Mary, I have really enjoyed reading this book! I've recommended it to anyone who would listen! I feel like it's given me a new outlook on some of the ideas that you have to be rich or you have to be smart in order for huge amounts of success to come your way, when in fact, it may just be your drive and your circumstances. Very interesting indeed!
After reading "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes," I asked myself, "Why was this section added," and "Why did it last so long?" I'm not sure--maybe someone has the answer--but where were the "outliers?" Were they the people whose mitigated speech resulted in numerous plane crashes? Even though I thought it was drawn out for too long, I did find it minutely interesting. I think that it is true that Westerners are more direct and less ambiguous than Easterners. At Thiel College, a large number of the student population was made up of Asian students, who always seemed to mitigate their speaking habits, and they always seemed to take a subservient role, especially to native Westerners. In school, some of my students mitigate the things that they say; however, I would say that most of my students are rather clear with their demands and questions. Have any of you noticed any trends in students' speaking patterns? Lastly, after reading the plane section, I went to Youtube and listened to the black box recordings of a number of plane crashes; these crashes--for the most part--took place on international planes, but you could hear the mitigation in some of their conversations. Some of them also included English translations--the mitigation was obvious.
This blog has been created for the participants of the Oil City Senior High School/Middle School Professional Development Reading Groups so that they may freely share thoughts relevant to our group.
Mary, I have really enjoyed reading this book! I've recommended it to anyone who would listen! I feel like it's given me a new outlook on some of the ideas that you have to be rich or you have to be smart in order for huge amounts of success to come your way, when in fact, it may just be your drive and your circumstances. Very interesting indeed!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading "The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes," I asked myself, "Why was this section added," and "Why did it last so long?" I'm not sure--maybe someone has the answer--but where were the "outliers?" Were they the people whose mitigated speech resulted in numerous plane crashes? Even though I thought it was drawn out for too long, I did find it minutely interesting. I think that it is true that Westerners are more direct and less ambiguous than Easterners. At Thiel College, a large number of the student population was made up of Asian students, who always seemed to mitigate their speaking habits, and they always seemed to take a subservient role, especially to native Westerners.
ReplyDeleteIn school, some of my students mitigate the things that they say; however, I would say that most of my students are rather clear with their demands and questions. Have any of you noticed any trends in students' speaking patterns?
Lastly, after reading the plane section, I went to Youtube and listened to the black box recordings of a number of plane crashes; these crashes--for the most part--took place on international planes, but you could hear the mitigation in some of their conversations. Some of them also included English translations--the mitigation was obvious.