BBC: the-island-that-never-stops-apologising

[YK1001]

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20181031-the-island-that-never-stops-apologising

I have to admit that this is the first ever time I read about this term in English: Buhaoyisi ( 不好意思 boo-how-eee-suh) .

As spoken, we normally use this when we are trying to interrupt people.

As a feeling, it is more complicated.

Welcome to the linguistic minefield of apologising in Taiwan, where simply saying ‘buhaoyisi’ can open a Pandora’s Box of profuse politeness. The word is made up of four characters that literally translate to ‘bad meaning’ or ‘bad feeling’, and serves as a tidy catch-all that can be deployed in all kinds of situations, from meekly catching a waiter’s attention to expressing a guilt-ridden apology to your boss to the paralysing feeling that washes over you as you struggle to confess your love.

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@catlinging @HankTu @TonyChu

How do you think?

[StephenAbraham]

Certainly one of the most wonderful places to visit and with the most genuinely helpful people around. And the other side of the coin is the island where one can eat, eat and then eat some more, and still not run out of types of food to try.

[Maurice]

台灣是個可愛的國家，溫暖又有人情味的島嶼，我們沒有特別的口頭禪，只是想在人與人之間加入一點溫柔，因為我們享受那自由開括的天空。