American and Arabic Cultures for Translation Students

Course Material (1994)

American and Arabic Cultures for Translation Students Dr Reima Al-Jarf Culture = all the behavior patterns and products of a social group which are passed on to others often with symbolic meaning. Language, cooking pots and customs are all parts of culture . 1. 1.1

Social formulas Introducing oneself a. How do you do? My name's Peter Reynolds . b. Excuse me. How do you do ? I don't think we've met before. I'm Peter Reynolds. c. d.

Hello! Good morning. This is Peter Reynolds speaking. May I introduce myself: Peter Reynolds, sales manager, Northern Europe.

1.2 Introducing someone a. Oh, Paul, I'd like you to meet John Davis. b. By the way, do you know each other? John David - Charles Smith.

1.3

1.4

c.

Let me introduce our director Mr Iverson.

d.

Allow me to introduce our marketing manager Mr Smith.

Answering An Introduction a. Do you know Peter Reynolds b. No, I don't think so. How do you do? c. No, I don't think I have. How do you do? I've been wanting to meet you . d.

I'm delighted to meet you, Mr Richards.

e.

Nice to meet you, John.

Attracting someone's attention a. Hey, Jim.


b.

Jim.

c.

Hey, you.

d.

Excuse me, could I mention that... ، ‫ لو سمحت‬، ‫ يا امرأة‬، ‫ يا انسة‬، ‫ يا استاذ‬، ‫ يا اخت‬، ‫يا اخ‬

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

Greeting someone a. Dear Mr Brown. b.

John! Good to see you again.

c.

How very nice to see you.

d.

Evening!

e.

Long time no see you.

f.

Dear Sir or Madam.

Saying How You Are a. I'm fine, thank you. How are you? b.

I'm full of joys of spring.

c.

Not so bad.

d.

Swimming, Thanks.

e.

I'm very well indeed, thank you.

Giving Someone your general good wishes a. Every success in your new job. b.

All the very best.

c.

Good luck.

d.

I wish you success.

e.

Please give my regards to John Carter.

Responding to general good wishes a. Thanks. b.

Thank you very much.

c.

Cheers.

Giving Someone Good wishes on A Special Occasion a. Merry Christmas.


b.

Have a good Christmas.

c.

Happy anniversary.

d.

I'd like to wish you a very happy birthday.

e.

I should like to offer you best wishes on the occasion.

1.10 Responding to Wishes On a Special Occasion a. Thank you, and a happy New Year to you to. b.

Thank you. You too!

1.11 Inviting someone a. Would you like to join me for a coffee? b. The director of AA Export requests the pleasure of your company in honor of... c. you are cordially invited to attend a reception to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. 1.12 Accepting an invitation a. Thank you. I'd like to very much. b.

That's really most kind of you.

c. d.

That would give us the greatest of pleasure. David Smith wishes to thank Mr Jacobs for his kind invitation to a garden party on August 24th and takes great pleasure in accepting.

1.13 Declining an invitation a. I'm terribly sorry. I don't think I can. b.

I wish I could, but...

c. d.

Thank you for asking me, but... Mr William Cooper thanks the management of GTL Cares Ltd for their kind invitation , but regrets that owing to a prior engagement he will be unable to attend.

1.14 Thanking a. Thank you very much. b.

Thank you very very much indeed.


c.

That was really nice of you.

d.

I’m really very grateful to you for...

e.

I do appreciate .. very much.

f.

I should like to say how grateful I am. ‫أشكركم لحسن ضيافتكم‬ ‫نشكركم لتعاونكم‬ ‫نشكركم مقدما‬ ‫شك ار لمساعدتكم‬ ‫شك ار جزيال‬

‫شك ار مع تحياتي الطيبة‬ ‫جزاكم هللا خي ار‬ ‫كثر خيرك‬

‫اكثر هللا من امثالك‬ 1.15 Responding to thanks a. I was glad to be of service. b.

Delighted to have been the same in my place . I'm sure.

c.

My pleasure.

d.

