{"id":21931,"date":"2025-10-17T17:59:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T17:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/auerbach-intl.com\/?p=21931"},"modified":"2025-10-29T21:42:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:42:42","slug":"taboos-and-talking-how-not-to-communicate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/auerbach-intl.com\/staging\/taboos-and-talking-how-not-to-communicate\/","title":{"rendered":"Taboos and Talking: How NOT to Communicate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Communication is often more than words. It can also involve gestures,\u00a0silence or cultural taboos\u2014especially important when interacting with ethnic groups or people abroad. For example:<\/p>\n

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  1. In Thailand and Muslim countries, pointing the soles of your shoes or feet at another person is extremely offensive. That means not to sit cross-legged. Since you don\u2019t know who may be Thai or Muslim, it\u2019s best not to cross your legs at all.<\/li>\n
  2. Pointing with your index finger is offensive in many cultures. Rather than remembering which ones, it\u2019s best not to do it at all. If you must point, keep your fingers together and point with your whole hand.<\/li>\n
  3. Americans value independence, individualism and initiative. But these \u201cpositive\u201d words when translated into languages of Asia carry very negative connotations because there, conformity to the Group is more highly prized.<\/li>\n
  4. The Chinese often have long periods of silence while they decide how to respond whereas Americans, who are uncomfortable with silence, are very quick with their answers and opinions \u2026 even If these make no sense.<\/li>\n
  5. In English, people are proud to \u201ccreate\u201d something. But among strict Muslims, only God can create. Translations into Arabic therefore should use other words such as \u201cdesign\u201d or \u201cmake.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These cultural issues are\u00a0not\u00a0<\/strong>ones that AI normally detects. That\u2019s why the language and\u00a0global-marketing\u00a0<\/a><\/span>experts at\u00a0Auerbach International<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>will alert you if your text contains offensive words or implications.<\/p>\n

    BLOOPERS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Of course, when one does use words, sentences and signs should be accurate \u2013 unlike these:<\/p>\n