Question

"There is no silence in the east "Discuss?​

Answer 1

In 1963, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel sang about The Sounds of Silence. A West African proverb states, "Silence is also speech." English poet Thomas Carlyle translated the phrase "Silence is Golden" from German in his book Sartor Resartus in 1831. In the 6th century, Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu claimed that "Silence is a source of great strength.”

Clearly, silence is something of import to cultures from around the world. Yet, do we know what it means? There is no universal definition. How silence is used depends upon the culture as well as the situation.

How Much Silence Is Acceptable?

Many Asians are comfortable with a minute or two of silence; while Canadians and Americans are generally uncomfortable with more than a second of silence in conversations. This is exaggerated in cultures such as Italians and Latin Americans where people often interrupt or talk over each other, so there is never silence.

Silence When Asked a Question

In many Asian countries, it is considered polite to pause for a few seconds before answering a question to show that you have reflected upon the question and your response, thus demonstrating sufficient gravitas. Contrasting to this are many Western countries where silence is viewed as a void that must be filled. In these cultures, if they cannot answer a question immediately, people are concerned that the speaker may think that they do not know the answer.

Imagine the confusion this could cause in a conversation between a Malaysian and an American. When the Malaysian doesn't respond immediately, the American says something else, hoping to elicit a response from the Malaysian; while the Malaysian is waiting for silence so that they may rejoin the discussion.