PatasLocas
07-06-2002, 11:32:AM
This is from the NYT a few days ago... I thought it was funny.
________________________________________________
The two-page, three-fold pamphlet, titled "Welcome! England supporters," starts with an upbeat overture designed to pull at Japanese heartstrings.
The World Cup that will be held for the first time in Asia is close at hand. We expect many English soccer fans to come to Japan to watch the games in June. They have been anticipating this trip to Japan, saving up for months. We're sure that all of you will give them a warm welcome. To help ensure that these supporters leave with good memories of Japan, we'd like to offer some simple advice on how to treat them.
Japanese are then given a primer on English soccer fans and their behavior before, during and after games.
What is an English supporter? English supporters behave differently than Japanese fans. They tend to move in groups. Before kickoff, they gather in bars, parks and open spaces where they display English flags. They raise their expectations for the match, drinking beer and singing. They wear shirts of the England team to show their pride in their mother country.
All their interest during the game is focused on the match being played on the field. We could say that they feel 100 percent at one with the players on the field and their fellow fans.
Supporters are a little tired from the excitement of the game. Some analyze the game, celebrating a win or commiserating a loss over a final beer. After that, they just go back to their hotel to sleep. That's their pattern whether they win or lose.
But even armed with this anthropology, the embassy anticipates that a careening, beer-guzzling crowd — however benign — will be intimidating to many Japanese merchants.
Please understand that the majority of England supporters are quiet and friendly, and only want to enjoy the game. There are a small number of people who call themselves "soccer fans" and go to games to cause trouble. But real fans hate them.
Some supporters are very noisy. You might feel frightened by their big bodies and their large numbers. But please don't view them only as a threat. Be generous and try to understand and share their enthusiasm for soccer.
The pamphlet is then broken into two main categories, one with tips for communicating with British visitors and the other on cultural differences. Both offer hints to restaurant owners, taxi drivers and bellboys who might find themselves confronted by fans draped in the flag of St. George.
It will make quite a difference if you memorize a few English phrases such as "Welcome," "Can I help you?" and "England are a great team."
If you run a restaurant, a shop, a hotel or other services, please consider posting an English sign with information about your services. As the appearances of shops and restaurants are completely different from the ones in England, they may not know if you can supply services they need.
It will be useful if you put a menu and prices in English. To avoid misunderstandings, please ask some English native speakers or a local interpreter-guides association to check your translation.
Please have writing implements, paper and dictionaries on hand. When you come across someone with a strong accent, you can sometimes get by through writing things down.
Japanese restaurants attract crowds by offering all-you-can-drink or all-you-can-eat menus for fixed prices. Unfortunately, the Japanese phrase, "nomi hodai," which means "drink as much as you like," can be easily misinterpreted when translated from Japanese into English.
Please be careful how you translate "nomi hodai." It will be all right if you translate it as "as much as you can drink for . . . yen," but it is incorrect to say "Free Drinking." This means you are giving drinks away for free.
Please list a time limit on your all-you-can-drink service as well.
Fearing pitched battles between English and Argentine fans in Sapporo, where the two teams will meet June 7, the local government has urged residents to store items that might be used as projectiles or weapons, including scissors, razors and, well, bicycles. But fans will need to refuel at restaurants and not everyone will be accustomed to using local cutlery.
There are some people who will want to try using chopsticks when eating, but it will help others if you prepare knives, forks and spoons.
Japan and England have much in common: They are both island countries anchored off major continents, are run by parliamentary governments and have a love of literature and music. In many ways, though, the two cultures clash, particularly when it comes to consuming alcohol.
The British government and supporters' organizations are doing their best to help England fans cope with cultural differences. We must help them get used to Japanese customs as quickly as possible.
In British pubs, you pay for drinks when you buy them. Bar owners might like to think about adopting this system for the duration of the World Cup, or letting people know from time to time how much they have spent.
Even if your bar is full, that won't stop supporters trying to come in. They might buy alcohol to take outside and drink in the street or in parks, so it's a good idea to think about serving drinks in plastic cups. . . .
Fans of England's team, of course, are not altogether boorish . . .
British people might try to tip taxi drivers, waiters and hotel staff. To refuse politely, say: "You are very kind, but tipping is not necessary in Japan."
. . . They just might seem that way to the untrained eye.
England supporters are not used to the heat and humidity of the Japanese summer. So please be tolerant towards their behavior and clothing. . . . When British people throw away their rubbish, they don't separate it into different categories. It might be useful to put an English sign on each bin indicating what to put where.
