Theme : Saying sorry - Across culture
Teacher : Ian Caddy
Date : Mon, 210719, 18:30 EJR
There's a famous song which features the lyrics, 'Sorry seems to be the hardest word'. But is it the actual word that is hard or is it how the apology is given? Is our apology more likely to be accepted based on the words we use. or how sincerely we express ourselves?
1) '미안하다는 말이 가장 어려운 말 같다'라는 가사를 담은 유명한 노래가 있다. 그런데 어렵다는 것은 미안하다는 그 말 자체일까? 아니면 사과의 방식일까? 우리가 사용하는 단어에 따라 사과가 더 잘 받아들여질까 아니면 얼마나 진실되게 우리 스스로를 표현하는게 더 잘 받아들여질까?
In many cultures, an apology is basically seen as recognising fault or blame for an event, with an individual accepting responsibility. In more simple terms, we apologise if something bad happens to someone because of something we did. In accepting responsibility, we then have to consider two factors in how we give our apology. First, we consider our intention. Did we mean to cause the other person harm, incovenience or discomfort? Was the action an accident? Was it necessary? Second, we have to assess the effect our actions had on others. How much inconvenience, harm or discomfort did we cause others?
2) 우리는 우리의 행동이 다른 이들에게 미친 영향을 평가해야한다. 얼마나 불편함, 해를 다른 이들에게 끼쳤는가?
The words we use to express an apology will also depend on our relationship to the other person and situation we are in. Besides saying 'I'm sorry', we can also say, 'I apologise','forgive me' and 'I regret such and such.' For most situations, the word 'sorry' is enough, but in more formal situations, particularly in written communication, we might prefer to use 'apologise' or 'regret'. Take, for example, an apology from a company about a late response to an email. In this situation, the expression 'I apologise for the delay' would be more usual. However, it would be strange for a student to walk into a classroom and say, 'I apologise for being late.'
We can also change the strength of our apology by using adverbs such as 'really', 'terribly', 'deeply' etc. Again this will depend on the situation. You have to be careful though, as misuse or overuse of these words will result in you coming across as insincere, sarcastic or just rude.
come across as …이라는 인상을 주다(=appear).
3) 이러한 단어들의 오남용은 당신이 진실되지 못하고 비꼬거나 그저 무례하다는 인상을 줄 것이다.
Sometimes, simply saying sorry is not enough and adding extra information to the apology is necessary. This might include giving a reason, taking responsibility, offering to make up for the situation or promising a change. In cultures which focus more on the group or collective, individuals are less likely to be seen as responsible for events. In these cultures, an apology, while recognising harm, inconvenience or discomfort, does not establish blame or necessarily include an acceptance of responsibility. An apology then is more about an expression of sympathy and recognition of the effect on the other party.
According to Mike Tanaka, a cross-cultural specialist who works with international companies with multicultural workforces, apologies and how they are delivered can be a source of confusion and conflict. Mr Tanaka points to the frustrations around expectations as to whether an apology is offered with an explanation or not as a particular issue. He gives an example of a report being delivered late. In this instance, some employees will often give detailed explanations or reasons as to why it is late, which from the viewpoint of other members is seen as just giving excuses. On the other hand, if somebody simply say sorry repeatedly with no detailed explanation, some employees will see this as insincere, as it seems there is no acceptance of responsibility. Mr Tanaka says, 'While these issues may seem unimportant in individual cases, if we don't help employees develop an understanding of each other's culture and viewpoints, they can lead to an unhappy workforce where people from different cultures see others as being insincere and uncaring.'
Pre-Intermediate에서 Intermediate으로 바뀐 첫 수업이었다. 처음 수업에 참여하자마자 같이 참여하는 학생들의 스피킹 실력이 많이 높다는 생각에 살짝 긴장도 했고, 수업자체도 오랜만에 지문이 저렇게 긴 내용을 읽으면서 하는 수업이라 따라가기가 조금 힘들긴 했다. 특히 Ian Caddy 티쳐의 발음이 영국식 발음이 강해서 좀 더 힘들지 않았나 싶다.
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