dhsimmonds
New member
I guess that like most photographers I am interested in people. Their body language, facial expressions etc.
It has often occurred to me when reading internet forum postings and sometimes the way in which they are interpreted by a reader in another country; just how dangerous written words can be without seeing the person speaking, or in our case, writing.
I was reminded by this very recently, whilst reading a thread on this very forum, when a Brit was publicly reprimanded for a comment made in reply to a posting.
The comment which I won't repeat, did not in my view as a Brit, warrant the reaction it received (or "it had gotten" which is equally offensive to my ears!).
I well remember when a large British company for which I was working at the time when in my early twenties, was taken over by a U.S. company. One of my first personal contacts with my new bosses was a meeting with a highly intelligent middle aged and very loud New Yorker who didn't mince his words!
I quickly learned that his expression of "sitting on my fanny" did not indicate that he thought that I was gay! As a Brit, that very American expression had very different connotations. However I didn't take any offence whatsoever because I could see his smiling face and I then knew that he was using a colloquialism. It would have been very different if I had read the words without seeing the face and body language of the guy making them!
He came from a very different culture to myself. I ended up enjoying his company and his colourful language!
Between the US and UK, we share so many things, but really we do speak a slightly different language....different enough to cause unintentional offence sometimes. Bill Gates may change this over time, but it will take a lot of time in my view.
So both sides sometimes need to reflect and consider before pressing the "submit" button between different cultures whilst on the internet.
It has often occurred to me when reading internet forum postings and sometimes the way in which they are interpreted by a reader in another country; just how dangerous written words can be without seeing the person speaking, or in our case, writing.
I was reminded by this very recently, whilst reading a thread on this very forum, when a Brit was publicly reprimanded for a comment made in reply to a posting.
The comment which I won't repeat, did not in my view as a Brit, warrant the reaction it received (or "it had gotten" which is equally offensive to my ears!).
I well remember when a large British company for which I was working at the time when in my early twenties, was taken over by a U.S. company. One of my first personal contacts with my new bosses was a meeting with a highly intelligent middle aged and very loud New Yorker who didn't mince his words!
I quickly learned that his expression of "sitting on my fanny" did not indicate that he thought that I was gay! As a Brit, that very American expression had very different connotations. However I didn't take any offence whatsoever because I could see his smiling face and I then knew that he was using a colloquialism. It would have been very different if I had read the words without seeing the face and body language of the guy making them!
He came from a very different culture to myself. I ended up enjoying his company and his colourful language!
Between the US and UK, we share so many things, but really we do speak a slightly different language....different enough to cause unintentional offence sometimes. Bill Gates may change this over time, but it will take a lot of time in my view.
So both sides sometimes need to reflect and consider before pressing the "submit" button between different cultures whilst on the internet.