Apology to Ailish and others Trådens avsändare: Mats Wiman
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Mats Wiman 
Sverige
Local time: 09:14
Medlem (2000)
Tyska till Svenska
+ ...
In memoriam
In a heated discussion on Dec 22 I used the expression 'Mind your own business' ("My suggestion: Mind your own business and ....."). See: http://www.proz.com/topic/16839?start=0
For me at the time, it was really a translation of a Swedish fairly wise saying.
(Something like 'Manage your own affairs, not those of others').
Embarassingly, I yesterday learnt that 'Mind your own busi... See more In a heated discussion on Dec 22 I used the expression 'Mind your own business' ("My suggestion: Mind your own business and ....."). See: http://www.proz.com/topic/16839?start=0
For me at the time, it was really a translation of a Swedish fairly wise saying.
(Something like 'Manage your own affairs, not those of others').
Embarassingly, I yesterday learnt that 'Mind your own business' is regarded as very offensive by English natives, being more or less synonymous with 'Piss off'.
I most certainly did not want Ailish to do that and I want to apologize to her for appearing to say so.
Ailish has the same right as we all do to express opinion.
On that subject I am a firm believer in a statement being (wrongly, some say) attributed to Voltaire:
"I detest your view but I am prepared risk my life in order to defend your right to express it".
Best regards
Mats Wiman
[Edited at 2004-01-19 05:00] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Very nice gesture Mats Wiman | Jan 19, 2004 |
It really requires a lot of courage on your part to write what you have written as quoted below. I remember that thread as it was the first time I saw that a locked thread accommodated two further postings just to record the apologies.
As to what you intended to convey it could have been better expreseed: "The concerned answerers are capable of making their own decisions and it will be futile to tell them how to conduct themselves" or something similar to that effect.
As for Voltaire... See more It really requires a lot of courage on your part to write what you have written as quoted below. I remember that thread as it was the first time I saw that a locked thread accommodated two further postings just to record the apologies.
As to what you intended to convey it could have been better expreseed: "The concerned answerers are capable of making their own decisions and it will be futile to tell them how to conduct themselves" or something similar to that effect.
As for Voltaire's sentiments, I have seen it attributed to Socrates.
Regards,
N.Raghavan
Mats Wiman wrote:
In a heated discussion on Dec 22 I used the expression 'Mind your own business' ("My suggestion: Mind your own business and ....."). See: http://www.proz.com/topic/16839?start=0
For me at the time, it was really a translation of a Swedish fairly wise saying.
(Something like 'Manage your own affairs, not those of others').
Embarassingly, I yesterday learnt that 'Mind your own business' is regarded as very offensive by English natives, being more or less synonymous with 'Piss off'.
I most certainly did not want Ailish to do that and I want to apologize to her for appearing to say so.
Ailish has the same right as we all do to express opinion.
On that subject I am a firm believer in a statement being (wrongly, some say) attributed to Voltaire:
"I detest your view but I am prepared risk my life in order to defend your right to express it".
Best regards
Mats Wiman
[Edited at 2004-01-19 05:00]
[Edited at 2004-01-19 07:26] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | with all due respect | Jan 19, 2004 |
[Edited at 2004-01-19 07:08]
| | | | Roomy Naqvy
Indien
Local time: 12:44
Engelska till Hindi
+ ...
| Excellent gesture | Jan 19, 2004 |
Excellent gesture, Mats. In India, we say, as they say in the West, that repentance washes away everything in this world.
Smile and live, that's my mantra.
Roomy
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NancyLynn
Kanada
Local time: 03:14
Franska till Engelska
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MODERATOR | language differences | Jan 19, 2004 |
Hi Mats,
I know nothing of Swedish but the fact that your quote " I detest..." is in North AMerica known as "I don't agree with / support your views". See the difference? It's the same with "Mind your own business". I tend to think that Swedish is simply more forthright than English. Didn't I hear that in Japanese you can't say "O know that..." - it is rude? One must say "I believe..."
These cultural differences are not so apparent in our virtual world. We've seen these kinds of mis... See more Hi Mats,
I know nothing of Swedish but the fact that your quote " I detest..." is in North AMerica known as "I don't agree with / support your views". See the difference? It's the same with "Mind your own business". I tend to think that Swedish is simply more forthright than English. Didn't I hear that in Japanese you can't say "O know that..." - it is rude? One must say "I believe..."
These cultural differences are not so apparent in our virtual world. We've seen these kinds of misunderstandings before, and it will take some time for us 20th-century folks to adapt to the new reality. But we're getting there!
Your apology was very gracious, Mats,thanks for posting it here.
Nancy ▲ Collapse
| | | | RHELLER
USA
Local time: 01:14
Franska till Engelska
+ ...
| subtle connotations - but very real! | Jan 19, 2004 |
Mats, you have hit upon one of the reasons international communication is so challenging.
Words and phrases, even when translated, have subtle connotations that have more to do with culture and habit than with the words themselves.
Moreover, internet interaction denies us the additional cues of facial expressions, voice volume and modulation.
This should serve as a reminder not to jump to conclusions and to try to be as clear as possible.
| | | | Paul Roige (X)
Spanien
Local time: 09:14
Engelska till Spanska
+ ...
| Ah, yes, I know that problem... | Jan 19, 2004 |
Here's from a "rude" and rough expat Spaniard in the land of the very polite and long white cloud choosing my words oh so carefully when I dare tell the neighbour that my side of the fence is my property and I shall built a woodstack there if I want to... Sometimes I do say the wrong thing unawares, rats!
Great to have your Swedish accent around, Mats.
P
| | | | Lia Fail (X)
Spanien
Local time: 09:14
Spanska till Engelska
+ ...
| Thank you, apology accepted. | Jan 19, 2004 |
Mats Wiman wrote:
In a heated discussion on Dec 22 I used the expression 'Mind your own business' ("My suggestion: Mind your own business and ....."). See: http://www.proz.com/topic/16839?start=0
For me at the time, it was really a translation of a Swedish fairly wise saying.
(Something like 'Manage your own affairs, not those of others').
Embarassingly, I yesterday learnt that 'Mind your own business' is regarded as very offensive by English natives, being more or less synonymous with 'Piss off'.
I most certainly did not want Ailish to do that and I want to apologize to her for appearing to say so.
Ailish has the same right as we all do to express opinion.
On that subject I am a firm believer in a statement being (wrongly, some say) attributed to Voltaire:
"I detest your view but I am prepared risk my life in order to defend your right to express it".
Best regards
Mats Wiman
[Edited at 2004-01-19 05:00]
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