________________________________________________
The two-page, three-fold pamphlet, titled "Welcome! England supporters," starts with an upbeat overture designed to pull at Japanese heartstrings.
The World Cup that will be held for the first time in Asia is close at hand. We expect many English soccer fans to come to Japan to watch the games in June. They have been anticipating this trip to Japan, saving up for months. We're sure that all of you will give them a warm welcome. To help ensure that these supporters leave with good memories of Japan, we'd like to offer some simple advice on how to treat them.
Japanese are then given a primer on English soccer fans and their behavior before, during and after games.
What is an English supporter? English supporters behave differently than Japanese fans. They tend to move in groups. Before kickoff, they gather in bars, parks and open spaces where they display English flags. They raise their expectations for the match, drinking beer and singing. They wear shirts of the England team to show their pride in their mother country.
All their interest during the game is focused on the match being played on the field. We could say that they feel 100 percent at one with the players on the field and their fellow fans.
Supporters are a little tired from the excitement of the game. Some analyze the game, celebrating a win or commiserating a loss over a final beer. After that, they just go back to their hotel to sleep. That's their pattern whether they win or lose.
But even armed with this anthropology, the embassy anticipates that a careening, beer-guzzling crowd — however benign — will be intimidating to many Japanese merchants.
Please understand that the majority of England supporters are quiet and friendly, and only want to enjoy the game. There are a small number of people who call themselves "soccer fans" and go to games to cause trouble. But real fans hate them.
Some supporters are very noisy. You might feel frightened by their big bodies and their large numbers. But please don't view them only as a threat. Be generous and try to understand and share their enthusiasm for soccer.
The pamphlet is then broken into two main categories, one with tips for communicating with British visitors and the other on cultural differences. Both offer hints to restaurant owners, taxi drivers and bellboys who might find themselves confronted by fans draped in the flag of St. George.
It will make quite a difference if you memorize a few English phrases such as "Welcome," "Can I help you?" and "England are a great team."
If you run a restaurant, a shop, a hotel or other services, please consider posting an English sign with information about your services. As the appearances of shops and restaurants are completely different from the ones in England, they may not know if you can supply services they need.
It will be useful if you put a menu and prices in English. To avoid misunderstandings, please ask some English native speakers or a local interpreter-guides association to check your translation.
Please have writing implements, paper and dictionaries on hand. When you come across someone with a strong accent, you can sometimes get by through writing things down.
Japanese restaurants attract crowds by offering all-you-can-drink or all-you-can-eat menus for fixed prices. Unfortunately, the Japanese phrase, "nomi hodai," which means "drink as much as you like," can be easily misinterpreted when translated from Japanese into English.
Please be careful how you translate "nomi hodai." It will be all right if you translate it as "as much as you can drink for . . . yen," but it is incorrect to say "Free Drinking." This means you are giving drinks away for free.
Please list a time limit on your all-you-can-drink service as well.
Fearing pitched battles between English and Argentine fans in Sapporo, where the two teams will meet June 7, the local government has urged residents to store items that might be used as projectiles or weapons, including scissors, razors and, well, bicycles. But fans will need to refuel at restaurants and not everyone will be accustomed to using local cutlery.
There are some people who will want to try using chopsticks when eating, but it will help others if you prepare knives, forks and spoons.
Japan and England have much in common: They are both island countries anchored off major continents, are run by parliamentary governments and have a love of literature and music. In many ways, though, the two cultures clash, particularly when it comes to consuming alcohol.
The British government and supporters' organizations are doing their best to help England fans cope with cultural differences. We must help them get used to Japanese customs as quickly as possible.
In British pubs, you pay for drinks when you buy them. Bar owners might like to think about adopting this system for the duration of the World Cup, or letting people know from time to time how much they have spent.
Even if your bar is full, that won't stop supporters trying to come in. They might buy alcohol to take outside and drink in the street or in parks, so it's a good idea to think about serving drinks in plastic cups. . . .
Fans of England's team, of course, are not altogether boorish . . .
British people might try to tip taxi drivers, waiters and hotel staff. To refuse politely, say: "You are very kind, but tipping is not necessary in Japan."
. . . They just might seem that way to the untrained eye.
England supporters are not used to the heat and humidity of the Japanese summer. So please be tolerant towards their behavior and clothing. . . . When British people throw away their rubbish, they don't separate it into different categories. It might be useful to put an English sign on each bin indicating what to put where.