Telecollab+-+Rita

International Student: Write a brief paragraph introducing yourself. Then pose a question about your keypals, i.e. What do you like to do for fun? Why are you taking this class? etc. etc. Then briefly comment on an aspect of American Culture that was puzzling or interesting to you when you first came to the U.S. Include a question about it if you like.

Hello! My name is Xiao-Qian Chen,and I go by Rita. I am from a tropical island called Taiwan, and I speak Mandarin Chinese. I am working for Chinese Flagship Center as a graduate student instructor,and I enjoy teaching Chinese! I also like to watch movies and learning new things. What do you like to do and why do you want to learn Chinese?

In my opinions, I think American Culture is more direct and open, and this is very different than Chinese Culture. We are more indirect and conservative,but I think I would like to learn more about your culture! I have a question about American sarcasm. How do you know if people are being sarcastic or being serious?

American Student: Write a brief paragraph introducing yourself. Then pose a question about your keypals, i.e. What do you like to do for fun? Why are you taking this class? etc. etc. Then briefly respond to your conversation partners comments about American culture. You can also ask a question if you like.

Hello!

My name is Joshua. I work as a graduate instructor of Spanish at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I am married and have two beautiful daughters. I love reading and learning about other cultures which is why I want to learn Chinese.

What kind of things do you like to do in your spare time? What are some typical activities that people do for fun in Taiwan?

As far as sarcasm goes, it is very hard to tell. In fact, my wife uses sarcasm a lot, and I don't know that she's being sarcastic. Sometimes, too, she'll be serious, but I'll think she's being sarcastic. I think it is one of the hardest things to understand.

Thanks!!

Dear Xiao-Qian,

Hi!

My name is Paul Sebastian. When I have free time (which hasn't been a lot lately) I like to watch movies and just hang out with my family. I also enjoy computer games. I am taking this class because it is a requirement for my program but also because I'm fascinated by the role of technology in language learning.

In response to your question about American sarcasm- I understand the difficulty in understanding this particular form of humor. I think it might help to think of American sarcasm as having multiple degrees or levels. Some sarcasm would lean more towards just simply an exaggerated response, for example;

"I LOVE eating yucky food, MMMmm it is so awesome!" -Exaggerated sarcasm.

There is also a type of sarcasm that I would call the poker face sarcasm. This type of sarcasm is when someone says something a little off from an expected response and does so as if it were perfectly acceptable. For example;

Student: "How long is the test?" Professor: "It is 25 minutes and 43 seconds long, give or take a few seconds."

In this exchange the professor's response of how long the test is isn't exaggerated but it is unexpected and usually delivered with a straight face.

Hopefully these two examples as well as knowing that there different degrees of sarcasm within the American society.