

Post meants to mail in other parts of the English speaking world. Post, in the US, also means to paste or post something on a board etc.

Then there was the time when my professor and I were speaking at cross-purpose.Why? It all had to do with the word “moot.” That is another story.

“Forhereortogo,” is another term that flummoxed most of us when we went to the cafeteria to order food. You see it translates into: “For here or to go….” :)

Kamla

]]> By: cardoso http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24624 cardoso Mon, 31 Jul 2006 01:55:32 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24624 Oh well. A few years ago, in a mailing list, Some lady asked about a software. I started a mini-how to, very friendly, with: OK, let's do it together, Little Grasshopper... The women went crazy. "ARE YOU CALLING ME AN INSECT? DO YOU THINK I'M A BUG? SOMETHING YOU STEP ON? RESPECT ME! I'M A MOTHER, A TEACHER AND YOU DON'T KNOW ME, SIR!" And went like that for pages and pages. Of course the 95% of the list who recognized the reference were amused, laughed their lungs off and never moved a finger to help me. (don't blame, I'd do the same for them) At the end I explained with a single-line reply and the "humm... oh, sorry then" of hers was great, because the "I made a fool of myself" of her original rant could not be washed out anyway. Oh well. A few years ago, in a mailing list, Some lady asked about a software. I started a mini-how to, very friendly, with:

OK, let’s do it together, Little Grasshopper…

The women went crazy.

“ARE YOU CALLING ME AN INSECT? DO YOU THINK I’M A BUG? SOMETHING YOU STEP ON? RESPECT ME! I’M A MOTHER, A TEACHER AND YOU DON’T KNOW ME, SIR!”

And went like that for pages and pages.

Of course the 95% of the list who recognized the reference were amused, laughed their lungs off and never moved a finger to help me. (don’t blame, I’d do the same for them)

At the end I explained with a single-line reply and the “humm… oh, sorry then” of hers was great, because the “I made a fool of myself” of her original rant could not be washed out anyway.

]]> By: Petit http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24611 Petit Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:59:24 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24611 Really amusing and thought provoking. Though old enough for The Lone Ranger, and I think it's been on television her in the Far North, I'm not entitled to a Mensa membership ;) I didn't get it. Beautiful story! I remember "Houston, we have a problem" and can connect to that. That was a real event and more severe in its possible consequences. Thanks for your thoughts on culture and language. Interpretations of of language is always a matter of context and consensus. A hug also to bloglily for your views on humanity. Really amusing and thought provoking.

Though old enough for The Lone Ranger, and I think it’s been on television her in the Far North, I’m not entitled to a Mensa membership ;) I didn’t get it. Beautiful story!

I remember “Houston, we have a problem” and can connect to that. That was a real event and more severe in its possible consequences.

Thanks for your thoughts on culture and language. Interpretations of of language is always a matter of context and consensus.

A hug also to bloglily for your views on humanity.

]]> By: timethief http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24610 timethief Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:56:20 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24610 I live on the West Coast of Canada on a small island that's popular with tourists from everywhere in the world. Every summer I speak to many potter customers from many different cultural backgrounds and from time to time I have used regional expressions that have caused them to cock their eyebrows in puzzlement and led me into lengthy and not necessarily satisfying explanations. The most recent one occurred when a Korean lady pointed out a racoon hanging from the wire on the run attached to our chicken house. I immeditately pantomimed shooting a rifle to my husband and sang "Davy Crocket, Davy Crocket, King of the Wild Frontier". He slipped inside the barn to get a rifle while I tried to explain that running towards the raccoon was not the way to go. They are very clever and very persistent animals and my approach would see to it that my husband made sure that "his tail became a hat". I had never considered the many exclusively North American expressions I use every day in terms of blogging. Now you've really got me thinking about the use of culturally inclusive and exclusive expressions in my blog writing. Thanks for writing this post. I live on the West Coast of Canada on a small island that’s popular with tourists from everywhere in the world. Every summer I speak to many potter customers from many different cultural backgrounds and from time to time I have used regional expressions that have caused them to cock their eyebrows in puzzlement and led me into lengthy and not necessarily satisfying explanations.
The most recent one occurred when a Korean lady pointed out a racoon hanging from the wire on the run attached to our chicken house. I immeditately pantomimed shooting a rifle to my husband and sang “Davy Crocket, Davy Crocket, King of the Wild Frontier”. He slipped inside the barn to get a rifle while I tried to explain that running towards the raccoon was not the way to go. They are very clever and very persistent animals and my approach would see to it that my husband made sure that “his tail became a hat”.
I had never considered the many exclusively North American expressions I use every day in terms of blogging. Now you’ve really got me thinking about the use of culturally inclusive and exclusive expressions in my blog writing. Thanks for writing this post.

