221: Alexander Ho - Stereotypes - Opinionated Americans

Taiwan, (Raised in Hawaii)

A lot of Chinese feel that Americans open their mouths whenever it suits them. They say what they think without a moment’s hesitation. This is perhaps a cultural issue. You have to consider with whom you have come in contact. I feel that Americans of higher level will think before they speak. In Southeast Asia, Taiwan for example, a lot of people will just open their mouths and give you their opinion regardless of who you are. For instance, when I went to Taiwan and rode a taxi. I was sitting in the taxi for fifteen minutes and for the entire time the driver did not have one good thing to say. He kept talking the whole time about how the government was no good and how things ought to be done. He didn’t care who I was. He would just say what he thought without hesitation. I feel that this situation will slowly change. In China things are a bit different. There is a bit more political control in China. Still, in other places things may be like America in this way. Some places may even be more open (about such things) than America. Thank you.

很多中国人认为美国人、他们随便开口，嗯，他们的想法马上就讲出来。嗯，这个可能是、也是个文化问题。啊，美、这个是看是你是跟谁、有接触过。我觉得…比较哦、就说高级的美国人他们也会先想一想，才、才、才出口。我觉得在东南亚，比如说，在台湾，很多人都…不管你是谁，他们都开口给你他们、他们的想法。啊…比如说我去台湾的时候，坐过个计程车，计程车这个司机，十五分钟跟他坐车子，他没有、没有一句好话、说。他一直有、一直都在说，他们的政府怎么样不好，哦，应该是怎么样来做。哦，他没有管我是谁，他也哦、哦…他就马上就说，哦，他们的、他的想法。这个，我觉得情况也会慢慢在更改。哦，中国可能比他们比较不一样，因为这个是…政治、政治方面他们有一点控制。不过在别的地方呢，现在、可能跟、美国人，有些美国人一样，有些地方可能比美国还公开一点。谢谢。

很多中國人認爲美國人、他們隨便開口，嗯，他們的想法馬上就講出來。嗯，這個可能是、也是個文化問題。啊，美、這個是看是你是跟誰、有接觸過。我覺得…比較哦、就說高級的美國人他們也會先想一想，才、才、才出口。我覺得在東南亞，比如說，在臺灣，很多人都…不管你是誰，他們都開口給你他們、他們的想法。啊…比如說我去臺灣的時候，坐過個計程車，計程車這個司機，十五分鐘跟他坐車子，他沒有、沒有一句好話、說。他一直有、一直都在說，他們的政府怎麽樣不好，哦，應該是怎麽樣來做。哦，他沒有管我是誰，他也哦、哦…他就馬上就說，哦，他們的、他的想法。這個，我覺得情况也會慢慢在更改。哦，中國可能比他們比較不一樣，因爲這個是…政治、政治方面他們有一點控制。不過在別的地方呢，現在、可能跟、美國人，有些美國人一樣，有些地方可能比美國還公開一點。謝謝。

Hěnduō Zhōngguórén rènwéi Měiguórén, tāmen suíbiàn kāikǒu, n, tāmen de xiǎngfa mǎshàng jiù jiǎngchūlai. N, zhège kěnéng shì, yě shìge wénhuà wèntí. A, Měi, zhège shìkàn shìnǐ shì gēnshuí, yǒu jiēchùguo. Wǒ juéde bǐjiào e, jiùshuō gāojí de Měiguórén tāmen yěhuì xiān xiǎngyìxiǎng, cái, cái, cái chūkǒu. Wǒ juéde zài Dōng-Nán-Yà, bǐrúshuō, zài Táiwān, hěnduōrén dōu…bùguǎn nǐ shìshuí, tāmen dōu kāikǒu gěinǐ tāmen, tāmen de xiǎngfa. A, bǐrúshuō wǒ qù Táiwān deshíhou, zuòguoge jìchéngchē, jìchéngchē zhège sījī, shíwǔ fēnzhōng gēntā zuò chēzi, tā méiyǒu, méiyǒu yíjù hǎohuà, shuō. Tā yìzhí yǒu, yìzhí dōuzai shuō, tāmen de zhèngfǔ zěnmeyàng bùhǎo, e, yīnggāi shì zěnmeyàng láizuò. E, tā méiyǒu guǎn wǒ shì shuí, tāyě, e, e, tājiù mǎshang jiùshuō, e, tāmen de, tāde xiǎngfa. Zhège, wǒ juéde qíngkuàng yěhuì mànmān zài gēnggǎi. E, Zhōngguó kěnéng bǐ tāmen bǐjiào bù yíyàng, yīnwèi zhège shì…zhèngzhì, zhèngzhì fāngmiàn tāmen yǒu yìdiǎn kòngzhì. Bùguò zài biéde dìfāng ne, xiànzài, kěnéng gēn, Měiguórén, yǒuxiē Měiguórén yíyàng, yǒuxiē dìfang kěnéng bǐ Měiguó hái gōngkāi yìdiǎn. Xièxie.

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View original Cultural Interviews with Chinese-Speaking Professionals from University of Texas at Austin.