Advice and Information for the World Traveller on Many Destinations

Archive for September, 2008

When it come to cultural taboos, whilst abroad the last thing you want to do is offend someone without having any intention of doing so, either with body language, by something you say or a gesture of the hand. So here’s a general list of what some countries see as taboo and you may not have known.

•    The thumbs up sign may mean everything ok or good to us but in Gambia and Iran it’s a rude gesture.

•    In Argentina slapping the inside of you thigh is obscene

•    The American OK sign in many countries including means screw you and is an insult Spain, Denmark, Brazil and Argentina to name a few.

•    Whiles in Argentina and Romania if you don’t want to suggest that you wife is cheating on you don’t use the rock symbol, by extending you little finger and index finger while bending the ring and middle fingers, avoid at all costs unless you single.

•    Clenching your fist and poking your thumb between your middle and index finger, like you would when you say “I got you nose” to a child, is seen as an offensive gesture in a number of countries such as Bolivia, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Africa and Germany.

•    In Algeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Malawi homosexuality is illegal and punishments including imprisonment, but in Jamaica and Lebanon even speaking about it could result in treats, beatings or worse.

•    While in Bosnia exercise you good manners by not raising the first three fingers, as it’s a sign of victory within Serbian areas, also when ordering three of something avoid using the thumb, index, and middle finger as this is a Serbian nationalism gesture. Avoid when in Bosniac and Croat areas.

•    While in Brazil making a fist and slapping the top of it with your other hand is seen as “I screwed up,” “I got screwed” or screw you.

•    Most Middle Eastern countries and some African countries see the left hand as the hand that deals with the bodies waste so avoid shaking hands, giving money and eating with it.

•    In Colombia to state the size of something use your hands at arm’s length like you would when saying “I caught a fish this big” as using your fingers to state length is an obscene gesture.

•    When demonstrating the height of something in Ecuador as well as Mexico use your hand on the side with the thumb pointing up as palm face down is reserved for animals.

•    In India ears are considered sacred and if touched represents sincerity or repentance, so pulling, flicking or boxing of someone’s ears is seen as a serious insult.

•    In Kenya if a foreigner is seen to be wearing reviling or damaged clothes this would lose them respect among Kenyans, so avoid wearing you designer ripped jeans.

•    Finally, in Uzbekistan it seen as bad to fill a tea cup over half full as it suggests that you want your guests to leave.

This is just a hand full of things that cultures see as taboo, if in doubt about what to do just observe the basics of good manners don’t reveal too much flesh, avoid subjects such as politics and religion and you should be fine.

When visiting a country such as India which is so diverse in culture and customs, it’s always best to try research a little into a culture before travelling as it can sometimes be a veritable mine field. Try to make sure you have a grasp on what is seen as offensive, and to check if anything you may say or do in your culture doesn’t have connotations other than what you intend.
Here’s a few things that maybe you didn’t know about Indian culture;
Showing the soles of you feet or shoes is seen as offensive, keep your feet on the ground while sitting and if by chance you foot touches someone, apologise.

While greeting someone only shake hands if the hand is offered especially if it’s a woman, never offer you hand to a woman. It is common practice and widely accepted to place your own hands together as if praying and bow slightly to greet one another.
While chatting to someone it is deemed impolite to make continuous eye contact, just break contact ever now and again, and also refrain from standing with your hands in your pockets or on your hips.
It is common for Indians to converse with total strangers and even ask quit personal questions as it’s seen as quite acceptable conversation, but refrain from starting conversation with women walking on their own as has romantic insinuation as well as winking and whistling.
Be careful not to use the word “NO” as it’s seen as a harsh negative and as is portrayed as impolite and argumentative, most Indians will go out of their way not to say no. Try to use “maybe”, “possibly”, “could be” or “I will try” so not to seem antagonistic.

Microsoft have released this nifty little bot for Windows Live Messenger which is also available at windowslivetranslator.com and also as an accelerator in Internet Explorer 8 beta 2.
You start by adding mtbot@hotmail.com to you contact list from there you can set up the bot to translate as you wish by entering “Tbot?” which brings up a list of available options to choose from.
Currently Tbot can translate between English and the following languages:

Arabic
Chinese Simplified
Chinese Traditional
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Spanish

Russian (RUS->ENU only)
Chinese Simplified <-> Chinese Traditional

Once set up you can use Tbot in two different ways, either just have a one-on-one conversation with Tbot and it will reply with the translation in your selected language. It’s best to keep the sentence structure clear and simple not using slang. You can also invite Tbot to your conversation to translate your contacts replies.
Over the following months Microsoft plan on adding additional languages but apparently the English to Chinese Simplified & Chinese Traditional is a little sketchy at the moment, but maybe this will be sorted out in future updates.