Summary of How do You Say…
Miscommunication is a fact of life in today’s global society sometimes the results are embarrassing, and sometimes they are serious.
“How Do You Say…” is about an American who learned some Japanese. Afterwards, the writer went to Japan. One day, the writer needed flour to make some bread, so he went to a store. The writer didn’t know how to say flour in Japanese. At this time the writer met his student, and asked the student to translate “flour” to the Japanese. The translation was “hana”. After the writer spoke to a clerk, the clerk brought the writer to find the yellow chrysanthemums. This made the writer puzzled. Suddenly, the writer knew the Japanese are hard to discriminate the words “flower” and “flour”. In the end, the writer didn’t buy anything and he went back home.
This reminds me of a story from my own life. That was the first day I went to school in the United States. At that time I didn’t know any English to live in the new environment. I couldn’t understand anything from other people who spoke English. I only took the school schedule with me. When I reached the school the first person I met was a teacher. Her skin was bronze-colored. I remember the first words she said “are you a new student?” I answered “yes!” After that, whatever she said, my answer was always “yes”. Then she realized I didn’t know English. I never met this kind of problem in my life. After that, she found a girl to help me translate. We waited together for a Chinese teacher to come see us. Then the girl went back to her class. I was very grateful for her help.
As we can see, miscommunication is common these days. It is often happens with new immigrant. I think this will continue to be an important issue in the future.
“How Do You Say…” is about an American who learned some Japanese. Afterwards, the writer went to Japan. One day, the writer needed flour to make some bread, so he went to a store. The writer didn’t know how to say flour in Japanese. At this time the writer met his student, and asked the student to translate “flour” to the Japanese. The translation was “hana”. After the writer spoke to a clerk, the clerk brought the writer to find the yellow chrysanthemums. This made the writer puzzled. Suddenly, the writer knew the Japanese are hard to discriminate the words “flower” and “flour”. In the end, the writer didn’t buy anything and he went back home.
This reminds me of a story from my own life. That was the first day I went to school in the United States. At that time I didn’t know any English to live in the new environment. I couldn’t understand anything from other people who spoke English. I only took the school schedule with me. When I reached the school the first person I met was a teacher. Her skin was bronze-colored. I remember the first words she said “are you a new student?” I answered “yes!” After that, whatever she said, my answer was always “yes”. Then she realized I didn’t know English. I never met this kind of problem in my life. After that, she found a girl to help me translate. We waited together for a Chinese teacher to come see us. Then the girl went back to her class. I was very grateful for her help.
As we can see, miscommunication is common these days. It is often happens with new immigrant. I think this will continue to be an important issue in the future.