domingo, 26 de fevereiro de 2012

The English gift of the rethoric

If there's something all foreigners will agree about the English people is that they know how to behaviour when they must speak in front a group of people [of course, not all of them; of course 2, not only them]. But I have seen one specific scene - repeated in two different versions - that can, not explain, but show how it works.

Before this, there are two others stories about the same issue, both told by foreigners. One Belarusian, other Spanish. The Belarusian, experienced journalist, was covering the European parliament, because one representative of his country, which is, according to the Western Europe countries, a dictatorship still nowadays, would speak. [Sorry, Andrei, I don't remember who was the guy...] After his long discourse, the English representative assume the position for its consideration and states: Now, we discover where is the Eden, so many times quoted on Bible. It is in Europe, right here, on the west of Russia, north of Ukraine, east of Poland. As Andrei told us, the English guy didn't need to say the name of Belarus or how he disagreed from the Belarusian representative. He made a joke, and everyone got the point, the exactly point of his speech.

The Spanish guy, who lives in London since before us, told us this particular characteristic of don't be straight could be a heritage from the Celtic [or Gaelic, I am not sure - again, I apologize, Borja]. In this language [which, you see, I don't remember] there would not be the world "no". So, to give a negative information, the speaker must go a round travel until come back to the point he wants. For instance: "Can I go to the toilet?" "It would be a pleasure, definitely, but you should wait a little bit more until the spot would be available for you, sir", instead of "No, you can't". They had to develop this skill to even communicate with each other, and this became a behaviour.

I don't know if it is true, but what I have seen at the TV on a specific day shows me that, at least, this is a country where the dialogue is completely open and free. And everyone who wants a public projection must have this gift, otherwise will be exterminated. I saw it on TV and watched the same scene at "Iron lady".

Every Wednesday - I will repeat - every Wednesday [not once in a while, not once in a year, or once in a month, but each week!] the Prime-minister - which, if I understood it correctly, is a Member of the Parliament him / herself, and the head of his/her party - go to the House of Commons [the low chamber] to answers the questions of the colleagues deputies. Every Wednesday. He/she must answer. Questions. He/she is bombed, attacked, hosed with no matter which issues, since the major themes of the country until specific questions in every opportunity, from the opposition. And try the support of his/her colleagues of the party. It is a kind of massacre. But it is fair. He/she must give information, in every each moment, about what happens in his/her government.

It is funny to compare to a country which the former president just gave his first collective interview after more than two years in the power. As you can see, my friend Andrei, there are some issues "democracy" and "dictatorships" are very similar.

ps. the interview was in my birthday.

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