Tsukuba Monogatari: Sixteenth post
The Japanese have a saying, “Hear one, understand ten,” which I got to see embodied when I asked Koizumi-san about the route to Narita by car.
He replied, “I could take you on Friday, but I don’t know about Sunday (when I return).” “For goodness sake, Koizumi-san,” I said, “I’m not asking you to drive me there; I just want some information.”
You have to really watch what you say around here, surrounded by Japanese ears so finely attuned to implication (that may be imagined rather than intended). This, I believe, is why the Japanese value silence. If you keep your mouth shut, it’s harder to stick your foot in it.
“Foot in mouth.” Courtesy of Brad. Licensed under cc by NC 2.0
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