Apr 4, 2002
Random etiquette tip
When dealing with a person of a different ethnicity or race, try and refrain from speaking in the person’s native language and/or style of speaking — thereby demonstrating just how different you are from the person.
Example:
Typically when I’m out walking my dog, I’ll sometimes encounter black folk, who are usually always gracious, but try and jam in every Korean phrase they know in their conversation.
Another example:
When I’m at the Korean supermarket and I overhear the Korean clerks punctuating their orders to their Mexican counterparts with “amigo” over and over again.
I just think it’s tacky. I don’t get offended by it; most often (and I’m giving people the benefit of the doubt) the intentions are good and the acts are carried out with the purpose of trying to bridge gaps.
Just be yourself.