Thank you. ‫اهال وسهال‬ ‫على الرحب والسعة‬ ‫اشرقت االنوار‬ ‫عساكم بخير‬ ‫مرحبا‬

‫بانتظارك‬ ‫تفضل‬ ‫انتبه‬ ‫رمضان كريم‬ ‫عيد سعيد‬ ‫شك ار‬

‫)‪Course Material (1994‬‬

‫عفوا‬ ‫شك ار جزيال‬ ‫بالتوفيق‬ ‫مع خالص الشكر‬ ‫تحياتي‬ ‫تهانينا‬ ‫مبروك مبارك‬ ‫عقبالك‬

‫بموفور الصحة والسعادة‬ ‫عمر مديد‬ ‫احالم سعيدة‬ ‫تمنياتنا بالشفاء العاجل‬ ‫رحمه هللا‬

‫صحبتك السالمة‬ ‫في امان هللا‬ ‫اسعد هللا اوقاتكم‬ ‫اسعد هللا صباحكم‬ ‫اسعد هللا مساءكم‬ ‫طاب مساؤكم‬ ‫تصبح على خير‬ ‫عيدكم مبارك‬

‫كل عام وانتم بخير‬ ‫من العيدين‬ ‫من الفايزين‬ ‫عساكم من عواده‬ ‫الحمد هلل‬

‫صباح الخير مساء الخير‬ ‫صحبتكم السالمة‬ ‫‪1.16 Complimenting‬‬ ‫‪That's a very nice coat you're wearing.‬‬

‫‪a.‬‬


‫‪You look very nice.‬‬

‫‪b.‬‬

‫‪I like the hair style.‬‬

‫‪c.‬‬

‫‪You're looking good.‬‬

‫‪d.‬‬

‫‪I really must express my admiration for.‬‬

‫‪e.‬‬

‫‪1.17 Congratulating‬‬ ‫‪a.‬‬ ‫‪Allow me to offer my heartiest congratulations.‬‬ ‫‪I'd like to be the first to congratulate you.‬‬

‫‪b.‬‬

‫‪May i congratulate you on...‬‬

‫‪c.‬‬

‫‪Please accept my warmest congratulations.‬‬

‫‪d.‬‬

‫نهنئكم علي نجاحكم‬ ‫احب ان ازف لكم تهاني القلبية على‬ ‫نحن مبتهجين لعلمنا ان‬ ‫نحب ان نهنئكم على‬ ‫عيد سعيد ‪ ،‬وكل عام وانتم بخير‬ ‫تهانينا القلبية علي زواجكم‬ ‫انتهز هذه الفرصة آلهنئكم على‬ ‫تهانينا مع اطيب تمنياتنا لكم‬ ‫اهال وسهال‬ ‫على الرحب والسعة‬ ‫اشرقت االنوار‬ ‫عساكم بخير‬ ‫مرحبا‬ ‫بانتظارك‬ ‫تفضل‬ ‫انتبه‬

‫رمضان كريم‬ ‫عيد سعيد‬ ‫شك ار‬ ‫عفوا‬

‫شك ار جزيال‬


‫بالتوفيق‬ ‫مع خالص الشكر‬ ‫تحياتي‬ ‫تهانينا‬

‫مبروك مبارك‬ ‫عقبالك‬ ‫بموفور الصحة والسعادة‬ ‫عمر مديد‬

‫احالم سعيدة‬ ‫تمنياتنا بالشفاء العاجل‬ ‫رحمه هللا‬ ‫صحبتك السالمة‬ ‫في امان هللا‬

‫اسعد هللا اوقاتكم‬ ‫اسعد هللا صباحكم‬ ‫اسعد هللا مساءكم‬ ‫طاب مساؤكم‬

‫تصبح على خير‬ ‫عيدكم مبارك‬ ‫كل عام وانتم بخير‬ ‫من العيدين‬

‫من الفايزين‬ ‫عساكم من عواده‬ ‫الحمد هلل‬ ‫صباح الخير مساء الخير‬ ‫صحبتكم السالمة‬ ‫‪1.18 Responding to compliments or congratulations‬‬ ‫‪a.‬‬ ‫‪It's very nice of you to say so.‬‬ ‫‪Oh good, I'm glad you think so.‬‬

‫‪b.‬‬

‫‪Oh, there's nothing to it, actually.‬‬

‫‪c.‬‬


2.

