Shower Thought 🚿 #9 — Language Barrier

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

Yesterday, I witnessed a fascinating scene. I was done eating at a famous restaurant branch near my office. As I was leaving, I saw a group of travelers enter. Quiet understandable cause it’s a famous restaurant. But unfortunately, there was a lil’ bit of commotion between the owner and the guests. It seems like the guests were “misordered” or something. Cause like usual Japanese restaurants, you need to buy a ticket outside, and each person must have one ticket (you can’t share a bowl). I didn’t know the issue in detail but… the owner said something like “キャンセルして” which means “cancel it (order)”. But then a thought went through my mind. These are travelers, they didn’t speak Japanese. Why did the owner talk to them using Japanese?? It doesn’t make any sense.

Logically speaking, no matter how much, how slow you try to converse with people who don’t speak your language — the messages will not be conveyed. The speakers might think that if they speak slowly, the receiver would understand. No, it’s not. It just sounds like gibberish to the non-speakers. Maybe using gestures might help a bit, but still… Then again, props to the owner though cause he made an “X” gesture using his arm, I think that helps. BUT! With that being said, why bother talking?? If you know the people you talk with don’t speak your language, just use gestures. Why waste energy by talking, am I right? 😂 This is an illogical habit that I can’t understand.

If you already know the people who you talking with don’t speak your language, why bother trying still?

This does not happen only in Japan though. There are also people in my country who do the same thing. Something like, “Mister Mister, ojek mister?”. First of all… all caucasian males are mister for us 😂 Secondly, as a foreigner, I’m pretty sure they don’t know what “ojek” means. I couldn’t help but think, if it’s not logical to try to converse — then why do humans unconsciously do it?? Human brains are weird. We are weird.

Eventually, it did work out for the owners and the guests though. It looks like they don’t have to do any “cancellation” whatsoever.

So what do you think? Thoughts?