XII Международный конкурс научно-исследовательских и творческих работ учащихся
Старт в науке
Любимая тема для разговора англичан и русских
Автор работы награжден дипломом победителя III степени
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Each nationality has its own traditions and customs of behavior. And for many, they seem a little strange and stupid. They may seem ridiculous. Today we will talk about the favorite topics of the british and russians, as well as those topics that do not need to be touched during conversations.
The most favorite topic of conversation for the british is the weather. In addition, they talk about it when they want to fill in the pauses in conversations. And if the weather theme is exhausted, the englishman becomes almost unarmed.
The english follow the rule of privacy. This means that you do not need to stick your nose in the wrong business. You are not concerned with everything from the name of a stranger to any information about him. Unlike the americans, the british do not give their name when they meet. this americosis at the first meeting can shout to you: "hello, i'm john!". It is extremely rare for an englishman to introduce you to someone and vice versa, but he will do it quickly.
How can I talk to an Englishman?The British people are quite conservative, somewhat closed, unlike the same Americans, adherents of politeness and decency, observance of etiquette. What can you talk about with them, so that you can easily maintain a conversation, but at the same time not look rude and not turn on a dangerous topic?
If you want to get to know the British and engage in conversation, it's best to introduce yourself first. This is the beginning of the conversation. If you haven't met before, tell me your name and say a few words about yourself. If you have already met, remind me where and under what circumstances. You can even use the fact that you are learning English as a topic, for sure the English interlocutors will be pleased. People always like it when foreigners learn their language.
Good afternoon! We always have lunch at this pub but we’ve never talked before. Let me introduce myself. My name is Ann.
Hi, how are you doin’? My name is Peter. I study English but not for a long time. So could you correct me if I make any mistakes please.
Hi John. Maybe you don’t remember me… We met at Sara’s birthday party last month. I’m Rachel.
If you think you can avoid the torture of small talk, then I have some bad news. You can't get away with it. But there are some good ones. Even if you have no idea how to start this light chatter about nothing, you can prepare universal topics or questions in advance. The main thing is to start with an exchange of meaningless remarks, and then, you see, the conversation will turn into a more serious conversation.
The same goes for correspondence, by the way. To jump straight to the point is a gross violation of etiquette. Yes, we are all business people and live in a truly frenzied rhythm, but the laws of politeness have not been canceled. Before you go directly to the point, ask how your interlocutor is doing, write a couple of lines about the past weekend, ask how he spent it (or plans to spend it). In the end, talking about the weather is always our universal lifesaver, if there are no other topics.
I wonder did you watch the Oscar ceremony last week? Bohemian Rhapsody won 4 prizes. Have you seen the movie?
The weather is really crazy this summer. It was so hot yesterday and cold today. I don’t know what to put on these days.
That football game last night really was stunning. I couldn’t believe we won the Cup at last! /
If you do not know what to talk about, you can simply ask the interlocutor how his day went or about plans for the evening.
So, how was your day?
What are your plans for after hours?
Are you going to entertain yourself after work?
You can tell us about your day and how you are doing. But at the same time, try to maintain a balance of questions and answers, so that you speak about equally. Don't get hung up and talk about yourself all the time. This is impolite and usually irritates the other person.
Even if the interlocutor admits that the day was not very good, you can always cheer him up, comfort him, give him some good advice. Just try not to go too deep into the personal, it is better to do with neutral words of support.
Hi there. It looks like you had a hard day. Let’s go and have a cup of coffee. We both need a break.
Hi. You won’t believe, we had barbeque on Sunday, and it rained all the day long. I wonder, if your weekend was any better?
The hours are almost over! Do you have great plans for the evening?
Common interests and themes
My brother talked about you yesterday. I wasn’t aware you knew him. Where did you meet?
Topics such as weather, news, entertainment, and sports tend to interest everyone in one way or another, especially if you are talking to a group of interlocutors. Even if one person is not interested in the topic, it can be readily picked up by another.
It's great if you can find some common interests. In this case, the conversation usually goes like clockwork. Especially if you're both really passionate people. Such people always have something to talk about.
In reality, English speakers rarely use the word "hobby". So do not ask the question: - What is your favorite activity? This will sound a bit unnatural. Instead, try asking questions based on personal observations.
I’ve noticed your T-shirt has Arsenal logo. Are you a football fan too?
I tried baking the apple pie like yours last evening and it came out really terrible. I wonder how do you make it so good?
The topics of sports and common interests can be developed endlessly. As well as discussing your favorite pets, flowers, garden and vegetable garden, or, say, books and movies. The main thing is to try to avoid topics that you risk discussing, or at least discuss them in the most neutral tone.
And try to enrich your vocabulary, as well as remember the rules of grammar, then it will always be easy to maintain a conversation on any topic.
2.How to avoid sensitive topics, so that the conversation is not unpleasant for the Englishman?
“Every culture is different in terms of what is taboo and what is acceptable. One can see that as restriction or as consideration for a fellow person living within a shared environment.”
~ Ng Chin Han
Forbidden topics may well provoke a conflict situation. Travelers or businessmen should prepare for such conversations in advance, so as not to fall into the mud and feel as comfortable as possible.
