#6271 Cluetard / Thai Smiles
Nov. 18th, 2003 07:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scottobearHmm.. Today's horoscope says that I should treat myself today! Looks like it's Thai food for din din tonight! (Like you have to twist my arm). I deserve it, anyway, after ACIM dropped a community notification in my lap 15 minutes before it was supposed to go out. I'm just lucky that the network was running, and codeRED proceeded without a hitch... just as well a 5pm notification for a 6:30 meeting can't go out late.
Frankie came by a moment ago wanting to talk, but I'm having none of it. He wheedled a bit, until I told him to please leave through the door. Ugh. So, I call the Landlord up and let him know that the stupid-liar-mooch-crackhead-cluetard Frankie is getting on my nerves, and "Just what is the eviction timeline, anyway?" LL claimed that he intended to take him out tonight, but it was getting late... so he'll relocate him tomorrow night "For sure." Well, it's only what, 20 days+ overdue, but I do know that I'll breathe a good deal easier when he's relocated to anywhere but two doors down.
Thais are adept at performing no less than 13 situational-specific smiles in their everyday lives.
Thai Smiles – Good, Bad, Ugly, and the 10 in between - Daniel Fraser
Scenario: A frustrated westerner is trying desperately to retrieve an international money transfer at a Thai bank. Unsure of the system employed to do such a transaction at the bank, the westerner asks multiple questions to a variety of people hoping to find a sympathetic ear and some common sense assistance. After being passed through nearly a dozen people and departments with no reasonable explanation of how to actually do the transaction, the exacerbated visitor displays a look of complete frustration and anger. The result: all 20 staff members smile peacefully amongst themselves and continue about their business.
How can this cultural phenomenon – a daily occurrence in every corner of the Kingdom – be logically explained?
Thailand has long been referred to as ‘The Land of Smiles’ by visitors from the west. Usually referring to Thais’ general sense of happiness and glee, Thais, perhaps more than any other people, have an uncanny knack for smiling in such instances as being in the face of adversity, tension or even danger. In addition, as many westerners point out, Thais seem to smile at unusual times during conversations and business dealings as well, such as the example cited above.
In Thailand smiling is a form of subtle interpersonal-messaging which runs deeper and perhaps more accurately than language or syntax. Investigation into this phenomena reveals that Thais are adept at performing no less than 13 situational-specific smiles in their everyday lives. In fact, most Thais can perform each smile upon request with flawless accuracy based solely on the commonly used name of each. In addition, Thais are experts at identifying the specific smiles they encounter, and are well aware of the inherent message behind each. 13 specific kinds of smiles? How could one possibly know the difference and know how to interpret each one? Many of the smiles that Thais perform are used to relieve tension, calm nerves, seek forgiveness or omission from distressing situations. The name of one particular smile, yim soo, translates as the “smiling in the face of an impossible struggle” smile.
The Chinese have said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Indeed, the Thai translation of the anecdote may very well be “a smile can have a thousand meanings”.
Not listed by order of appearance or frequency, the ‘top 13’ identified Thai smiles are:
Source: Working With The Thais: A Guide to Managing in Thailand by Henry Holmes and Suchada Tangtongtavy.
One amazing story of the influence of smiling in Thai culture runs back to the political turmoil of the 1980’s. The Thai Prime Minister at the time, Gen. Prem Tinsulanond, was confronted by a swarm of buzzing journalists demanding answers on the government’s handling of domestic issues. However, rather than actually answering any of the questions directly, Mr. Prem merely spent the entire interview displaying a series of smiles for the perplexed media.
Indeed, Thailand lives up to its namesake as ‘The Land of Smiles’. In the end, the culture of smiling does allow for a more easy-going society. Like when a Bangkok cabbie bumps into the car ahead of him at a traffic light and all parties discuss the situation with cheeky grins – something probably never seen in the west.
Next time you step on a Thai’s foot in a crowded mall and the victim responds gleefully, or the next time you make a group of locals smile with your newfound Thai words, or even the next time you are confronted by a roomful of smiling workers in a busy bank, remember that a smile may often not be what it seems. As Thais and longtime Ex-pats can tell you, a smile may have a thousand meanings. The smile may even be on you!
Frankie came by a moment ago wanting to talk, but I'm having none of it. He wheedled a bit, until I told him to please leave through the door. Ugh. So, I call the Landlord up and let him know that the stupid-liar-mooch-crackhead-cluetard Frankie is getting on my nerves, and "Just what is the eviction timeline, anyway?" LL claimed that he intended to take him out tonight, but it was getting late... so he'll relocate him tomorrow night "For sure." Well, it's only what, 20 days+ overdue, but I do know that I'll breathe a good deal easier when he's relocated to anywhere but two doors down.
Thais are adept at performing no less than 13 situational-specific smiles in their everyday lives.
