Taiwan - etiquette

[phaleesy]

This is what trips up people. When in France, a bit of French is appreciated.

When in China, depending on the situation, the best is Queen's English.

Or you could end up like this family: who tried what you're proposing....

.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ugh-china.html


I'm Chinese, proud of it, but when necessary, my 普通话, 广东话 and my smattering of other dialects all get hidden in a very very deep subfolder in my mind.

I agree. I'm also Chinese but my spoken Mandarin elicits only laughter from my own family without fail. Years ago, when the Chinese speak Mandarin to me, I would immediately respond "dui bu qi, wo bu hui jiang hua yu" , to which they would laugh and continue to speak Mandarin, as if I had made an (poor) attempt at a joke. So yes, just do your best to look as if you just heard Martian for the first time, eventhough you may understand them and then respond in perfect English (sometimes an American accent helps).

I think we are talking about different Chinas.

To my knowledge, Hong Kong and Taiwan are okay.

You might need to start speaking in English to get things done in mainland China? I don't know the PRC. I avoid the place and have never gone back since I was 20 and have no intentions to do so in the near future. Though I understand from Jhm that cursing and swearing at the mainlanders in English is very effective when they try to cut queue or push you around in China!

I go to France very frequently. I don't even try to speak a word of French because I'm afraid people would laugh at me. I just can't twist my tongue round to pronounce the words, though I can read very elementary French. Anyway, no spoken French. Just English in France and Paris. Everyone is still helpful. I don't even need to open my mouth to ask for help. Just standing on the street with a map and looking confused would often get offers of help from people.

[phaleesy]

Survived in Taiwan and not a word of English was used. Was never ignored and got perfect polite friendly warm treatment everywhere. The Taiwanese are so nice, helpful and welcoming!!!

I chattered to taxi drivers, bus drivers, waitresses, waiters, aunties, uncles, shopkeepers, people at temples, people on the streets, homestay owners, photographers, hairdresser, beautician, massage lady, food store owners, hotel staff... basically everyone I met.

I was told my hokkien was crap (不标准）. Neither was my mom's but my uncle's was all right but that's because he had stayed and worked in Taiwan for three years years ago.

The hairdresser I spoke to was surprised that I (I told her I'm a Singaporean though technically I'm not now) could speak mandarin. She says the Singaporeans she meets in the ximending salon can't speak mandarin. She says it is extremely frustrating trying to communicate their intentions for a haircut if there's a language barrier. To be honest, I'm surprised that the Singaporeans she met can't speak mandarin. Older folks of my mom's generation only had the opportunity to go to either English mission schools or Chinese schools, so she was never taught mandarin. I know current Malaysians are also in the same situation - Malay/English or Chinese, so obviously some can't speak Chinese at all. But the younger generation of Singaporeans should be all bilingual. How bizarre!

Shop owners are all very nice. Received lots of freebies in addition to our purchases. I think the Taiwanese are quite good with 'gifts', just like the Japanese. We got gifts from the homestay owner too. Tainan jie jie photographer gave me her black card because I did not have one. Got lifts from a photographer back to the homestay every evening while I was in alishan. I think Taiwan is just like Japan -honest polite warm helpful people. Only difference is I can speak the language here and communicate and connect to people more.

I heard 帅哥美女 while out and about. One of the chaps at the night market asked me if I thought his boss was a 帅哥. Haha!

Oh! They can't stand the mainlanders too. Everyone I met had something to say about this. Apparently there's a quota of 8000 mainland tourists in Taiwan in a single day? The person who told me this said if there was no quota, Taiwan would be overrun with the mainlanders! I can indeed see that. Can't wait to go back.

[CarbonMan]

This is what trips up people. When in France, a bit of French is appreciated.

When in China, depending on the situation, the best is Queen's English.

Or you could end up like this family: who tried what you're proposing....

.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ugh-china.html


I'm Chinese, proud of it, but when necessary, my 普通话, 广东话 and my smattering of other dialects all get hidden in a very very deep subfolder in my mind.

I agree. I'm also Chinese but my spoken Mandarin elicits only laughter from my own family without fail. Years ago, when the Chinese speak Mandarin to me, I would immediately respond "dui bu qi, wo bu hui jiang hua yu" , to which they would laugh and continue to speak Mandarin, as if I had made an (poor) attempt at a joke. So yes, just do your best to look as if you just heard Martian for the first time, eventhough you may understand them and then respond in perfect English (sometimes an American accent helps).

[SQflyergirl]

It would be weird speaking English to a fellow Chinese when I can speak the language myself.

