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fandomhigh2009-05-21 05:09 am
clevermsbennet.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2009-05-21 05:09 am
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Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #2 - Thursday, May 21st
Miss Bennet was followed into class by a small trail of tiny Canadian moose. They were adorable and wobbly, and Miss Bennet had to resist the urge to cuddle them. That would not be terribly proper, she reminded herself.
"Today," she said, "I ask that you pay no attention to the delightful moose that have graced us with their presence, unless of course you have food on your person that might be shared with them. In that case, I will ask your assistance in providing our guests with an early lunch. I fear I did not prepare for moose, today.
"Instead, we are to speak of taboos. All cultures have them. In any society, there are certain things one Does Not Discuss. Sometimes there are conditions; one might discuss that topic with a confidante, but not in mixed company. Or one might refer to such things at an evening out, but not while sitting in the pews the next morning at church. These unwritten rules can be confusing to those who have no prior knowledge of the culture, and transgressing them will carry a heavy price."
"So. How is one to avoid breaking rules, when one has not been informed of them?" Miss Bennet smiled generously at her students. "I did say this would be practical etiquette. Today, we will assume that somehow, you have been placed into a society very different from your own, and are hoping to make a good impression -- or at least, enough of a good impression that you are not ostracized, or worse. Where do we begin?
"A good starting point is to avoid those things which are generally improper in most societies -- the specifics of bodily functions, for one, or the particulars of one's romantic encounters. Another is to avoid saying something unpleasant about others. The elder of the tribe may seem a bit dim to you, but he is possibly a much-respected wise man, and making a joke at his expense will earn you scorn.
"An interesting complication to this point is that, again, such matters can be highly cirumstantial. Let us say that your new friend himself made an unkind comment about the tribe elder. This does not mean that you are free to return his comment with one of your own. Familiarity allows for a great many indulgences, ones that are not extended to strangers. You are a guest in this culture; you have not earned the right to treat its members with fond irreverence."
"What will help is to watch the culture's euphemisms. For example, if everyone wears long sleeves and refers awkwardly to their 'arm joints' in hushed voices, then perhaps there is some taboo in that culture surrounding the elbow, and it would be unwise to use the word 'elbow' freely, or to bare your own arms. If everyone refers obliquely to 'acquiring nourishment later,' and takes food back to their own individual rooms quite secretively, then perhaps you should refrain from having lunch where others can observe you. A great deal can be learned from what isn't said.
"Therefore, today's activities. First, I will share a number of euphemisms from my own culture, and each of you may guess what the phrasing refers to, and what the subject in question is. Once that is discovered, we can theorize on what it means that those particular topics inspire indirect language. After that, you will share some of your own euphemisms, and attempt to discern the meaning behind one another's phrases. If your culture does not have any handy euphemisms, you may invent some, so long as the phrasing is somewhat logical. Otherwise the exercise becomes entirely unfair."
One of the moose was investigating Miss Bennet's feet, and she couldn't help laughing. "After that, I will be taking my small guests to lunch, lest they eat my shoes. Shall we begin?"
Not just yet, it would seem; first, there was a knock at the door.
"Today," she said, "I ask that you pay no attention to the delightful moose that have graced us with their presence, unless of course you have food on your person that might be shared with them. In that case, I will ask your assistance in providing our guests with an early lunch. I fear I did not prepare for moose, today.
"Instead, we are to speak of taboos. All cultures have them. In any society, there are certain things one Does Not Discuss. Sometimes there are conditions; one might discuss that topic with a confidante, but not in mixed company. Or one might refer to such things at an evening out, but not while sitting in the pews the next morning at church. These unwritten rules can be confusing to those who have no prior knowledge of the culture, and transgressing them will carry a heavy price."
"So. How is one to avoid breaking rules, when one has not been informed of them?" Miss Bennet smiled generously at her students. "I did say this would be practical etiquette. Today, we will assume that somehow, you have been placed into a society very different from your own, and are hoping to make a good impression -- or at least, enough of a good impression that you are not ostracized, or worse. Where do we begin?
"A good starting point is to avoid those things which are generally improper in most societies -- the specifics of bodily functions, for one, or the particulars of one's romantic encounters. Another is to avoid saying something unpleasant about others. The elder of the tribe may seem a bit dim to you, but he is possibly a much-respected wise man, and making a joke at his expense will earn you scorn.
"An interesting complication to this point is that, again, such matters can be highly cirumstantial. Let us say that your new friend himself made an unkind comment about the tribe elder. This does not mean that you are free to return his comment with one of your own. Familiarity allows for a great many indulgences, ones that are not extended to strangers. You are a guest in this culture; you have not earned the right to treat its members with fond irreverence."
"What will help is to watch the culture's euphemisms. For example, if everyone wears long sleeves and refers awkwardly to their 'arm joints' in hushed voices, then perhaps there is some taboo in that culture surrounding the elbow, and it would be unwise to use the word 'elbow' freely, or to bare your own arms. If everyone refers obliquely to 'acquiring nourishment later,' and takes food back to their own individual rooms quite secretively, then perhaps you should refrain from having lunch where others can observe you. A great deal can be learned from what isn't said.
"Therefore, today's activities. First, I will share a number of euphemisms from my own culture, and each of you may guess what the phrasing refers to, and what the subject in question is. Once that is discovered, we can theorize on what it means that those particular topics inspire indirect language. After that, you will share some of your own euphemisms, and attempt to discern the meaning behind one another's phrases. If your culture does not have any handy euphemisms, you may invent some, so long as the phrasing is somewhat logical. Otherwise the exercise becomes entirely unfair."
One of the moose was investigating Miss Bennet's feet, and she couldn't help laughing. "After that, I will be taking my small guests to lunch, lest they eat my shoes. Shall we begin?"
Not just yet, it would seem; first, there was a knock at the door.
Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
But it was said with a modicum of fondness that surprised Rose as it came out.
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]
Re: Speak to Miss Bennet [ET-2]