What are attitudes about time in the culture(s) you are studying? Are these attitudes reflected in the language?
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What are attitudes about time in the culture(s) you are studying? Are these attitudes reflected in the language?
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Generally, time in India is perceived differently than in the US. Being a polychronic society, according to Trompenpaar' s culture dimensions, people and relationships are seen as more important than time. For instance, someone would rather help a good friend risking not being on time for a meeting. Also, if there is a party set for 8pm, the guests usually start coming 30 minutes after the event has begun. This is not meant to be offensive to the host, but rather perceived as normal. Besides, there is a lot of traffic, especially in the big cities, which is why people tend to have understanding if someone arrives late for an appointment.
However, in business and important official events being on time has become a crucial necessity for many Indian employees. This is even more true for companies conducting business in the outsourcing sector.
As India is getting more and more westernized, it has become common to make an appointment at a certain time, for example at 4pm. Prior to India's market liberalization in 1989, people were a little bit more relaxed about time, not minding if someone came late to a meeting. So, if an Indian meets with you at 9am to have breakfast, you would be there at 10 past 9. Although, if you had a business conference or so, you would have to be on time.
Reference: Human Communication. A Publication of the Pacific and Asian Communication Association.
Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.119 - 138. (By Young-Ok Lee, Kyung Hee University, ROK)
In ancient times in Korea, punctuality was expected only of those who had to do manual work, for instance, the women and those belonging to lower classes who did physical work for wages. Hence, punctuality was associated with low class and those from the noble families did not consider it a virtue. 'Bujireonhata' is an adjective meaning diligence in manual work, and is usually applied to women and not men. This shows the attitude of time from ages ago being reflected in the language.
Another example is- After the Japanese occupation, 'ppali, ppali' (Quick, quick) became a popular saying in South Korea in order to motivate workers to work towards overcoming poverty and economic depression following the withdrawal of the Japanese. Along and after this, the westernization of South Korea further enhanced the development of punctuality as a desired virtue. Therefore, in modern Korea, people are expected to be diligent and on time.
Based on my findings, I have surmised that Korean views on time and punctuality are quite similar to that of the US. Punctuality is important in South Korea and being on time is highly recommended. As with business meetings in the US, it is recommended to arrive at the appointment early. However, business people are busy and have hectic schedules which may cause them to be late occasionally. In Korean culture, it is best to be courteous and to not display any negative emotions if someone is late to meet you. Notifying the person that you are going to meet to let them know that you are running late is preferred as well and is considered a major investment.
South Koreans stress the importance of work and being punctual because the culture of working extremely hard is embedded in its society. One’s education, income, and job dictate how one’s status will be in society. This is a society in which one's education will play a large part in who one will marry in the future.
In Korean culture, being on time is really important in a business setting. Especially in meetings, being on time and punctual is highly valued. Being late is a sign of rudeness to your coworkers and elders. However for friends, time is more relaxed and not as strict.
In the past there used to be a term called "Korean time" that refers to the inability of Koreans being punctual to their appointments. One reason for their lateness is that back then, most Koreans were farmers or lived in the countryside. And so traveling from one place to another would take a serious amount of time. But as Korea became more westernized, being on time or early to appointments is becoming more common in Korean society. These days, Korean time sometimes refers to being 5 minutes early to an appointment and sometimes it refers to being late to an appointment. About half of Koreans believe that Korean time is no longer existent and another half believe that it still is widespread in society. Therefore whether Korean time still exist today depends on who you ask.
Despite that, Koreans are still late to appointments. One difference though is that it's become more common today than back then. The reason for this is cell phones. Especially in Korea, cell phones are heavily used, more so than the U.S. And so by using a cellphone, the user is able to call the other person and notify them that they're going to be late. Hence the convenience that cell phones offer has led to this overall trend.
But overall Koreans do value being on time thanks to influences by American culture.
Israelis are punctual people. They show up on time for meetings, transportation scheules are accurate, and being more than 20 minutes late for anything is considered extremely rude. Israelis approach time very similarily to Americans in that they value promptness and efficiency, but they also value and are willing to spend time on things like a coffee date with a friend. The biggest difference in Israellis and Americans in reference to time is that in Israel many people particularly religious people still use the Hebrew calendar. Israelis primarily use the Gregorian calendar in their daily lives, but many institutions, government ministries, websites, official documents, etc. display both dates simultaneously and calendars show both dates.
