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Eight "don't-asks" and other things to keep in mind when chatting with foreigners and handicapped athletes

00002.jpgWe've all seen our fair share of rules and regulations compiled for the upcoming Olympics, but Peaceful Rise translates a novel set of prescriptions for Chinese citizens' interaction with Westerners during the Games, found on a new series of posters in Beijing. "Eight Don't-Asks" when chatting with foreign guests, one poster advises:

Don’t ask about income or expenses, don’t ask about age, don’t ask about love life or marriage, don’t ask about health, don’t ask about someone’s home or address, don’t ask about personal experience, don’t ask about religious beliefs or political views, don’t ask what someone does.
In addition, some general rules for etiquette with handicapped athletes:
1. You should use polite and standard forms of address for handicapped athletes.
2. Try to keep as light as you can with handicapped overtones.
3. Pay attention to how you congratulate handicapped athletes.

Pay attention to avoiding taboo subjects, quit using bad platitudes, and do not use insulting or discriminatory contemptuous or derogatory terms to address the disabled. Say things such as, “You are amazing,” or “You are really great.” When chatting with the visually impaired, do not say things like “It’s up ahead,” or “It’s over there.” When chatting with athletes who are paraplectic in their upper body, do not say things like “It’s behind you.”

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Comments [rss]

  • ncrystalj

    So Chinese citizens need to stop being Chinese, and start acting like ignorant tourists. Why not ask all Beijing residents to drop their Chinese names and pick up English names. Perhaps, the next poster will be don't speak Chinese. English only.

  • winterfalling

    i am back guys.

  • EL JEFE

    Are there also eight "don't tell's?

  • shopgirl

    By puhlease

    Is this initiative aimed at children or adults?



    LOL

  • littlepoem

    I want one of these posters!! I think my Aiyi needs to read it. Perhaps then she can stop asking me how much everything is.

  • WatchBagDVD

    I'd add:

    It's over there!

  • EL JEFE

    Eastman:

    You are amazing!

    You are really great!

  • WatchBagDVD

    I think they're cracking down on DVD, so I think only watch bag are safe. For now...

  • yu888

    "Is this initiative aimed at children or adults?" If one needs to ask, one has not been here long enough.

    At least they are making an effort to educate the masses that what is common sense here is not common somewhere else. Actually thats something that expats and foreign visitors often also ned to realise...there really is no such thing as "common sense" as it is based on life's experiences and everyone is different, especialy cross cultural "everyones". ;)

  • RUSHOUR1

    To EL JEFE

    I've never taken your ED as handicapped, lol!

  • dedlam

    Don't look back or you will turn into a pillar of salt

  • puhlease

    Is this initiative aimed at children or adults?

  • EL JEFE

    I guess the only things you can you ask are about watch bag DVD and the weather.

    Eastman, can you finally stop using bad platitudes to all us handicapped by our foreign blood?

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