[Buddha-l] FW: Three year Research Associate, UK, Indian & Buddhist theories of self

[Richard Hayes]

On Thursday 02 August 2007 20:13, Stephen Hodge wrote:

> It is also surprising to note that several forms of English now spoken in
> these parts are completely lacking in the words "please" and "thank-you",
> although a vestigial equivalent of "please" is often heard in the form of
> "gimme".  Has the same phenomena arisen over there ?

North America is a big continent (although global warming should bring it down 
to a more medest size). Customs vary widely. In New Mexico, people tend to be 
quite polite, still saying "sir" and "ma'am" much of the time. Their are 
expressions used here that are less common elswhere in the United States.
When people invite one to do something such as taking a seat, they often 
say "Go ahead and sit down." Following the principle that the more syllables 
a phrase has, the more honourific it is, "Go ahead and..." is more honourific 
than "Please." In place of "Thank you," it's common in these parts to say "I 
appreciate it." (or, if one is a cowboy, "preciate it"), which again has more 
syllables. In lieu of "you're welcome" people around here usually say "You 
bet." I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, but it was in vogue long 
before the casinos popped up on all the Indian reservations.

I am waiting to see whether any local ways of speaking find their way into 
Buddhist liturgy. In the few Christian churches I've been to in Albuquerque, 
it is customary to sing hymns or chant the doxology in both English and 
Spanish. The Quakers are slient in both languages. This pleasant bilingual 
custom has not yet taken root among any of the Buddhist outfits I have seen. 
Maybe in Las Cruces or Santa Fe the Buddhists go for refuge in Spanish, but 
not in Albuquerque.

So long,
Richard