What I found really interesting is this attitude in regards to time is reflected in how Indian's tell time. Because the use of cell phones and other devices, and the highly punctual culture we live in, when my friend asks me what time it is, I will often say it to the minute ( ex. "it's three thirty-six"). In India however, the standard answer to the question "what time is it?" is normally one of 4 answers. Either it is the hour, a quarter past, half past, our a quarter till. It would be very odd for someone to say it is three thirty-six in India.
Koreans in general used to be not specific about their time references. They would say, "Let's meet around lunch time." without specifying what exact time that is. Even concerts and seminars would start twenty to thirty minutes after the scheduled time. Buses would rarely leave on time. In case of meetings, if someone had agreed to meet at 9:30 am, people would come at around 10:00 am. Koreans used to call it "Korean time", which means not on time. Koreans are also often criticized for their short-term orientation. The government is said to lack long-term planning and corporations often pursue short-term profits.
However, in more recent years, Koreans are trying to be more punctual. They impose penalties on latecomers. Koreans can be understanding if someone is ten to fifteen minutes late. If someone is fifteen to thirty minutes late, they will still be excused if they have a valid reason. On the other hand, keeping someone waiting for more that thirty minutes can be taken as an insult. I have observed in a lot of Korean dramas that in case of appointments related to work, people are very strict about being punctual. But I have also noticed cases where even though people are berated for being late, the employers tend to mostly excuse them.
Koreans are also becoming more conscious of time management than before. They have started to see time as limited resource and want to use it as efficiently as possible because they feel pressured in a busy Korean society. For instance, Korean dramas show how students have multiple part-time jobs, one before going to school, one after school and the number increases during the breaks. Nevertheless, it does not help them to slow down. In fact, they are notorious for rushing as "palli palli" (hurry hurry) is heard everywhere. If a driver does not move at the speed of the other drivers, he will get honked at from all sides. One of the reasons for this change is that the rapid changes in technology are always pushing Koreans to move forward so that they do not get behind. As a result, it is common to see people constantly checking their phones on subway, at cafes and even in schools. They are also very impatient when standing in line.
An interesting fact is that Koreans do not equate time with money. It is rare for anyone to charge by man-hour. Instead they are paid for a specific task or project. For instance, if an electrician pays visit to a home but is not able to fix the problem even after working for hours, he will not be paid. Similarly, employers often ask subordinates to run personal errands and work overtime without paying them extra.
In Indian culture..people are never on time. That's just the reality. A time is usually set for a program or meeting but rarely are people actually on time. This is very different from American culture, where most people are always one time and are respectful of other people's time. Also, at get-togethers Indians can keep a conversation going forever. Even when they get to the door to say goodbye, they'll spend another 20 minutes talking.
There generally is not a big emphasis placed on being time. However, there are exceptions for very important meeting, etc. Also, when it comes to business and work, people are always on the go, as work is fast-paced and busy as well. With a population as big as India's it's rare to see someone moving slowly out on the streets. Streets are full of vendors, little kids, autos,etc.
In Korean business culture, it is expected to show up on time. Just like American culture, it is okay to be late, but not often. However, if it involves more leisurely activities, there is no emphasis on being punctual. It is expected to be on time, but it is okay if you are not. The more important thing to address is accommodating the elders. If a party is held, it is okay to be late as long as there are enough seats to be distributed for the elders or people of honor.
There is a strange paradox in Korean time, where Koreans are generally late, but are always in a rush. Because of this, there is a running joke of being "on time" and being "Korean on time." Koreans are generally impatient due to the fact that they are often running behind schedule and do not show up on time. Interestingly enough, this may be the cause of the high rate of traffic accidents in Korea.
This attitude is reflected in the Korean language. There is a word in Korean, "ppali" which means "quickly." Korea has a "ppali ppali" culture and people are often seen holding their coffee cups before the coffee has finished dispensing and drinking their beverages before they have even paid for the item.
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