One of the best ways to connect in English is sharing about our cultures.
Today, Lindsay has a special guest who will share three ways to do this.
You’ll learn phrases to use when connecting about culture.
Listen in as they compare Japanese and American culture.
Michael DiGiacomo from Happy English
In today’s episode, Lindsay interviews Michael DiGiacomo of Happy English Podcast.
Michael is a passionate English instructor with over 30 years of experience.
He started his professional English teaching career in Sendai, Japan, in 1994.
Since then he’s worked in international education both in and out of the classroom.
In today’s episode, Michael compares American culture and Japanese culture with Lindsay.
He lived in New York for much of his life and has now moved back to Japan.
Lindsay lived in Japan for a year and a half.
Both talk about the biggest differences they’ve experienced between these cultures.
Contrast of cultures
When Michael moved to Japan, the biggest change he experienced was the food.
He describes the typical American dinner as a combination of starch and protein.
In Japan, there is a variety of vegetables and fruit served with protein.
The portion sizes are also often smaller.
They often serve rice, meat, soup, salad, and other vegetables.
Phrases for comparing cultures
Today you learn phrases to compare different cultures.
This will help you discuss differences between countries.
It allows you to connect while sharing your experiences.
#1: In contrast to
Michael shares that in contrast to the U.S., in Japan, the people don’t barbecue in the summer.
In contrast to Americans, people in Japan don’t grill outside.
This is likely because they don’t want to bother their neighbors with the smoke or the smell of food cooking outside.
It’s not due to disliking grilled meat, because restaurants all over the country allow visitors to grill meat right at their table.
#2: Apples and oranges
This expression is used to compare two different things.
Michael shares that we use the phrase apples and oranges in English to say something is extremely different.
This means it’s so different it can’t even be compared.
One example is recycling, which is taken much more seriously in Japan.
Everything is separated and a lot more effort is put in by consumers to prepare items to be recycled.
When recycling a plastic bottle, they remove the label, the cap, and even the plastic ring under the cap.
The bottle, the cap, and the ring are put out for recycling on different days.
#3: Whereas in…
This is a connecting phrase to show the difference between things.
Lindsay and Michael shared that in the U.S., most restaurants are happy to customize your order.
For example, you can ask for a salad instead of the vegetable that accompanies an entree.
You could also ask for something to be removed or a variety of substitutions.
Substitutions are common in the U.S., whereas in Japan, things are usually more fixed.
Usually, you order off the menu and special requests aren’t as common.
Connecting over culture
Countries and cultures can be very different.
Rather than letting this keep us from making connections, we should connect over our cultures.
Talking about your experiences shouldn’t be limited to similarities.
You can most definitely contrast your culture with those you are able to experience.
Connect with someone by sharing what you do differently at home.
Takeaway
Learn about and discover the customs and traditions of other countries.
This will give you a chance to connect about similarities and differences between cultures.
The phrases shared today by Michael are very easy to use and will make your conversation more dynamic.
Check out the Happy English podcast.
He discusses many interesting topics that can help you with your English learning journey.
Michael’s bio
Michael was born and raised in New York, so he’s a native New Yorker and English speaker.
He’s a passionate English instructor with over 30 years experience helping people speak English better. Michael started his professional English teaching career in Sendai, Japan in 1994. Since then he’s worked in international education both in and out of the classroom.
In 2010, Michael started Happy English, a website and podcast dedicated to helping people learn and use English. He’s the author of 6 English learning books and offers both group and private English lessons.
Do you have other phrases you can share to talk about contrasting cultures?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
