News from JMS
Welcome to our blog, where we plan to feature news, views and translation clues. Things like: did you know that English cats say ‘meow’, German moggies ‘miau’, French felines ‘miaou’, and Spanish Siamese ‘miau’. Pause for thought…
Ps and Qs of Chinese meetings
Meetings in China can be a bit of an etiquette minefield. You will have to mind your Ps and Qs. Here are some pointers that can help defuse matters. Taking it from the top, don’t arrive late. Punctuality is important and being late is considered rude. Meetings can go on for several hours so be prepared for the long haul. Patience is required since negotiations can involve both days and delays – don’t expect an immediate order. You will find that the most senior person enters the room first and will consider the first member of your team to enter to be of similar rank. Placement is important: the host sits to the left of the most important guest. It is very important to show respect to those in senior positions and the most senior ranking people should sit opposite each other. Politeness is vital. Don’t sit down until all the introductions have been made. Preparation is key. If you have a presentation, make sure it is pitch perfect and in both English and Mandarin. Be precise. Keep sentences short and to the point (this makes it easier for your interpreter) and stick to your prepared agenda. The hosts will decide when the meeting is over and you are expected to leave the room first, thanking them before parting ways with no further discussions or chitchat. Next we come face-to-face with face…
More on doing business in China: being bright at giving gifts
The exchange of gifts is important in business meetings in China so it is not advisable to arrive empty-handed when trying to impress potential partners. However, there are a few things you should know. The Chinese usually refuse a gift (or invitation or favour) two or three times when it is first offered in order to avoid appearing greedy. They are unlikely, having finally accepted your offering, to open it in front of you. So don’t be offended on either score. Popular gifts include wine (6 bottles would represent both good luck in terms of number and a high investment on your part!), good quality tea, stamps, T-shirts and coins. They should be wrapped in red (for luck) or pink and yellow (for prosperity and happiness) but not in colours associated with death: black and white. Clocks represent the end of life as the word for clock sounds like the word for funeral, so giving or receiving one could signal the end of your relationship! Umbrellas and fans represent separation or divorce and must go on the no-go list. Present your offering with both hands as a sign of politeness and if you only have something for the most senior person, wait until you’re alone to offer it. Try to take small gifts for the whole group as it is rude not to present a present to everyone present. Getting it right is a gift…
Editing can be fun
We were delighted to be asked by Orion to edit a great new book by Myleene Klass, full of ideas on how to entertain kids in fun, educational and easy ways. It’s really edutaining, packed with fab ideas and photos and perfect for keeping the children busy and happy during the summer hols. I tried the rainbow cake recently at a party and it went down a treat with children and adults.
A Klass Act
Doing business in China: the meeting and greeting
With news of difficulties between an American boss and his staff in China, it’s important to look at required etiquette for those wanting to do business with the Chinese. Let’s start with how to behave at a first meeting. The accepted greeting is a nod and slight bow, or, with Westerners, a handshake, which may not be as firm as they are used to. Any other physical contact on a first encounter should be avoided. No kissing, patting, bear hugs or high fives! It is important to be respectful and formal. Formality is a sign of respect. Don’t use first names unless you have been invited to do so and try to use the person’s title if they have one, such as Director Li or President Wang. Don’t get too friendly too soon!
Raining tennis? Yes and no
It’s Wimbledon and it isn’t raining! Here’s how to write tennis in Chinese – it is made up of the characters for ‘net’ and ‘ball’:
网球
Wǎngqiú
Weather or not in Great Britain
How tweet life is
The word ‘tweet’ has entered the Oxford English Dictionary as a verb and a noun. In its bird call context it dates back to 1851 but 2013 sees its official recognition as a social networking activity. Over 400 million tweets are tweeted on Twitter per day. It’s like a global town square, a giant Aviary of Babel.
Missing kissing word found on French shores!
The French have come up with their own word for ‘French kiss.’ Galocher is the new verb. It’s not official but much used in French slang I gather.
Pwned: a spelling error?
I thought ‘pwned’ was a spelling mistake for a long time (until yesterday, actually). It has its origins in a misspelling of the word ‘owned’ in a gaming context and means controlled or defeated. It can be pronounced ‘owned’ or ‘poned’. So the word of the week is a literal, literally.