Perhaps.
In fact, it’s was very interesting when I was perusing Blognation’s Mind the Gap, and practicaly laughed out loud when I saw this littie bit:
“Not so in China. Farmers, workers, and even rich businessmen have adopted the universally-accepted practise of perforating other people’s eardrums by shouting way too loud down the phone. You’ll hear folks yelling wei? wei? wei? (Chinese for Hello?) until Kingdom Come, and even then, the shouting won’t end.”
Maybe it’s a Chinese thing. Maybe not. What’s strange is that I made this realization on a trip back home earlier this year. People always wondered why I spoke to my parents at a decibel level that was a lot higher and I always thought they were nuts. Not so true. Having not been home in a while, I was trying to maintain a conversation with mom, and made the realization that it indeed was louder. Why? Because the television was going on full blast and no one wanted to turn it down. Instead, it was a besting of loudness to see whom could shout it out at the end of the day.
Funny how that is. I didn’t realize it and I’d be curious as to if other Asians have the same sort of deal going on or if it’s just confined to the Chinese. Maybe it’s not all Chinese, although that observation by David Feng hit it right on the spot.
Anyone else have the “crank it up” syndrome?
(Photo credit: matsuoamon)
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Victor Trac wrote:
My wife (non-asian) has always claimed that I yell when I’m speaking with my family in Vietnamese, so it’s likely not just a Chinese language thing.
Posted on 07-Nov-07 at 2:02 pm | Permalink
potato wrote:
My parents speak incredibly loud, especially with the TV on. My siblings and I have long been setting the volume down to a reasonable “13,” but when some reality show comes on, up to 30 it goes! When their friends call and the answering machine picks it up, the next two minutes are “WEI?” “WEI?” “WEI?!!”
I just hope I don’t go deaf sooner for it.
Posted on 07-Nov-07 at 4:44 pm | Permalink
Lynn wrote:
Don’t know about other asian cultures, but it’s definitely not just you.
Posted on 08-Nov-07 at 10:03 am | Permalink
Akrypti wrote:
Education has a lot to do with it. The more educated the individual, the more composed their mannerisms and thus the less likely they are to scream at great decibels at people. It’s not limited within Asian societies. It’s all societies in general. Class is the bigger factor here.
Posted on 08-Nov-07 at 11:17 am | Permalink
darkmoon wrote:
Hah. I don’t agree with that at all. Considering dad has 2 graduate degrees, mom is college grad… mom used to teach middle school or something and dad taught college.
I think it’s something about screaming at each other.
I knew “1″ friend that had a really quiet family (asian). Everyone else? Loud. Loud. Loud.
Posted on 08-Nov-07 at 11:51 am | Permalink
Guppy wrote:
My Japanese side of the family is very quiet. Even when people are pissed, they’re quiet.
My Taiwanese side of the family is basically loud as hell, and they’re all doctors and professors.
Of course, it could just be that long-distance phone quality is really crappy and they’re trying to make themselves heard…
Posted on 08-Nov-07 at 12:13 pm | Permalink
deedog wrote:
WHAT I can’t hear you.
Posted on 08-Nov-07 at 6:38 pm | Permalink
As someone who just witnessed my father’s side of the family try to talk to each other on cellphones this Thanksgiving, let me just say OH MY GOD CHINESE PEOPLE DO TALK HELLA LOUD ON THE TELEPHONE. You would have thought they were communicating with two tin cans and a piece of string 50 miles long.
Posted on 26-Nov-07 at 2:43 am | Permalink