tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post354052757917907531..comments2024-02-21T06:21:42.233-05:00Comments on Klymer Klatsch : The Informalization of Swiss WaysDonRClymerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05457707159001349570noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post-73528639957094716372017-07-24T08:41:14.641-04:002017-07-24T08:41:14.641-04:00Thank you for sharing your interesting observation...Thank you for sharing your interesting observations and comments. The two kiss greeting is prevalent in all of Latin America, and performed like it is in Switzerland, only here there are three kisses. Some countries have as many as four. Thanks also for the blog link. Very astute observations on use of language to propagate power dynamics. Blessings to you and your family as well.DonRClymerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05457707159001349570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post-80868141972358375312017-07-24T02:45:58.624-04:002017-07-24T02:45:58.624-04:00This is a very interesting post, Don, about addres...This is a very interesting post, Don, about addressing and communicating with others. I find the topic fascinating and it reminded me of an observation I made recently at out motel in Orlando when we were attending the Mennonite Convention over the fourth of July this year. <br /><br />My wife, Karen, and our 14-year-old grandson, Zachary Branam, who lives with us, were with me there. After the convention we spent an additional 3 days visiting Sea World, Aquatica, Epcot and the Harry Potter buildings and events even though we visited the latter just a few years ago. In spite of the high heat and humidity the crowds were thick. Unlike many people my age I like large crowds, loud music, color and noise, and the lights and superficial glitter and empty charm that goes with places like Disney World and Universal Studios. I even like the rides. <br /><br />But even better is people-watching. We saw large groups of visitors from other countries and were often surrounded by the sound of other languages, which I also think is good for our ears and brains, even if we don't understand a word. One large group of mostly young people were from Paraguay according to their matching T-shirts. Others were from Japan and Spain. <br /><br />One morning in the motel while waiting to get seated for the buffet breakfast there was a young man ahead of us. At first we thought he was waiting to be seated also. But he waved us on. <br /><br />He stood there for about 45 minutes. Apparently he was the/a leader of a large group of foreign visitors and was meeting them as they arrived for breakfast. Most of the group of at least 50 to 70 people were young women, probably late teens and the majority of them, but not all, gave him a light kiss on each check when they arrived, then promptly went to their table. A few males were there also, but none of them greeted him with a kiss. I identified them because most had matching shirts or backpacks. There was a foreign name on the shirts and backpacks which I looked up on the internet and it was the name of a travel agency in Argentina.<br /><br /> There did not seem to be more adults with them, but I doubt if one man in his late 20's or early 30's was solely responsible for so many young people. However I was intrigued by the greeting which is unusual, generally speaking, in this country. I noticed that some of these groups including the one from Paraguay I mentioned were very large, over 50 young people, but did not seem to have a large number of adults with them, at least not one for every 4 or 5 youth as we might expect for a trip from our junior or high schools here in the US. Maybe foreign youth need less adult supervision. Thanks again for your post. I wrote about addressing people on my blog in 2011 at www.leonardnolt.blogspot.com/2011/04/language-and-life.html Take care and blessings to you and your family. Leonard Nolthttp://www.leonardnolt.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post-68438421247512103802017-07-17T13:08:57.985-04:002017-07-17T13:08:57.985-04:00Gracias por tus comentarios, María! Interesting pa...Gracias por tus comentarios, María! Interesting parallels; sure the same is true all over Europe. Another parallel, we live in the "Seeland" region of Switzerland! Muchos saludos también.<br />DonRClymerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05457707159001349570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post-2090225487880305182017-07-17T13:02:55.744-04:002017-07-17T13:02:55.744-04:00The times I return to visit family in the Netherla...The times I return to visit family in the Netherlands I have found the same truth. My family is from Zeeland and practices most of these formalities; that is, the elder generation. Saludos de María DayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post-22197674492233107532017-07-17T09:34:13.078-04:002017-07-17T09:34:13.078-04:00Thanks for your comments! We did: Bern, Brügg, Lan...Thanks for your comments! We did: Bern, Brügg, Langnau, Aebnit (Bowil), but my earlier experience in Langnau (37 years ago) was much more formal than now. DonRClymerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05457707159001349570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105362942297204346.post-21038975446329623902017-07-16T23:25:36.931-04:002017-07-16T23:25:36.931-04:00Hi Don,
Did you visit Mennonite churches? There p...Hi Don,<br />Did you visit Mennonite churches? There people have always used the "Du", even when I was a kid. I do think, people are a little less formal now, which is nice. And I like hugs....Therese Sprungerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15060063659700494343noreply@blogger.com