1. Chopsticks (筷子: 中國 日本)---There are many stories about chopsticks. In Japan, whatever any reason, you can’t stick chopsticks into the rice bowl and then leave away, because it’s an omen of unlucky and it makes Japanese associate as gravestones. By the way, using one end which you put into your month to pick up food into your bowl is though as a rude behavior, you should use the other end. In China and other countries, it’s impolite to point to other people with chopsticks.
2. Visiting Mosques (清真寺) ---All the people, whatever Muslim or not, need to take off shoes before walking into mosques. You travelers should obey Moslemic clothing style. Men should wear long pants and shirts, and women should cover all the revealed skin. For this rule, though different country has different restrict. The ladies should take the kerchief. If you don’t have, you can borrow one at the most mosque entrance.
3. Taking Flowers as a Gift 以花為禮---In Ukraine, if you plan to take flowers as a gift, be sure the flowers are odd number, because flowers in even number are used for funeral. If you plan to send flowers to the hostess, or to celebrate someone’s birthday or some special date, remember don’t take yellow flowers or Easter lily (used for funeral too)
4. Kiss 親吻---In Cheshire of UK, train passengers are not allowed to overstay, intimately talk or kiss at railway platform (月台). If you really have a lot of words to talk or want to kiss, you can move to kiss area.
5. Salt 鹽---Although Egyptians are very hospitable (好客的) , their cooking is light. When you travel to Egypt, don’t add salt in your bowl, because that would be regarded as an insult for chef. Fortunately, Egyptians always use garlic, onion and other spices, so Egyptian food are delicious.
6. Visiting Churches (教堂)---If you plan to Italian churches at warm weather, be sure not only take short pants or sleeveless clothing (not allowed, be sure to take proper clothing). There are guardsmen or believers checking visitors clothing at the gate, so make sure taking one long sleeves shirt or pullover (套頭衣).
7. V Gesture (手勢) Stands for Success----In British, when you making gestures like V, be sure not make your centre of the palm face to you, because this gesture is regarded as insult or provocation (挑釁). It is said that the gesture of V is derived from Anglo-French War. France threatened that they would cut off the fingers of British shooters. The result was that British won in the war, and then they made this gesture to show their fingers were intact without injury.
8. Insult (侮辱) the King---Thais regard their king Bhumibol Adulyadej as God and take his portrait as a talisman (護身符) to keep them lucky. So insulting or injury the King can lead to dire consequences or even be sent to jail about 15 years. ( 來想想動詞: “判決” 的英文要怎麼講? 判完了以後真正“被關/監禁”呢? )
9. Cheers (乾杯)---Hungarians don’t cheers when they toasted with others, because Austrians once killed 13 Hungarians and then cheers up for this. For the following 150 years, no one Hungarian cheers when they are toasting. Although the tragic (悲劇) passed a long time, this tradition is kept so far.
10. Eat up All the Food on the Plate吃完盤中食---In Cambodia, eating up all the food on the plate means the host doesn’t treat you well and don’t give you enough food.
Questions:
(1) In India, 你該把盤中食物吃完嗎?在柬埔寨呢?
(2) How do you say “乾杯” in English? How about 只是“舉杯祝酒”呢?
(3) “澳大利亞” “奧地利” 的英文是甚麼 respectively? Austr----- Austr---
(4) 你覺得在 UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand 作手掌向內的 V sign 表示甚麼呢?
(5) stab chopsticks in the rice remind Asian people of “燒香”, 那“燒香” 的英文怎麼講?
(6) 你學會了 “之後的”叫 f 那 “之前的” 怎麼講? P
(7) “悲劇”叫作 tragedy 那”喜劇”呢? c
(8) Some people like to paint “portraits”, while others like to paint “land ”
”
``````大家拭目以待囉 :-)))
Top World Taboos 《culture》世界著名禁忌《文化篇》 by AK LEE
