Sorry First 中美文化差异之九

　　　金无足赤，人无完人，每个人都会犯错。及时有效地表

达一份真诚的道歉是至关重要的，它不仅可以向他人显示你

用英语道歉的水平而且可以表达你优雅的风度。向他人表达

你的体贴是人与人之间良好沟通的一个重要部份。

There is one word that is on the lips of Americans, day and night: "Sorry".

One time as I was walking on the street, a young man ran by hurriedly, brushing against my handbag. Even as he continued on his way, he turned back and said "sorry" to me. Even in a rush, he didn't forget to apologize.

One day, after I bought a mango, the salesman was giving me the change, but I wasn't ready for it and a coin dropped to the ground. "I'm sorry," he said while bending down to pick it up. I was puzzled - why would he apologize when it was my fault?

Another time, I stepped on a man's foot in an escalator. At the same time, we both said "sorry." I thought it interesting: was it really necessary for him to apologize?

Later on, an American friend explained to me that according to the American mentality, the escalator is a public place, and everyone should be able to stand in it. After someone occupies a position in the elevator, making it difficult for someone else to find a place to stand, isn't it necessary to express an apology?

If you go to the movies and the tickets happen to be sold out, the ticket seller will say: "Sorry, the tickets are sold out."

Whenever one of your hopes goes unfulfilled, an American will say "sorry," as a sign of sympathy.

During my stay in America, I often came across situations in which I was supposed to say "sorry." Gradually, I realized that when friction occurs in daily life, Americans don't care much about who is responsible; if someone important and she is very busy, the secretary will say: "sorry."

If someone is troubled, a "sorry" is always necessary. When this happens, even if the other person is hurt, the "sorry" cools tempers - and human generosity is displayed. Perhaps this is why I never saw anyone quarreling on the buses, subways or streets of America.

"Sorry"先行

　　有一个词，从早到晚挂在美国人的嘴边上，那就Sorry（对不起）。

　　有一次走在街上，一个有急事的年轻人匆匆跑过，碰了我的提包，他边跑边回过头来冲我喊sorry，匆忙中他也没忘记表示歉意。

　 一次我买芒果，小贩把零钱找给我，我没接好，一个硬币掉落到地上。I'm sorry.小贩边说边弯腰拣起硬币递给我。我觉得挺不可思议，明明是我自己手脚不利索，他为什么要道歉？

　有一次，我乘电梯时不小心踩了一位先生的脚，我赶忙说了一声sorry，可同时，从那位先生的口中也冒出了这个词。我不禁暗自发笑：你有什么必要 sorry呢？事后一个美国朋友解释，按照美国人思维方式，电梯间是公共场所，谁都有权站在那儿。由于自己首先占据一块地方，别人才没有足够的地方站稳当，难道不该表示sorry吗？

　　到电影院去买票，赶上没票，售票员便会说："对不起，票卖完了"。 凡是你的愿望得不到满足，美国人便会说声对不起，表示他们对此也感到遗憾,使你感受到同情之心。

　 在美期间，我常常遇到这类本应该由我说对不起的事情，渐渐地我悟出了其中原委：当生活出现小摩擦时，美国人并不去考虑是谁的责任，只要是给对方带来了不便，都要说一声sorry。

　 这样一来，即使有一方受点伤害，在人家的sorry声中心境也会平和下来。而没受伤害的一方则体会到人与人之间的友善，这恐怕也是我从未在美国的公共汽车、地铁、街道上看到有人吵架的原因吧
关键字:欧美文化
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