Different people has different matter that trigger their irritation. As for me I have one particular matter that really damn annoyed and disgusted. Again and again I have the freak "accident" to meet such kind of insensitive people as if their are so ignorant.
They simply do not k now that not everybody take up mandarin in school. We may be Chinese in body but that doesn't mean all Chinese understand Mandarin. They are so many sales people approach in mandarin thinking that I shall be able to understand what they are trying to say. Recently only I met one sales personnel asked me in mandarin which I guess must be asking me to try his products or what not, I told him plainly, "Eh, do you guys assume all chinese understand mandarin. You thought here is the country of China er?.. Or have forgotten this is Malaysia. How come you do not want to ask in either English or Bahasa Malaysia language.. " So irritating. Like that how can you create a positive vibes for me to listen further to you whatever you want to promote. At least have the courtesy to speak in the local dialect. They react as if Mandarin language is so great that everybody should understand. Not all Chinese take up Mandarin in school.
I think their superior has not trained them enough the tactics to begin conversation with people. Simply begins a foreign language to potential customers. So oblivious to the fact that not all Chinese understand mandarin. Get out of my way.
I understand your predicament because I'm what people call a "Banana man". It hurts when they say "OCBC" too but I am just what I am.
ReplyDeleteI made a call once, and the receiver spoke in Mandarin. I immediately asked: "Can you speak English?" - politely of course.
It's all got to do with stereotypical minds. You see a Chinese, you speak Mandarin. You see a Malay, you speak B.Malaysia. You see other races, you either speak English or B.Malaysia, not knowing that they could speak Chinese!
Thank goodness i don't live in large cities like in KL. They despise non-Chinese speaking Chinese like nobody's business.