Q. Which is more polite: “Can you…?” or “Could you…?” Answer: In Japanese, when you are making requests, it is polite to use forms such as… shite kuremasenka and … itdakemasenka, but in English we prefer not to use “Can’t you†and “Won’t you†in ordinary polite requests. Somehow these forms sound as if the […]
Q. Why can’t I say “I want”? Answer: A Japanese student once asked my American friend to write a letter of recommendation to support his application for a scholarship, saying, “I want you to write a letter of recommendation for me.†The American was shocked at the student’s rudeness. What the student probably would have […]
Q. Why can’t I just say “Thank you” all the time? Answer: To Americans in Japan, some Japanese seem impolite because they do not thank clerks, doormen, taxi drivers, waiters, and cashiers. Japanese seem to take the services provided by these people for granted, but in America one thanks almost anyone who provides assistance. And […]
