Jiahai Zhang Saying 'I Don't Know'

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riw46fb2p9E

Traditional Chinese

啊，在這個…跟美國人交談的時候，如果他們，嗯…不太知道事情的時候，他會很直截了當告訴你。嗯，美國人在談的時候呢，是…嗯,給你很多、這個信息。嗯，他們是對事不對人。所以呢，他有時候不會感…去考慮你的感覺怎麽樣，他只是把這個事實說出來給你聽。嗯…(雖然)，我們有時候不會理解的話，會覺得，哇！他們好不講人情。好像，或者是沒有種親切感。但是呢，他覺得，這時候呢，是給你的主要的事情就是，嗯，你需要的事實是什麽。哦，而不是說在交流感情這方面。嗯，我覺得這方面還是很好的。特別是在談到生意方面呢，就是生意歸生意，啊，感情歸感情，啊，大家分得很清楚。

Simplified Chinese

啊，在这个…跟美国人交谈的时候，如果他们，嗯…不太知道事情的时候，他会很直截了当告诉你。嗯，美国人在谈的时候呢，是…嗯,给你很多、这个信息。嗯，他们是对事不对人。所以呢，他有时候不会感…去考虑你的感觉怎么样，他只是把这个事实说出来给你听。嗯…(虽然)，我们有时候不会理解的话，会觉得，哇！他们好不讲人情。好像，或者是没有种亲切感。但是呢，他觉得，这时候呢，是给你的主要的事情就是，嗯，你需要的事实是什么。哦，而不是说在交流感情这方面。嗯，我觉得这方面还是很好的。特别是在谈到生意方面呢，就是生意归生意，啊，感情归感情，啊，大家分得很清楚。

Pinyin

A, zài zhège... gēn Měiguórén jiāotán de shíhou, rúguǒ tāmen, n…bútài zhīdao shìqing de shíhou, tā huì hěn zhíjiéliǎodàng gàosu nǐ. N, Měiguórén zài tán de shíhou ne, shì… n, gěinǐ hěnduō, zhège xìnxī. N, tāmen shì duìshì búduìrén. Suǒyǐ ne, tā yǒushíhòu bú huì gǎn. Qù kǎolǜ nǐde gǎnjué zěnmeyàng, tā zhǐshi bǎ zhège shìshí shuō chūlai gěinǐ tīng. n… (suīrán), wǒmen yǒushíhòu búhuì lǐjiě dehuà, huì juéde, wà ! tāmen hǎo bùjiǎng rénqíng. Hǎoxiàng, huòzhě shì méiyǒu zhǒng qīnqiègǎn. Dànshi ne, tā juéde, zhè shíhou ne, shì gěinǐde zhǔyào de shìqing jiùshì, n, nǐ xūyào de shìshí shì shénme. E, ér búshishuō zài jiāoliú gǎnqíng zhè fāngmiàn. N, wǒ juéde zhè fāngmiàn hái shì hěnhǎo de. Tèbiéshì zài tándao shēngyì fāngmiàn ne, jiùshi shēngyi guī shēngyi, a, gǎnqíng guī gǎnqíng, a, dàjiā fēn de hěn qīngchu.

English

When in discussions with Americans, if they are not too sure about something, they will be very direct and prompt in telling you so. When Americans are discussing, they will give you a lot of information and they deal with the issue not the person. So sometimes they don’t concern themselves with how you might be feeling. They just tell you what the issue is and that’s it. (Although) we (Chinese) do not always understand and think “wow, they don’t care a bit about human emotions”, or they do not have any cordial feeling. For them, they feel that the most important thing is to provide you with the reality (of the situation). They are not concerned with the emotional communication. I feel that this aspect is very good, especially when it comes to talking business. Business is business and feelings are feelings. Everyone has a very clear distinction.

Return to General Topic: Saying 'I Don't Know'

Return to Chinese Topic: Saying 'I Don't Know'

Authors: LouisPM, h.brinsko, orkelm.