The British are very fond and appreciate the history of their country, so disapproving statements about it can spoil the mood of your interlocutor and create a real conflict.Have you heard that Prince Harry and his wife are waiting for their first child? I admire Queen Elizabeth II.
If you still could not resist and spoke negatively about the royal family or the history of Great Britain, which hurt the feelings of your interlocutor, immediately apologize.
Sincere remorse, although it will not melt the resentment in the heart of your interlocutor, but the probability that the communication will continue is there.
For the residents of our country, questions about material goods are the norm. We calmly discuss salaries, buying a new car or housing, but even so, requests for a loan during the conversation lead us to a dead end. And it's not even a matter of personal stinginess or distrust of the interlocutor, just such requests create tension in the conversation and awkwardness.
The British situation is absolutely similar, they do not like to be asked for a loan, so you should not even start talking about a loan - this is done by banks and shops selling on credit , but not by friends.
I have no money. Do you know someone I could borrow from?
Could you lend me some money before my paycheck/until next week?
If you still could not resist and spoke negatively about the royal family or the history of Great Britain, which hurt the feelings of your interlocutor, immediately apologize.
Sincere remorse, although it will not melt the resentment in the heart of your interlocutor, but the probability that the communication will continue is there.
For the residents of our country, questions about material goods are the norm. We calmly discuss salaries, buying a new car or housing, but even so, requests for a loan during the conversation lead us to a dead end. And it's not even a matter of personal stinginess or distrust of the interlocutorr, just such requests create tension in the conversation and awkwardness.
The British situation is absolutely similar, they do not like to be asked for a loan, so you should not even start talking about a loan - this is done by banks .
Are you married?
Do you have a partner?
It is tactless to ask about finances even when applying for a job. It is not cultured to ask about the price of a dress, or the cost of a vacation ticket, or the income of a family or the purchase of a new house. It is quite another matter if your conversation is so inviting that the Englishman himself will tell you about his achievements.
Be interested in your interlocutor, give him the opportunity to feel comfortable next to you.
What are your hobbies?
I like this sport, and you?
Another, no less interesting topic is the topic of travel.Travel and stories about distant (and not very) countries are always interesting. Tell us about your trip or just ask the other person if he likes to travel and where he has already visited and an interesting conversation is provided for you.
Do you often travel?
Have you been to the seaside this year?
3. How are things in Russia?
Things are different in Russia. Here, it will not be considered indecent if a person starts a conversation while standing in a queue at the checkout, in a store, or even on public transport. In our country, you can talk to almost anyone and on any topic you want. You can start a conversation about a topic or event that recently occurred in the city (in the country). For men, it can be a football match or a car model. Girls are more close to the topic of leisure, family, work. The study showed that talking about music brings people closer together faster, and also reveals the identity of the interlocutor.
Have you been to concerts? Which ones did you visit?
If you talk to a girl, you can find out about her preferences. After all, if a person went to a concert of an artist, it means that he likes the musician very much and is interesting.
What movies do you like to watch? Which books have you read several times?
All people eat, so it will be interesting to talk about food preferences, and maybe even learn about some new and delicious product. If you are talking to your interlocutor for the first time, then this topic is suitable. It is interesting.
Talk about a place you've recently visited. Did you like the place? Why?
Share jokes and use emoticons to make communication enjoyable. You can ask general or clarifying questions.
1. I just finished ...(doing something). What do you do?
2. What's in your refrigerator right now?
3. What's your favorite color?
4. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
5. Where were you born?
4. Why we are so similar and at the same time different.
Restraint and politeness are among the main features of the English style of communication. The English, in our eyes, are even sometimes excessively polite. They very often say "Thank you", "Please" and "I'm sorry". They don't talk loudly in the street. They don't jostle in buses to get a seat, they buy tickets with a place in the queue at bus stops. The people of England do not shake hands when they meet each other, they do not show their emotions even in tragic situations.In the English sense, the Russians are not very polite and more emotional, but they are good-natured and very hospitable.The British use the handshake much less often than the Russians. The handshake can be used for introductions, first meetings, and goodbyes, but in other cases it is less popular than in Russian culture. There is an opinion that Englishmen can shake hands when they meet each other, and then never shake hands with this person again in their lives.
By and large, no matter how much you compare the English and Russians, there will still be too many differences, ranging from language features to mentality.
Conclusion.
Restraint is the main feature of all Englishmen, there are topics that it is better not to touch at all when talking to the English. The Russians can tell their opponents to their face what they think. They are known as the most open and hospitable people. Before you meet and have a conversation with an Englishman, you need to prepare for the conversation. The Englishman must do the same. It is difficult to have a conversation without knowing something about the history and mentality of both peoples.
6.The list of used sources and literature.
1. Каминская Л.И. Как говорить и вести себя в Англии.
2. Маргарита Михайловна Филиппова. «Деловой английский язык»
3. Шахлай В.С., 2011 Английский речевой этикет.
4.Александров А. 'Полный англо-русский словарь' 1905г. ( Переиздан под редакцией Лысенкова Ю.А. Издательство АСТ, 2007г)