The Sound of Finnish Silence|芬兰式的沉默之声

The Sound of Finnish Silence

by Leigh Goldberg

Being quiet doesn't always equal being shy.

　　You're out with a group of friends just having a good time. All of a sudden, a simple question regarding one's favorite movie turns into a heated discussion. _(1)_ Perhaps you stay silent because you don't know how to add anything relevant to the conversation, or you don't think anyone cares about what you have to say. _(2)_ However, this is not the case in Finland.

　　As a positive cultural trait, Finnish silence is the act of actively listening but not immediately and thoughtlessly chiming in. Furthermore, opinions are expressed only when they have relevancy to the topic at hand and not to fill in any uncomfortable silences. For Finns, silent observation is a sign of respect, whereas speaking profusely and interrupting others is rude and offensive. _(3)_ This is not to say that Finns don't know how to make small talk, though, because they do that when the need arises.

　　Finnish silence has been around since before the industrial era, when it was more essential to find food than to have mindless conversations. _(4)_ Finns learn from an early age that silence is quite acceptable and nothing to be looked down upon. The challenge now is for them to break their silence in order to explain this aspect of their culture to people who haven't been raised in a similar fashion. _(5)_

(A) This silence is uncomfortable for cultures that stress keeping conversations going at any cost.

(B) Everyone puts in his or her two cents' worth, except you.

(C) They also see it as a way to preserve harmony with others, themselves, and nature.

(D) In Taiwan and most Western countries, your quietness would be negatively seen as shyness, a reflection of low self-esteem, and a lack of social skills.

(E) That way, they can share all the positives of living in Finnish silence.

 

芬兰式的沉默之声

安静并不总是与害羞划上等号。

　　你正和一群朋友在外面玩得很开心。突然，一个与某人最爱的电影相关的简单问题成了热烈讨论的话题。除了你之外，每个人都各自发表其意见。可能你保持沉默是因为你不知道要如何在对话中加入相关的东西，或是你不认为有任何人会在意你说些什么。在台湾以及大多数西方国家，你的安静会被负面解读为害羞、反映出自信心不足以及缺乏社交技巧。然而，在芬兰却不是这么一回事。

　　以一种积极的文化特质来看，芬兰式的沉默是一种主动聆听的行为，但不会立即而不加思索地插话。此外，只有在有适切话题的时候他们才会表达自己的意见，而不是以令人不自在的沉默来回应。对于芬兰人来说，沉默的观察象征一种尊重，而说很多话又打断别人谈话是很无礼而会得罪人的。他们也把沉默视为一种和他人、自己与大自然保持和谐的方式。然而，这不是说芬兰人不知道如何闲话家常，因为他们在有必要时也会这么做。

　　芬兰式的沉默从工业时代之前到现在都一直存在，当时找寻食物比起没意义的对话来得更重要。这种沉默对于强调不论如何都要把对话持续下去的众多文化来说很不自在。芬兰人从小就知道沉默是普遍能被接受的，且完全不会被人看不起。现前的挑战就是要让他们打破沉默，目的是要向那些不曾在类似环境中长大的人解释他们的文化观点。那样一来，他们就可以以芬兰式的沉默来分享所有生活中的积极面了。

答案： 1. B 2. D 3. C 4. A 5. E