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Entry 1: I never thought I'd feel the need to post here.


TheCriticalMrHits

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No names, because this isn't vindictive in any way. The 'perpetrator's words were without malicious intent, so I harbor no ill will.

 

 

Scene:

 

An unnamed public location, late night.

Not packed, but not dead.

Local chat is actually lively and fun, and even people just joining the location start in on the conversation.

All is going well, when someone whose native tongue isn't English (they speak it very well though, you'd be hard pressed to guess it), whom I've chatted with frequently,  not a random person, says something in jest, but it happens to be a phrase that is very popular in American slang right now, and has a very big, very negative meaning. 

Local chat goes quiet for a bit, as do I. 

My mind attached the slang meaning to the phrase as soon as I read it, so I'm sitting in mild shock, reeling a bit from the unexpected words.

I realize rather quickly that she probably doesn't know the slang meaning (being from another country) and try to 'bounce back' in Local with a few more posts, but the damage is done.

This particular phrase (we'll say it was about me joking around too much, because I'll give it away if I actually say what this person said) has trapped me. Everything I post in Local chat from that point on makes me look foolish, no matter what I say. Seeing that I'm out of options, I leave the location.

 

I send the "perpetrator' a PM asking them what they meant and as I suspected, they are surprised and very apologetic, so of course there is no harm done between us. 

 

The 'harm' stayed in the location, where (in the eyes of those reading) I basically got cut down in one fatal masterstroke and floundered around for a few minutes before dying quietly. My concern is that everyone who was there that night will have a low opinion of the person who said it, when they were actually making a rather funny jab at me that should've been harmless, if not for the negative tone the phrase has in current American slang.

 

Anyway, as I mentioned in the topic title, I just felt the need to put this one up somewhere, and I thought this would be an appropriate place. It's just something to think about when socializing with people from around the world. Slang is a tricky subject, even without the problems that can occur when speaking outside your native language.

 

P.S. if you've figured out who I am through reading this, please do not share that info publicly. PM me in game if you want confirmation of my identity (though I won't tell you who said it, nor what they actually said). Thank you for your consideration.

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Wow, literally the first topic I ever start and right out of the gate I'm getting shot at... Damn you're good!

 

 

Now for the serious note:

Thanks for taking the time to read and respond!

I took nothing personal. I knew it was just a harmless joke gone awry.

The reason I felt it was worth posting in here is the fact that it was one sentence that literally shut me down in Local, and there was nothing I could do to turn it back around.

That's either a very unfortunate joke or an epic shot planned out by a diabolical mastermind.

The fact that is was an unfortunate joke is what made me decide to post it.

 

I do agree that there are good apples and bad apples everywhere... Sad but true. I bet a bad apple splits apart really nicely when sniped though...

 

 

Oh and the moral:

Online communities are worldwide, and not everyone is fluent in the same language, so miscommunication is going to happen, and we should be mindful of that, even forgiving when it does occur.

that's my message more than anything.

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Well, it is extremely subjective and impossible to give any sort of meaningful response without knowing what was said, by the initiator at least. Having said that, I'll pull anyone up on anything that I think is particularly offensive and, in your situation, realising that they were esl, with an explanation.

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Half my friend list is American, and yes their has been a few times where something I say which has no disrespectful meaning to Australians has turned out to be highly offensive to my American friends. Normally however they will politely tell me and after discussing the different meanings  each of us has, we move on no harm done. Sadly though some people in Local and World, will seize on someone's innocent mistake and make it into a full blown rant, because it's what they get off on.

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Well, it is extremely subjective and impossible to give any sort of meaningful response without knowing what was said, by the initiator at least. Having said that, I'll pull anyone up on anything that I think is particularly offensive and, in your situation, realising that they were esl, with an explanation.

Yeah, sorry the details are so vague, but I'm not a fan of drama at all, so I will do everything in my power to prevent it, including muddling down a story by excluding any details that could cause it. I realize now that I should've addressed it in Local, but I was more focused on the statement itself at first, being shocked that it was said. My mistake was trying to play it off like it wasn't a big deal, which it wasn't, but it looked and acted like a big deal, to all those who read it, so I ended up looking like a pushover... While the initiator ended up looking like a cruel person...

 

Half my friend list is American, and yes their has been a few times where something I say which has no disrespectful meaning to Australians has turned out to be highly offensive to my American friends. Normally however they will politely tell me and after discussing the different meanings  each of us has, we move on no harm done. Sadly though some people in Local and World, will seize on someone's innocent mistake and make it into a full blown rant, because it's what they get off on.

I'm really glad that the only thing that happened was Local chat grinding to a halt, instead of a rant... Credit that to me being a newbie and having no friends in game (i have people on my friends list, but nothing substantial yet)... No one comes to the defense of someone they don't know. The one time I'm actually glad that I'm bad at 3DXChat!

 

I appreciate you both reading and responding

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Half my friend list is American, and yes their has been a few times where something I say which has no disrespectful meaning to Australians has turned out to be highly offensive to my American friends. Normally however they will politely tell me and after discussing the different meanings  each of us has, we move on no harm done. Sadly though some people in Local and World, will seize on someone's innocent mistake and make it into a full blown rant, because it's what they get off on.

 

 

well what ever but americans have to learn that this is world wide not just theirs.

 

thats not in anyway offencive its just how it is

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well what ever but americans have to learn that this is world wide not just theirs.

 

thats not in anyway offencive its just how it is

First of all, Its not a one way street. for example i was in world yesterday and made a joke to a friend about  going dutch treat and a dutch oven and some dutch person freaked out on me. So dont act like its just Americans 

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First of all, Its not a one way street. for example i was in world yesterday and made a joke to a friend about  going dutch treat and a dutch oven and some dutch person freaked out on me. So dont act like its just Americans 

 

 

 

think you need to read all the comments and i commented like that cos it was a american who got offended... missed that didnt you lol

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not at all but since you were generalizing all Americans because of of one persons actions i felt the need to call you out on it. 

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I never troll, just correct people when they insult an entire country over one persons actions. that would be like me saying all Japanese are evil because of pearl harbor. that is equally as dumb as your post. Adios 

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I never troll, just correct people when they insult an entire country over one persons actions. that would be like me saying all Japanese are evil because of pearl harbor. that is equally as dumb as your post. Adios 

 

 

bah your not worth it....

 

 

rule 1 dont feed trolls

rule 2 see rule 1 lol

 

 

 

so im not going to feed you

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My comment was made in reference to the initial one posted, I am not saying it may be the case with ALL Americans, and yes these misunderstandings can occur with any nationality. I can only suggest you 'find a mate and drink some piss', as this doesn't need to be blown out of proportion. :) 

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think you need to read all the comments and i commented like that cos it was a american who got offended... missed that didnt you lol

 

I think I'm the American you mention in this post and I never got offended. Shocked because it was unexpected, but never offended.

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