.3

d.

Thank you very much for saying so.

e.

How very nice of you to say so.

Interaction a. Smile. b.

no gift brought by visitors.

c.

Many friends.

d.

"Come by and see us sometimes" not meant literally.

e.

Response to a complement is a simple "thank you."

f.

Farewell wave: hand wave, palm outward.

Association a. b.

one form of address : you. use of the first name is no indication of the quality of the relationship, but is rather situational in nature.

c. d.

Mr, Miss are used after high school graduation. The parents' friends are addressed with their first or their family name. Titles are used always with medical doctors, infrequently with others.

e.

.4

Subsistence a. a glass of ice water is part of restaurant service. Drinking fountains are everywhere. b. c. d. e.

f. g.

kitchens are spacious, most meals are eaten there. three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner or supper (main meal). kitchen eating is the basic pattern; a dinning-room is used for special occasions. breakfast consists of: coffee, eggs, usually fried; toast with margarine and jelly and perhaps sausage, ham or bacon, fruit or vegetable juice. sweet desert is an essential component of the main meal. meat, potato, cooked vegetables and salad are most often the components of the main meal (eaten in the evening).


h. i. j.

.5

sandwiches and salad are components of lunch, eaten at midday. coffee is served with all meals and during the mid-morning and mid-afternoon coffee breaks. The fork is held in the right hand, except when cutting meat, the only time the knife is used. The left hand rests lightly on the lap.

Temporality a. dates are listed by month, day and year 7/13/1960, except in the armed forces. b. c. d.

e. f. g. h.

i.

the school day is from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. five days a week. the U.S. observes the twelve-hour system both formally and informally. the time is : 3:20 20 after 3:20 3twenty 3:20 20 minutes past 3. vacations are taken any time of year although summer is still most popular. major holidays are only of one day duration but are sometimes combined with a weekend; they are not numerous. Holidays: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, Independence Day, memorial Day, Labor, Dominion Day... Chronometry: calendar, date, millennium, century, decade, year , month, week, fortnight, day, timepiece, clock, watch, second, minute, hour, morning, evening, noon, midday, afternoon, twilight, night, midnight, season, spring, summer, fall, autumn, winter, term, semester, trimester, quarter. sales occur whenever a given business is overstocked. After Christmas sales are almost universal.

6. Learning a. most teachers are women in American schools. b. c. d.

only high school grades are important for college admission. "learning should be fun" is the most prevalent attitude. The teacher is expected to provide at least some of the motivation. The teaching of religion is forbidden by law in U.S. public


schools. e.

students move from one classroom to another.

f. g.

homecoming is a regular part of the curriculum even in college. sports are an integral part of the curriculum through undergraduate school, although all may not participate. a cafeteria is omnipresent. Lunches are subsidized by the governmental are thus very inexpensive.

h. i. j.

school social activities are numerous especially in high school. %85-80of American young people finish high school at the age of 18.

k. l. m.

.7

discussion-type classes prevail and are the most popular. American universities are most often in smaller towns and have large, park-like campuses . Kindergarten, elementary, junior high, high school, college, junior college, community college. first grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, ninth grade, tenth grade, twelfth grade, junior/senior in high school, freshman, sophomore, junior/senior in college.

Exploitation a. The post office is a department of the federal government; it is concerned with all the mails. b. c. d. e. f. g.

Telephone and telegraph companies are privately owned. Radios and TV. stations and networks are privately owned and financed by advertising. Social security is a branch of the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Newspapers and magazines are privately sold. Bus lines are municipally owned or privately owned and municipally subsidized. handwritten business letters are considered unbusinesslike. Private letters may be written either with a typewriter or by hand.