Create a culture of positivity

Are you a follower of trends, or do you create them? Do trends affect culture? If yes, how so? If no, why not?

Trends and culture have everything to do with one's mindset. Am I open to change, or do I just want to maintain the status quo? Am I adverse to change? Why is it we don't like people who "rock the boat"? If the change is for the better, why don't we want to change?

Unfortunately, the world around is changing rapidly. A company CEO in Singapore said this: "计划跟不上变化." (Planning cannot keep up with change.) Rapid changes are making us confused and insecure. What I learn today is irrelevant next month. I just can't keep up!

Am I creating a change in trend and culture? I can't control factors around me, but I can try to create an atmosphere of peace and calm. I can create a culture of clean living and positive talk. I can choose to be happy every day. I can choose to encourage others around me, regardless of how I feel myself. I will soon "infect" others to be like me. It's all about choice.

Is culture man made? I can't answer that question. But I can make my own culture for everyone to follow. Look at Psy. The world got "infected" by his horse-riding dance. So, I can create a positive culture too!

As we enter 2013, let's create a new trend: happy, positive, encouraging!

Fun Language Tools wishes you a blessed, happy and positive 2013!

2012 Word of the Year: Gangnam

2012 must be the year of the Korean.

Korean dramas have captivated the world for a few years now. I was in Honolulu, Hawaii, last October. My friends said everyone at his workplace talks about Korean dramas all the time. His wife's friend (who is of Korean descent) watches Korean dramas on her iPad to keep up her Korean. A young lady I met went online to teach herself the Korean language, just to watch dramas.

Then came Psy and Gangnam Style. The video got so many hits that "Gangnam" has now made it as one of the words of the year!

K Pop appeals to young people all over Asia, more than some of the American boy bands.

History has just been made in South Korea after the people elected their first female President. Times have changed. The world has changed.

I just wonder if traditional Korean culture will be eroded because modern Korean culture has overtaken the world. At any rate, the Korean language remains a strong tie between North and South Korea, plus a tie between the past and the present.

As the year comes to an end, what are your plans for the new year? Is one of them learning a new language? Make that a goal and get started today!

Learn a language, open a door to an adventure!

Fun Language Tools

Language of courtesy

"Mind your P's and Q's!"

Mother's words to every child in whatever language and culture you come from. Be polite. Say "please". Say "thank you". We all want to deal with polite people wherever we are in the world, even if we can't communicate in the same spoken language.

The writer of this forum letter was right to complain about rude service towards his elderly mother. There were no customers in the hair salon at the time. There were no seats other than barber chairs in the shop. Why can't she sit in the barber chair while waiting for her son? It's only a short while. Why does the haircutter tell her to sit in the stairwell outside?

Rightly so, the writer has taken his business elsewhere. He can't communicate in Mandarin with the staff in the new salon, but they treat him and his elderly mother with courtesy and concern. Granted, the two of them can't understand each other, but the message comes across loud and clear: the old lady is waiting for her son. She can sit comfortably in a nice chair in the shop while waiting. No matter if there are other customers. I would say this message speaks loud and clear to the other customers as well: the staff of this salon provide good customer service regardless of whether the person is a customer or not. This automatically translates into more business in the long run.

It is most helpful to speak the same language, but if you can't, just be polite and friendly. The language of courtesy knows no cultural or language barriers. Let's resolve to be courteous every day of our lives!

Here's to cross-cultural communication through the language of courtesy!

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Culture of giving

Singapore has been conducting the Singapore Cooperation Programme to train government officials from different countries for varying lengths of time. Giving back to society has become de rigeur corporate culture for many companies for years. Singapore is just being a good global citizen.

Somehow, the culture of giving back to society rings loud and clear in Singapore. People are more likely to support a company with a social cause/enterprise. Helping others in need always makes one feel good. Makes me feel good too.

What is your area of expertise? What can you contribute to others? It could be a neighbour's child who needs some extra help in schoolwork. Or helping a single mom with childcare so she can go to work and earn some money. Perhaps the new immigrant family a few doors away needs your help to get settled in. Build bridges across cultures today. Bringing over a hot meal of your favourite food is a good door opener.

In the spirit of Christmas, go bless somebody today!

Fun Language Tools

What's "polite clothing"?

New Year's Eve church service next week. Dress code for leaders:
Men: Smart casual, shirt with jacket, no tie needed
Women: Neat and polite clothing

Huh? What's "polite clothing"? I thought I knew all about the different dress codes, but this one was completely new and puzzling. I had to stop for a moment and think from the point of the writer. Problem? Translation.

Indonesian language: sopan (respectful, well-mannered, decorous, usually translated as polite in English)
Chinese language: 斯文 (refined, educated, cultured, intellectual, polite, gentle)
Khmer language:សុភាព (polite, ladylike)
Thai language: สุภาพ (polite, refined, cultured, ladylike)

I am sure that other languages probably have similar ways of describing appropriate clothing for an occasion. But, these are the only languages I know, so I can only comment thus far.

What tickled me most was seeing an ad in the local newspaper for Etiquette Clothiers. Ha! This is the meaning of "polite clothing"! The funny thing is that Etiquette Clothiers sells underwear and socks - inner wear, not outer wear! How is anyone going to see your "polite clothing"?

The long and short of it all is wear something appropriate for church and to usher in the New Year. Now, that's polite and respectful. If you want to avoid such puzzling (and sometimes hilarious!) instructions, learn a language well, whichever one you choose. Then you'll always be polite and respectful!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Fun Language Tools

End of the World = Try Wasabi Day

Today is 21 December 2012. The end of the world? The end of an era? Winter solstice? The one day in history when Jewish, Mayan and Chinese Lunar calendars meet?

As I write this, the sun is shining outside my window. The sky is clear blue, with some clouds stretched across. A very beautiful day indeed. No end of the world in sight.

Some Christian friends of mine made a joke of "doomsday". In Chinese, "the end of the world" is translated as 世界末日. Using the same tones and pronunciation but entirely different Chinese characters, they called today 试芥末日, which is translated into English as "Try Wasabi Day"!

I have to admit this is most creative! As someone who knows a few languages, I appreciate their humour. While many are wondering if the world is ending today, the rest of us should just go eat some sashimi or sushi with wasabi - in honour of "Try Wasabi Day"!

So, let's have some fun today. Play around with words in different languages. Learn a new language. Make the most of the sunshine while it is still day. The end of the world will come soon enough.

Happy learning a new language!

Fun Language Tools

Speak the language, open the door

Ms Jasmine Lee is ethnically Filipina. She married a Korean (who has since passed away) and is the 1st naturalised Korean citizen, and the 1st non-Korean to win a seat in Parliament. She is a history-maker.

Ms Lee has challenged the Koreans to think about who really is Korean. She is a Korean citizen. Her children are half Korean racially, Koreans in citizenship. With more and more non-Korean brides marrying into the country, what makes a Korean? Even K Pop stars are not necessarily Korean. Two of the members of the latest female K Pop group are Singaporean teens. They had to undergo the rigourous training to make the cut. They may fit the "look", but they're not Korean.

Does speaking Korean make you "Korean"? Probably not. But, you'll be more acceptable to the Koreans if you do. It's true in any culture. Silence rules when you have to speak in another language. When you can speak something of the foreign language, it gets noisy. People get friendly. Everyone wants to chat with you and tell you their life story. I love it!

Want to cross the cultural and language divide? Start by learning the language. Make the most of your time by working at it a little a day. You will get there! Start today! Click here!

Fun Language Tools