]]> By: bloglily http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24586 bloglily Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:28:35 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24586 The Situation reminds me of the Troubles, in Ireland. The interesting thing about a shorthand like this is that it's so in the moment -- for people in the midst of such violence a simple word is enough because the conflict is already on everyone's mind. I'm just so sorry such violence exists. And kudos to you Lorelle for pointing out that we can use language to exclude as well as include. I think you can still use cultural references, you just have to acknowledge what they are for people who don't know. (For example, I used the phrase "short stack" in a post a month ago and just put a little definition in parenthesis for those who don't eat pancakes in diners.) One thing I really like about wordpress is how international it is -- it's a great tool for reminding us of how various we are -- and, in the end, how much we have in common. The Situation reminds me of the Troubles, in Ireland. The interesting thing about a shorthand like this is that it’s so in the moment — for people in the midst of such violence a simple word is enough because the conflict is already on everyone’s mind. I’m just so sorry such violence exists.

And kudos to you Lorelle for pointing out that we can use language to exclude as well as include. I think you can still use cultural references, you just have to acknowledge what they are for people who don’t know. (For example, I used the phrase “short stack” in a post a month ago and just put a little definition in parenthesis for those who don’t eat pancakes in diners.) One thing I really like about wordpress is how international it is — it’s a great tool for reminding us of how various we are — and, in the end, how much we have in common.

]]> By: Lorelle VanFossen http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24555 Lorelle VanFossen Sun, 30 Jul 2006 14:00:59 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24555 Now you tell me. See, in English, bastard isn't the WORST word you could use, so it clearly means that the word really means something more intense, while meaning the same. It's all about the levels. I love language, especially the idea of word values changing across borders and time. One of the great new "nouns" that developed in Israel during the most recent Intifada was how they called it "The Situation". Not "Intifada 2000", "Palestinian Uprising 2000", or even "Current Intifada" to be named at a later date by historians. It was just "The Situation", spoken with capital letters. Now you tell me. See, in English, bastard isn’t the WORST word you could use, so it clearly means that the word really means something more intense, while meaning the same. It’s all about the levels.

I love language, especially the idea of word values changing across borders and time.

One of the great new “nouns” that developed in Israel during the most recent Intifada was how they called it “The Situation”. Not “Intifada 2000″, “Palestinian Uprising 2000″, or even “Current Intifada” to be named at a later date by historians. It was just “The Situation”, spoken with capital letters.

]]> By: Sarit http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2006/07/30/cultural-colloquiums-and-blog-writing/#comment-24535 Sarit Sun, 30 Jul 2006 11:52:26 +0000 https://lorelle.wordpress.com/?p=1032#comment-24535 "maniac" pretty much means.. hmm.. a son of a you-know-what or bastard. It's funny you're writing about this. I recently noticed there's a whole new wave of Israeli bloggers coming up with funny Hebrew versions of various web words. I was considering creating a funny little glossary for other people ;) For example, instead of writing the word HTML they write the Hebrew equivalent letters (הטמל, which isn't a real word). Or "גרגרן" (Hungry) as a nickname of Gregarious, the feed reader. If you're not among the regular Wordpress blogeers, you're most likely to not understand what they actually mean. It's a whole new language developing. “maniac” pretty much means.. hmm.. a son of a you-know-what or bastard.

It’s funny you’re writing about this. I recently noticed there’s a whole new wave of Israeli bloggers coming up with funny Hebrew versions of various web words. I was considering creating a funny little glossary for other people ;)
For example, instead of writing the word HTML they write the Hebrew equivalent letters (הטמל, which isn’t a real word). Or “גרגרן” (Hungry) as a nickname of Gregarious, the feed reader.
If you’re not among the regular WordPress blogeers, you’re most likely to not understand what they actually mean. It’s a whole new language developing.

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