Issues Of 'face'

[billythehat]

Recently, I wrote a submission concerning the events and observations of my recent trip to Phuket. During some of the reply postings in TV, a forum member remarked that they would be interested in an expansion of my few comments regarding the subject of cross-cultural misunderstandings of 'face' between Thais' and the English. I’m aware that this subject has been tackled on various forums, but I have seen little or nothing that looks at both sides simultaneously, especially the western version.

Because the topic would need to cover some fundamental points first, I decided to format the posts as a series of parts. It is my hope that the series can be a good source of knowledge sharing and general interest amongst readers. Naturally, all comments welcome as I don't know all the facts and everybody’s' experience is different.

We may all learn something!

I plan to start with by outlining western 'face' in Part 1. Part2 will deal with Thai 'face' issues. In Part 3 (if the series develops okay) I will endeavour merge the notes from the first 2 parts, and explore the outcome when the 2 meet. I have quoted information sources as stated.

WESTERN FACE

First off, I need to state my position on the references to the English by other Nationalities. If you asked anyone from England (white Caucasian) who he or she is, they, of course, would say, "I'm English." But who are the English and who are the English now? What is their identity? England is but one country within the British Isles, the others being Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, each having their own unique identities. The English identity today is even harder to define, due the huge immigration influx of the last hundred years or so, and the corresponding effect of these different cultures and religions. Legitimately, these people will also say "I'm English/British". (This usage is often abused though.)

Collectively then, can we just say British!

With all of these multicultural tribes in one land, can there really be a definitive meaning of the idiom "losing face" being applied to the 'British'?

One possible origin of its use/introduction into English usage:

LOSING FACE - "The Chinese have a phrase for losing one's dignity before others, and 'tiu lien' was simply translated into 'to lose face' by English traders there in the late 19th century. These same English, however, invented the phrase 'to save face,' 'to maintain one's dignity,' using the Chinese model."(From "Encyclopaedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson.)

Or did it exist in the language regardless of the Asian concept of 'Face'?

Books have been written and will continue to be written, telling the world that the British are this/that and the other. In my opinion, these 'classics' belong in the comedy section of any bookshop, but they do fulfil a need. This is the need to identify who you are to others around the globe and placate their fears and curiosity.

People like labels and generalisations. It makes them feel safe.

Perhaps a good start would be to consider the impact of identity and social conduct. Generally, most Britons prefer to avoid confrontation and regard shouting and shoving as very offensive. To openly lose your temper is to lose face. Even talking in some public places is kept at a hushed level, notably waiting rooms and on trains and buses where strangers are gathered together in one place. This has little to do with class division or snobbery and more to do with privacy. Essentially, the British guard their privacy; hence their hushed tones in public places. I think it should also be noted that most Britons do not use the term 'to lose face' verbally. You are more likely to hear the phrase that someone was 'really shown up'.

It means the same thing.

What others will call 'face' issues, the British simply refer to as just having good manners and the pride, dignity and status that gives, within their system of values in human interactions.

So, codes of behaviour for a given social group could be a fair start to the definition on the issue of British 'face'. This can be factored with age, gender, profession, religion, native language, class, race and sexual orientation. The show of ‘face’ can/will be proportional to these factors.

It's a very complex issue and obviously I have only touched on a few items here.

As any of us that have travelled far and wide in our lives knows, one's own value system does not always travel well!

We must not hesitate about losing face: we may soon have no face to lose...........

Billy.

(next, Thai 'face'......................oh dear!)