Comments on: After the rain

By: julielindahl

julielindahl — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 09:42:47 +0000

Hello All,

When I write my blog entries they are from the heart and very spontaneous. Not designed to stir up comments at all. However, if they do hit upon something important like this, I am pleased. I think this could be one of the most important issues we need to sort out today. Multiculturalism is a fact of our societies today and we must find ways to enjoy it rather than be afraid or become tongue-tied. We are all different and we all express ourselves differently. Why not recognize it?

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By: Marianne fd Stockholm

Marianne fd Stockholm — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:04:40 +0000

Julie,

I agree with you, what a big deal. I laugh at my husband trying to speak Swedish, and I often do not make sense in English myself after many years in the US.
Yet in Swedish I still sound like I came from Sodermalm.
Gave your books to my sister-in-law i Colorado. She loved them.
Kepp on writing!

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By: Erik NorCal

Erik NorCal — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:02:41 +0000

Hi All,
I have to admit that I winced a little when I read Julie’s attempt to put Chinese English pronunciation into print figuring it would stir up comments on political correctness racial stereotypes etc. I’d like to point out the the great American author Mark Twain used this same device to give the reader a sense of connectivity to time place and to those who were being written about. His book “Tom Sawyer” is a good example. I work at a University in California where political correctness and cultural sensitivity is rampant.
I’m all for multi-culturalism and cultural sensitivity but I also want to be able to have fun in life’s experiences. I strongly reject the political correctness police as another group of facists whose goal is to make everything bland and boring. Be respectful and sensitive to people and their cultures but if you see something funny don’t be afraid to laugh…it’s okay. Life is too short to worry about the small stuff. “Life is like totally awesome dude but you got to to live it to the max fur sure” Now I gotta go check out the temperature of the brie and chardonnay before I climb into my hot tub. How’s that for California stereotypes?

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By: janerowena

janerowena — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 07:32:07 +0000

Good Lord! I am only too aware of how us brits are seen abroad, and I think it’s hilarious! Maybe English isn’t Dan’s first language? Or he has had a humour lobotomy? The japanese, too, are always taking thousands of photos. So much so that I have frequently wondered if they actually ever see the building that they are standing before, or if the first glimpse they have of it is when they get home and look at their photos.

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By: julielindahl

julielindahl — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:56:38 +0000

Mavis, Thanks for your comment, but I wouldn’t want my thoughts to be interpreted in that way. I think we all sound a bit strange to one another, particularly when we speak languages that are not our mother tongue. I am quite sure I sound very funny speaking Swedish. I have in fact been imitated by Swedes who think I sound funny on a few occasions. Then the business of tourist groups and how they behave – well, I find that to be fairly universal. The thing that is unique to the Chinese, however, is the number of photographs they take. I’ll likely raise this issue again in an upcoming blog.

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By: Mavis - USA

Mavis - USA — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 08:37:39 +0000

I agree with Julie. I think it’s really funny hearing Chinese trying to speak English. It seems like they’re retarded. I think they travel in such large numbers they also remind me of a hoard of animals. When I see them get off their buses looking like penguins in bad clothes, yakking away and taking pictures of every stupid thing possible it always makes me laugh.

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By: julielindahl

julielindahl — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:36:54 +0000

It seems as though we have hit upon an important issue here, everyone. Glad for all your comments, although Dan may wish to elaborate on what he means by his comments about Nazis and dogs. I don’t see the relevance.

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By: Monica-USA :o)

Monica-USA :o) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 19:47:57 +0000

I don’t understand what the big fuss is about here that is what they sound like when they are speaking English, they have difficulties in saying some of the letter sounds. It is no different than if I were in Sweden trying to speak Swedish and I didn’t pronounce or enunciate something correctly in Swedish then I would expect someone to laugh or even giggle at me it is natural.

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By: Penny

Penny — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 12:37:42 +0000

Kate must be one of the 10% of Australians who support Pauline Hanson. Making fun of people on the basis of race is shameful.

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By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 03:43:57 +0000

Hi Julie, love your article especially the description of Chinese tourists. Thats exactly how they are here in Australia and again the same in New Zealand when I lived there. I can only imagine if we were to tour their great country we too would be described as a gaggle of tourists taking hundreds of photographs to the bewilderment of the locals. Thank you for writing such an interesting and entertaining article.

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