Learning English

Tejali
Hello all… welcome to English Together. या भागात आपण निरनिराळे विषय आणि त्यासंबंधित शब्दांची चर्चा करतो. मी तेजाली, आणि माझ्यासोबत आहे...

Sam
Hi, I’m Sam.

Phil
And I’m Phil. Welcome!

Tejali
कॉलेजमध्ये असताना business communication या विषयात मला personal space बद्दल शिकवलं होतं. Space म्हणजे अवकाश. Personal space म्हणजे खासगी अवकाश, खासगीपण. आज आपण वेगवेगळ्या देशांतील लोक आपलं खासगीपण म्हणजे आपली personal space कशी जपतात ते पाहणार आहोत. एका प्रश्नाने सुरुवात करू. कुठल्या देशातील लोक अनोळखी लोकांपासून जास्त अंतर राखतात? भारत, कोरिया की केनिया? तुला काय वाटतं सॅम?

Sam
Well, I don’t know – but it does change from one country to another, I’ve lived in different countries and really noticed the difference – I’m really interested to find out the answer, actually…

Phil
Well, I used to live in Argentina and people definitely get close to you there.

Tejali
आता आपण अर्जेंटिनाबद्दल बोलत आहोत तर बीबीसी वर्ल्ड सर्व्हिसच्या व्हेलेरीया पेरास्सा काय सांगत आहेत ऐकू.

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We are said to be very touchy-feely and I think that that shows in all our daily interactions. Foreigners are definitely uncomfortable, some at least, for example, we do a lot of kissing and it goes to the extent that, for example, if you go into the surgery to see your GP or doctor that you are familiar with, and that knows you, you would probably reach out and kiss him or her, and that’s completely normal.

Tejali
So, what do you think about this? अर्जेंटिनात आधी असं होत का?

Phil
Yeah, absolutely, people are very touchy-feely – lots of hugging and people always kiss when they meet.

Tejali
‘Touchy-feely’ म्हणजे इथल्या लोकांना एकमेकांना स्पर्श करण्यात वावगं वाटत नाही, आपल्या भावना व्यक्त करण्यात संकोच वाटत नाही. People are very comfortable with physical contact. It’s not like that in India.

Sam
OK, so how did you deal with it being so ‘touchy-feely’ – I’m not sure that you’re that kind of person, really, Phil….

Tejali
Yes, you don’t seem the touchy-feely type.

Phil
Guys, I’m not, I’m really not – every day was like an invasion of my personal space!

Tejali
Invading someone’s personal space, म्हणजे जेव्हा समोरच्याला वाटतं की, तुम्ही त्याच्या व्यक्तिगत अवकाशात हस्तक्षेप केला आहे. That sounds like quite a violent expression, doesn’t it? Invade म्हणजे आक्रमण करणे, हस्तक्षेप करणे.

Sam
Isn’t it just friendly, though? It’s not invading personal space to hug someone you’ve just met, is it? Otherwise people will think that you are too ‘reserved’, especially if you are somewhere where people are more touchy-feely.

Tejali
Reserved, म्हणजे भिडस्त, संकोची… but maybe Phil is just quite reserved.

Phil
I’m English. Of course I’m reserved. It’s what we do…

Sam
Ok, but it’s not just about what you are like… Obviously we are all different and we do things in different ways… But maybe we need to be able to adapt to other people.

Phil
What do you mean?

Sam
Well, I think you’ve got to be ‘tolerant’ of other people – I mean you should respect that other people might do things differently and in different ways.

Tejali
Yes, I think being tolerant, or सहिष्णू is really important, especially if you go to live in a different country.

Sam
Yes – living in different countries can really show you how important it is to be tolerant… like being tolerant of the way people treat personal space, for example.

Tejali
So, I asked you भारत, कोरिया की केनिया यापैकी कुठल्या देशातील लोक अनोळखी लोकांपासून जास्त अंतर राखतात? And the answer is Kenya, where people like to stand 110 cm from strangers, just ahead of India at 108 cm and Korea at 105cm. That’s according to the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology.

Phil
Maybe I’ll try Kenya for my next trip…

Sam
Well, according to that study, all three countries give you more personal space than England – so they’re perfect for someone who is reserved!

Tejali
सॅम फिलच्या सहलीची आखणी करेल, तोपर्यंत आपण आजचे शब्द बघू. ‘Touchy-feely’ म्हणजे भावना सहजपणे व्यक्त करणारे, ‘invade personal space’ म्हणजे व्यक्तिगत अवकाशात हस्तक्षेप करणे, अती जवळ जाणे; ‘reserved’, म्हणजे भिडस्त, संकोची and ‘tolerant’ म्हणजे सहिष्णू, सहनशील. पुन्हा भेटू या English Together च्या पुढच्या भागात. Bye!