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Language Etiquette：不要一聽人講話有腔調，就問他是哪國人
閱讀暖身
在國際大都會、跨國企業工作，常聽到多種語言交錯，會議討論或閒聊時，儘管英文是共通語言，同事仍可能隨時切換到母語。有人說你不懂的語言或帶有濃重腔調時，應如何反應、不冒犯人，也成了一門學問。
進入本文前，請先想想如何表達以下單字：
a) 敏感議題
b) 無可挑剔
c) 忍住
As if table manners were not enough, now come language manners. In the United States, where the right to speak a language other than English is a a) touchy subject, the new field of language etiquette has caught the b) impeccable eye of people.
國際間有餐桌禮儀，還有語言禮儀。在美國，不說英語的權利是敏感議題，如今新興的語言禮儀領域，已引起一絲不苟的人士留意
“Americans have not paid attention to the need to learn other languages as much as other people have,” said New York City etiquette consultant Janet Nixon. “And now we are paying the price. We are surrounded by people whom we do not understand and who do not understand us and, somehow, we all need to get along.”
「美國人不重視學習其他語言，我們正為此付出代價。現今我們必須與各式各樣的人相處，但我們不了解周遭的人，他們也不了解我們。」紐約的禮儀顧問Janet Nixon說。
Interest in language etiquette is on the rise in the U.S., especially among foreign business people. However, the etiquette issue brings up some of Americans' most deeply rooted anxieties about language. The chief one: that someone is saying something about them in a language they do not understand and that that it is not very nice.
在美國，越來越多人對語言禮儀感興趣，尤其是外籍商人。不過禮儀議題也帶出一些美國人對語言根深柢固的憂慮。其中最大的是：有人正用他們聽不懂的語言說三道四，這令他們忐忑不安。
So, how can we mind our p's and q's in terms of language etiquette? Experts' advice: Try to speak the language of the country you are in. Be tolerant of those who cannot speak your language. Do not ask people where they are from the moment you hear an accent. And most importantly, c) refrain from asking people with unusual names, ''What kind of a name is that?''
要如何維持語言禮儀？專家的建議是：入境隨俗，儘可能說當地的語言。對於不懂你語言的人，也要有包容心。不要一聽到人說話有腔調，就問他是哪一國人。最重要的是，當別人的名字很特殊就說「這種名字真奇怪！」
Common sense and good manners can help bridge the linguistic gap. Say two co-workers and you are in the office kitchen and they start chatting away in Japanese. They are laughing their heads off. And you smell a rat, believing they must be mocking your new haircut. You can always turn a deaf ear to them. If you can't, walk up to them, and say to them in a very nice way, “You know, you seem to be having such a good time with that joke. Would you please share it with me, so I can laugh, too?” That ought to put an end to it.
常識和風度可消除語言隔閡。舉例來說，你和兩名同事在辦公室茶水間，他們開始用日語聊起天來，而且笑到樂不可支。你覺得事有蹊蹺，猜想一定是在嘲笑你的新髮型。你當然可以置若罔聞。不過如果你辦不到，可走到他們身邊，平心靜氣表示：「你知道嗎？你們的笑話讓你們開心極了。分享一下吧，好讓我也能笑一笑？」事情就到此為止了。
口語詞彙:
1. Mind one's p's and q's 謹言慎行
在英文字母中，p和q的形狀很像，寫的時候要特別留意，以免混淆。本成語引申為「謹言慎行」。
Helen's parents are quite conservative, so you need to mind your p's and q's while you stay in their home.
海倫的父母相當保守，你住在他們家時，必須謹言慎行。
2. Smell a rat 覺得不對勁
rat是體形較大的老鼠，也可指「叛徒」或「卑鄙小人」。聞到有rat的氣味，當然是「覺得事情不對勁」。
When her husband started working late three or four times a week, Mary smelled a rat. 當她的先生開始每週3或4次延後下班時，瑪麗就覺得事有蹊蹺了。
參考來源：The New York Times