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Localisation Faux Pas (Archive)
August 2005 |
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| Remember that faux pas are not restricted to written and verbal communication - they can also be caused by a lack of cultural awareness. The Kiss of Death: A savvy travelling businessman had an embarrassing experience once when presenting a gift to a Japanese host. The visiting businessman had picked up a snack gift pack on the way to their meeting. The precise number of snacks in the sleeve was four, a quantity the visitor considered appropriate for his Japanese host to enjoy and share with his colleagues. He did not realise until later that anything boxed or presented in a quantity of four means death to the Japanese. The visitor had inadvertently conveyed the “kiss of death” to his Japanese host - right at the very beginning of their business relationship. Needless to say, he now knew why he never heard from his Japanese business contact again. (Adapted from: http://www.welocalize.com/english/newsletter/Xtend%20eNews4.htm) |
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