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L O W L A N D S - L - 27 May 2011 - Volume 01<br><a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:lowlands.list@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span>lowlands.list@gmail.com</span></a>
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<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font size="2"> </font></p><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2">From: </font><font size="2"><span class="gI"><span class="gD" style="color: rgb(91, 16, 148);"><a href="mailto:list@marcusbuck.org">list@marcusbuck.org</a></span></span></font><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2"><br>
Subject: </font><font size="2"><span class="gI">LL-L "Etiquette" 2011.05.26 (03) [EN]</span><br><span><br></span></font><div class="im"><font size="2">From: Sandy Fleming <a href="mailto:fleemin@live.co.uk" target="_blank">fleemin@live.co.uk</a><br>
<br></font>
</div><div class="im"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><font size="2">
I wonder if anybody would like to offer opinions on this?<br><br><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13545386" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13545386</a></font>
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If you agree with this, do you think Low Saxon speakers, Frisians, Dutch are</font>
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more like Germans or British?<br></font>
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I think the article is overstating it a bit. The Germans have a word for
"small talk". It's "Smalltalk". And they also have native words like
"Plausch" or "Plauderei". In the North the Low Saxon loan "Klönschnack"
is used too. And of course Germans talk about the weather in the
doctor's waiting room too. Or do they mean with complete strangers? If
that's what they mean they are maybe right. That happens but is not too
common for Germans.<br>
<br>
The bit about phrases like "could you do me a favour...?" seems to be
right. That's not too common for "small" favours like getting something
in the house. But for bigger favours like getting something from the
store it's not uncommon. Although it probably depends on personal style.
I wouldn't construct general statements about mentality from that.<br>
<br>
The pilot quote is a nice example of understatement, but I don't think that all British people would react like that ;-)<br>
<br>
I cannot tell whether Low Saxons are more like British or Germans. The
overall mentality probably is more like Germans. Although there is of
course no real common German mentality. Northern Germans/Low Saxons are
different from Rhinelanders, from Upper Saxons and from Southern
Germans. Personally I'd consider these four the main "poles" of
mentality in Germany (although of course finer-grained mentality
groupings are possible).<br>
<br>
And the British probably have diverse sub-mentalities too.<br>
<br>
Marcus Buck<br><br>----------<br></font><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2"><br>From: </font><font size="2"><span class="gI"><span class="gD" style="color: rgb(91, 16, 148);"><a href="mailto:list@marcusbuck.org">list@marcusbuck.org</a></span></span></font><font style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" size="2"><br>
Subject: </font><font size="2"><span class="gI">LL-L "Etiquette" 2011.05.26 (03) [EN]</span><br><span><br></span></font><div><font size="2">As is so often the case "British" is used when they are probably really mean English.</font></div>
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</font><div><font size="2">But the "politeness" of the English is a bit of a false perception
anyway. As former footballer and TV commentator Gary Linecker said, "I
love England, but we have a Yob Culture that you don't find anywhere
else".</font></div><font size="2">
</font><div><font size="2"> </font></div><font size="2">
</font><div><font size="2">That can be seen at all levels, regardless of wealth or status.</font></div><font size="2">
</font><div><font size="2"> </font></div><font size="2">
</font><div><font size="2">Paul</font></div><font size="2">
</font><div><font size="2">Derby</font></div><font size="2">
England.<br><br>----------<br><br></font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font size="2">From:
R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>></font></p><font size="2">
Subject:
Etiquette<br><br>I quite agree with Marcus (above), certainly as far as generalization is concerned. The findings as summarized in the article ignore regional and socioeconomic differences, let alone ethnic roots.<br><br>
Traditionally, differences were especially significant between urban and rural communities. Since Low Saxon survives more in rural communities, it would be difficult to tease apart differences between rural and Low Saxon conventions. I feel that the differences are diminishing, mainly because of the influences of the media and because of urban flight. I recall that in my early years the differences were far more pronounced and that I found rural North German especially taciturn and direct, irrespective of their language. The same can be said of Hamburg's "old blood" (the "Hanseats"). But so many people from other parts of Germany and from other countries settled there that generalization seems impossible. Every time I visit Hamburg it seems to me that it and its language has become "more German."<br>
<br>As Marcus says, small talk is known in Germany as well and is often used to feel each other out in the course of making each other's acquaintance. However, if someone asks you how you are, it is not considered a <i>faux pas</i> if you reply that you are not well.</font><font size="2"><br>
<br>
Personally, I feel that as far as directness is concerned, there are close links between Scotland and Australia.</font><br><font size="2"><span><br>Regards,<br>Reinhard/Ron<br><br></span></font><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center">
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