Thai Smiles – Good, Bad, Ugly, and the 10 in between - Daniel Fraser
Scenario: A frustrated westerner is trying desperately to retrieve an international money transfer at a Thai bank. Unsure of the system employed to do such a transaction at the bank, the westerner asks multiple questions to a variety of people hoping to find a sympathetic ear and some common sense assistance. After being passed through nearly a dozen people and departments with no reasonable explanation of how to actually do the transaction, the exacerbated visitor displays a look of complete frustration and anger. The result: all 20 staff members smile peacefully amongst themselves and continue about their business.
How can this cultural phenomenon – a daily occurrence in every corner of the Kingdom – be logically explained?
Thailand has long been referred to as ‘The Land of Smiles’ by visitors from the west. Usually referring to Thais’ general sense of happiness and glee, Thais, perhaps more than any other people, have an uncanny knack for smiling in such instances as being in the face of adversity, tension or even danger. In addition, as many westerners point out, Thais seem to smile at unusual times during conversations and business dealings as well, such as the example cited above.
In Thailand smiling is a form of subtle interpersonal-messaging which runs deeper and perhaps more accurately than language or syntax. Investigation into this phenomena reveals that Thais are adept at performing no less than 13 situational-specific smiles in their everyday lives. In fact, most Thais can perform each smile upon request with flawless accuracy based solely on the commonly used name of each. In addition, Thais are experts at identifying the specific smiles they encounter, and are well aware of the inherent message behind each. 13 specific kinds of smiles? How could one possibly know the difference and know how to interpret each one? Many of the smiles that Thais perform are used to relieve tension, calm nerves, seek forgiveness or omission from distressing situations. The name of one particular smile, yim soo, translates as the “smiling in the face of an impossible struggle” smile.
The Chinese have said that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Indeed, the Thai translation of the anecdote may very well be “a smile can have a thousand meanings”.
Not listed by order of appearance or frequency, the ‘top 13’ identified Thai smiles are:
- Yim thang nam taa: The “I’m so happy I’m crying” smile.
- Yim thak thaai: The “polite” smile for someone you barely know.
- Yim cheun chom: The “I admire you” smile.
- Fuen Yim: The stiff smile, also known as the “I should laugh at the joke though it’s not funny” Smile.
- Yim mee lessanai: The smile which masks something wicked in your mind.
- Yim yaw: The teasing, or “I told you so” smile.
- Yim yae-yae: The “I know things look pretty bad but there’s no point in crying over spilt milk” smile.
- Yim sao: The sad smile.
- Yim haeng: The dry smile, also known as the “I know I owe you the money but I don’t have it” smile.
- Yim thak thaan: The “I disagree with you” smile, also known as the “You can go ahead and propose it but your idea’s no good” smile.
- Yim cheua-cheuan: The “I am the winner” smile, the smile given to a losing competitor.
- Yim soo: “smiling in the face of an impossible struggle” smile.
- Yim mai awk: The “I’m trying to smile but can’t” smile.
- Yim som tam: The “Waiter, there’s a dead crab in my salad!” smile. (ok, this one was completely made up. But I’m sure I’ve given it myself a few times…).
Source: Working With The Thais: A Guide to Managing in Thailand by Henry Holmes and Suchada Tangtongtavy.
One amazing story of the influence of smiling in Thai culture runs back to the political turmoil of the 1980’s. The Thai Prime Minister at the time, Gen. Prem Tinsulanond, was confronted by a swarm of buzzing journalists demanding answers on the government’s handling of domestic issues. However, rather than actually answering any of the questions directly, Mr. Prem merely spent the entire interview displaying a series of smiles for the perplexed media.
Indeed, Thailand lives up to its namesake as ‘The Land of Smiles’. In the end, the culture of smiling does allow for a more easy-going society. Like when a Bangkok cabbie bumps into the car ahead of him at a traffic light and all parties discuss the situation with cheeky grins – something probably never seen in the west.
Next time you step on a Thai’s foot in a crowded mall and the victim responds gleefully, or the next time you make a group of locals smile with your newfound Thai words, or even the next time you are confronted by a roomful of smiling workers in a busy bank, remember that a smile may often not be what it seems. As Thais and longtime Ex-pats can tell you, a smile may have a thousand meanings. The smile may even be on you!
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no subject
Date: 2003-11-18 05:22 pm (UTC)he probably doesnt have any, thats why he is stupid-liar-mooch-crackhead-cluetard Frankie.
now for a good something, i hope and pray that stupid-liar-mooch-crackhead-cluetard Frankie finds somewhere else to be, prison can be very nice and accomodating for people like that.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-18 06:59 pm (UTC)I'm looking forward to his being elsewhere soon.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-19 05:00 am (UTC)I hope you will soon be free from that doofus frankie!
no subject
Date: 2003-11-19 08:41 am (UTC)I'm digging the word "cluetard" though. :)
they got a thang
Date: 2003-11-19 02:35 pm (UTC)sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g
either that or they're related. orrrrr frankie has some blackmail goodies he's holding over dudes head.