Respect eTwinning project: Learning about gestures and expressions that can be disrespectful in our countries and teaching it forward

INTRODUCTION

Someone once said “Courtesy is the shortest distance between two people”. That sounds easy to fulfil but when it comes to talk to people from different cultures, we might not be sure that what is respectful in one culture is respectful in another.

In this presentation, we share the conclusion of our discussions on the matter giving examples of words, expressions, saying or gestures that can be offensive in our countries.

SOŠ Blatná eTwinning team

AHOJ, KÁMO!

By addressing someoneAhoj, kámo! (someone

Hey, Buddy!) the person could react as they know

us, as we are good friends, and they could

be too intrusive.

MOJE ADRESA DOMŮ JE…

Moje adresa domů je… (My home address is…) You give your address

and he/she could find us, although we are not sure that we want to

meet him/her.

WAZZUP? CO JE?

Wazzup? Co je? (What’s up?) This sounds as if we are good freinds and it could be too

intrusive.

When you are visiting a house or flat, it is polite to remove your shoes. It is very impolite to wear your shoes inside the

house.

1st General Lyceum of Haidari

XΑΛΆΡΩΣΕ!!!!

Xαλάρωσε!!! “Relax” (an expression used ironically by you to someone who is

mad because of your inappropriate behaviour , somehow relevant to the

English expression “chillax”, a combination of

chill out and relax!)

ΔΕ ΞΈΡΕΙΣ ΤΙ ΣΟΥ ΓΊΝΕΤΑΙ!

Δε ξέρεις τι σου γίνεται! “ You don’t

know what is happening to you!” (when you doubt

someone’s contact with reality)

MOUTZA

Used to offend someone who

behaves in a foolish way, e.g. takes your

turn in a queue, forces you to speed

up in the traffic light

DOUBLE MOUTZA

for more effective results

ΣΙΓΆ ΤΟΝ ΠΟΛΥΈΛΑΙΟ Ή ΣΙΓΆ ΤΑ ΑΥΓΆ!

Σιγά τον πολυέλαιο ή σιγά τα αυγά! “Beware

of the chandelier or beware of the eggs!”

(when you are trying to devaluate something)

Gimnazjum im ks Wacława Rabczyńskego

TY ŚMIECIU !

ŚMIECI (‘rubbish’ ), If someone hears it, he /

she will be easily offended as it would

mean that that person is not needed and does not

mean anything to anybody.

TY DARMOZJADZIE !

This expression is often heard by

someone who is very lazy, does not do

anything, but relies on other people’s

work.

TY MARGINESIE SPOŁECZNY !

MARGINES SPOŁECZNY (‘dregs

of society’ or ‘underclass’). This

expression is humilating, because it means that a person is rejected by the rest of

the society

Do not keep your hands in your pockets if your are talking to a person.

It is rude.

Agrupamento de Escolas de Sátão

GRALHA

Gralha (a rook- a noisy bird). It is said when you want someone to stop talking or to say that a person is noisy

or a chatterbox.

DON’T SPEAK SPANISH…

Most Portuguese people can understand Spanish

well, but it is very impolite to assume Portuguese is some Spanish dialect. If

you want to speak Spanish, ask first if people speak it, or else people might get

offended.

ESTOU NA BICHA…

Estou na bicha (I am queuing). If you want to

refer to a queue of people avoid the word

‘bicha’ which is a derogatory term used to

offensively refer to homosexuals. Use the

word ‘fila’ instead.

MAIS OU MENOS…

When you meet someone who asks you ‘ how are you?´, you shouldn’t reply that you are fine. You keep it in

the middle ‘mais ou menos’ . Expressing wellness must be

kept to yourself to avoid offending the other who

might not be so well.

Bom dia, como está? Mais ou menos

A gesture used by rockers is used to offend implying the

person is sleeping with his/her

wife or husband.

Respect eTwinning project: Learning about gestures and expressions that can be disrespectful in our countries and teaching it forward