INTRODUCTION Someone once said “Courtesy is the shortest distance between two people”. That sounds easy to fulfil but when it comes to talk to people from different cultures, we might not be sure that what is respectful in one culture is respectful in another. In this presentation, we share the conclusion of our discussions on the matter giving examples of words, expressions, saying or gestures that can be offensive in our countries.

AHOJ, KÁMO! By addressing someone Ahoj, kámo! (someone Hey, Buddy!) the person could react as they know us, as we are good friends, and they could be too intrusive.

MOJE ADRESA DOMŮ JE… Moje adresa domů je… (My home address is…) You give your address and he/she could find us, although we are not sure that we want to meet him/her.

WAZZUP? CO JE? Wazzup? Co je? (What’s up?) This sounds as if we are good freinds and it could be too intrusive.

When you are visiting a house or flat, it is polite to remove your shoes. It is very impolite to wear your shoes inside the house.

X ΑΛΆΡΩΣΕ !!!! Xαλάρωσε!!! “Relax” (an expression used ironically by you to someone who is mad because of your inappropriate behaviour, somehow relevant to the English expression “chillax”, a combination of chill out and relax!)

ΔΕ ΞΈΡΕΙΣ ΤΙ ΣΟΥ ΓΊΝΕΤΑΙ ! Δε ξέρεις τι σου γίνεται! “ You don’t know what is happening to you!” (when you doubt someone’s contact with reality)

MOUTZA Used to offend someone who behaves in a foolish way, e.g. takes your turn in a queue, forces you to speed up in the traffic light

DOUBLE MOUTZA for more effective results

ΣΙΓΆ ΤΟΝ ΠΟΛΥΈΛΑΙΟ Ή ΣΙΓΆ ΤΑ ΑΥΓΆ ! Σιγά τον πολυέλαιο ή σιγά τα αυγά! “Beware of the chandelier or beware of the eggs!” (when you are trying to devaluate something)

TY ŚMIECIU ! ŚMIECI (‘rubbish’ ), If someone hears it, he / she will be easily offended as it would mean that that person is not needed and does not mean anything to anybody.

TY DARMOZJADZIE ! This expression is often heard by someone who is very lazy, does not do anything, but relies on other people’s work.

TY MARGINESIE SPOŁECZNY ! MARGINES SPOŁECZNY (‘dregs of society’ or ‘underclass’). This expression is humilating, because it means that a person is rejected by the rest of the society

Do not keep your hands in your pockets if your are talking to a person. It is rude.

GRALHA Gralha (a rook- a noisy bird). It is said when you want someone to stop talking or to say that a person is noisy or a chatterbox.

DON’T SPEAK SPANISH… Most Portuguese people can understand Spanish well, but it is very impolite to assume Portuguese is some Spanish dialect. If you want to speak Spanish, ask first if people speak it, or else people might get offended.

ESTOU NA BICHA… Estou na bicha (I am queuing). If you want to refer to a queue of people avoid the word ‘bicha’ which is a derogatory term used to offensively refer to homosexuals. Use the word ‘fila’ instead.

MAIS OU MENOS… When you meet someone who asks you ‘ how are you?´, you shouldn’t reply that you are fine. You keep it in the middle ‘mais ou menos’. Expressing wellness must be kept to yourself to avoid offending the other who might not be so well.

A gesture used by rockers is used to offend implying the person is sleeping with his/her wife or husband.