This is what trips up people. When in France, a bit of French is appreciated.

When in China, depending on the situation, the best is Queen's English.

Or you could end up like this family: who tried what you're proposing....

.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...ugh-china.html


I'm Chinese, proud of it, but when necessary, my 普通话, 广东话 and my smattering of other dialects all get hidden in a very very deep subfolder in my mind.

[phaleesy]

Thank you all for the very interesting replies. I'm glad I started the thread or I'd be conducting some social faux by calling the kids 小妹妹 and 小弟弟.

I've been reading a fair bit of Chinese over the last couple of weeks on Expedia and Airbnb. 阿姨， 叔叔，老板，老板娘， 阿婆，阿公，老爷 （that was from a movie when an previous employee addressed his old master respectfully when they met up again）， I think something like 刘姐姐 is acceptable too. Read that in a review. But not sure if 刘妹妹 works too?

I'm fairly sure 小姐 and 先生is acceptable too. Not sure why 小姐 is not acceptable in mainland China. But since I have no immediate urge or desire to go to mainland China, I'd leave that question for now.

帅哥 and 美女must be a Hong Kong cantonse thing. I shall refrain from using that.

I'd go with speaking mandarin and 台语 unless I'm stuck for words. It would be weird speaking English to a fellow Chinese when I can speak the language myself. I have not had any problems with the Taiwanese through Phone and email communications so far. I've also noticed that when an email is written in Chinese, it comes across as warmer compared to an email written in English. There are little words and exclamations here and there which cannot be communicated in the same manner through an English sentence. The 热情is just some what lacking.

[HUGE AL]

I am a SBC, that never got me ignored...

Further proving my point.

I can feel your pain even after all these years. She must have been very beautiful!

I think I've typed up at least three responses to all these Taiwan questions…and then deleted them -- refraining from ripping on that (another deletion just happened) horrible country…


And the subject of this thread couldn't BE more of an oxymoron.

[kapitan]

If you're ABC in Taiwan, this will get you even more ignored.

I am a SBC, that never got me ignored...

[jhm]

If you're ABC in Taiwan, this will get you even more ignored.

I can feel your pain even after all these years. She must have been very beautiful!

[HUGE AL]

...I found the most effective method of communications in Taiwan and Hongkong is to pretend I don't understand and speak much Chinese, whether its Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien...

If you're ABC in Taiwan, this will get you even more ignored.

[SQflyergirl]

but seriously, I found the most effective method of communications in Taiwan and Hongkong is to pretend I don't understand and speak much Chinese, whether its Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien...

Honestly, this is true.

In hotel, on CI, on CX or BR .. my hokkien disappears. My cantonese forgotten. My Mandarin ceases to exist. And my english accent suddenly becomes more posh.

In side street or night market no choice.... cause their speaking the england is not so goodful like mine.

[kapitan]

well.... if I am in Taiwan ... you can always address me as 帅 哥 ... I won't mind...

but seriously, I found the most effective method of communications in Taiwan and Hongkong is to pretend I don't understand and speak much Chinese, whether its Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien...

[SQflyergirl]

I'd check about those.

I remember once in Yunnan a taxi driver asked whether I wanted a 小妹妹 (I said no!).

And in Cantonese (at least), 小弟弟 is slang for willy...

Kids in cantonese is 小朋友 ... but you knew that

[jhm]

How do I call the kids? 小妹妹 and 小弟弟？

I'd check about those.

I remember once in Yunnan a taxi driver asked whether I wanted a 小妹妹 (I said no!).

And in Cantonese (at least), 小弟弟 is slang for willy...

[259850]

I'm ethnically non-Chinese, but I spend lots of time in China/HK/Taiwan.

I hear most of the terms you listed, except maybe laugonggong and laupopo. Nainai and yeye are more common. Depending on where you are, you can also use Taiwanese/Hokkien terms like ah-ma. If in doubt, watch a few Taiwanese news broadcasts; they tend to have lots of human-interest stories. English competency among urban young is actually pretty good!

It's a whole different world in China. E.g. xiaojie is a completely non-acceptable term to address young ladies, as I found out rather painfully in restaurants. You typically address people by their job title, e.g. fuwuyuan.

Have fun in Taiwan; it's fairly easy to get around (even for someone like me who doesn't read any Chinese). For me, Taipei is the most fun of the culturally Chinese cities but do go explore some of the smaller towns!

[9V-JKL]

Do you speak Hokkien? It helps a lot as that's very similar to 台语