Job Discussion Forums

[Deconstructor]

I have taught among others, Germans, French, Italians, Russians, Swiss, Spanish, Tunisians, Algerians, Egyptians, Moroccans, Lebanese, Saudis, Iranians, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Koreans, Japanese, Mexicans, Peruvians, Venezuelans, Brazilians, Argentineans, Chileans Colombians and Haitians.

I�d have to say that the most arrogant of them all are the Brazilians. Almost all of them wear T-shirts, watches, flip-flops or some other piece of clothing that has the ironic Brazilian flag on it. Most of them constantly compare everything in North America to Brazil and of course things are so much better in Brazil. Portuguese is of course better than English.

The second place goes to the French from France as apposed to Quebecers. These guys don�t wear the flag, but just try and make a single error in their language and you shall be crucified, brought down, shot and pissed on. And again, things are much better in France (as long as you�re white and French and not black or Arabic, in which case you shall be ghettoized and forgotten.)

Third place goes to Venezuelans. Most of them walk into the classroom as if it was built by their grandparents, lay on the chairs and speak Spanish. They believe that their country is one of the richest in the world because of oil, yet they can�t explain why there are so many poor in Venezuela. This is how they also arrive to the brilliant conclusion that in order to learn English one must speak Spanish in class.


What is your list?

[ls650]

I don't think you can categorize by nationality. For example, I did a motorcycle tour in India several years ago. The others on the tour were mostly Germans - and some of them were among the worst a##holes I've met in my life - but some of them were really decent people.

[Deconstructor]

[basiltherat]

i used to witness a lot of arrogance among the yuppy middle-class of jakartans when i was in indonesia ... you know; the guys who walk around shopping centres holding and jangling their car keys or blocking public doorways talking on their mobile phones.
i used to get great laughs. superb ! Is it still something you see a lot there ? Many also used to think (and probably still do) that Indonesia was God's gift to the world. Like ooooh, 'what would happen to the world if it weren't for us ?' Wonderful !
best
basil

[Malsol]

Shanghaiese because they believe their own press.

[mondrian]

Rich Italian teen-age girls "learning" English in a London Insitute

They had to come to class because that was the only way we could get "back at them" with their parents. Apart from that they indulged in a game of one-upmanship (?one- upgirlship) in Italian, moving the circle of classroom chairs around for their convenience; constantly complaining about the air quality in the room (did I use any deodorant that day?) and totally ignoring any prepared (preset by the bosses) lesson for that day.
Going to the toilet was their excuse for a complete face makeover.
Still have the occasional nightmare about them!

[sultansofping]

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

Where do the most arrogant students come from?

From the families of the nouveau riche ...

[tedkarma]

Until they were quickly, and firmly, taught not to - my Saudi students would snap their fingers for you to come to their assistance.

You only had to kick one out of class for that though - and the behavior quickly changed.

But, every country has some degree of it. Even when I lived in Botswana people would ask me, "What do you think of Botswana beef in American, isn't it the best in the world?" I always hesitated to tell them that most of America had no idea Botswana even existed, no less that they produced beef. . . Otherwise, wonderful people though.

[dajiang]

Spoiled upper class if you'd ask me.

That's the same in any country. The people who have the least to complain about complain the most.

Dajiang

[Stephen Jones]

[dan_lawrence]

IMHO arrogance can only be discussed within a given culture by those who are part of that culture. To do otherwise would be arrogant.

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

[dan_lawrence]

To: Sheikh Inal Ovar

What the H*** are you talking about?

[Stephen Jones]

The point he is making dan is that your suggestion would preclude anybody else who experiences the attitude of the dominant culture from commenting.

You might be correct about attitudes within a group, but a group is not going to be able to judge how its members treat those outside the group.