Learn what topics you should avoid during small talk in Bulgarian
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Intro |
|---|
| Michael: What topics are taboo in Bulgaria? |
| Yana: And what are some things you should avoid doing? |
| Michael: At BulgarianPod101.com, we hear these questions often. Let's imagine that Karen and her friend, Aleksandra, are drinking coffee and chatting. The atmosphere is good, but everything changes when Karen asks, |
| "What do you think of legalizing marijuana?" |
| Karen Lee: Какво мислиш за легализирането на марихуаната? (Kakvo mislish za legaliziraneto na marihuanata?) |
| Dialogue |
| Karen Lee: Какво мислиш за легализирането на марихуаната? (Kakvo mislish za legaliziraneto na marihuanata?) |
| Aleksandra Borisova: Нека да говорим за нещо друго. (Neka da govorim za neshto drugo.) |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Karen Lee: Какво мислиш за легализирането на марихуаната? |
| Michael: "What do you think of legalizing marijuana?" |
| Aleksandra Borisova: Нека да говорим за нещо друго. |
| Michael: "Let's talk about something else. " |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: In this lesson, we will talk about some taboo topics in Bulgaria. This is about providing you with some general information about Bulgarian culture, so that you have what you need when it comes to conversations about sensitive topics, or in order to avoid making a blunder. |
| Let's get started. As we've already pointed out, one sensitive issue is the legalization of marijuana or |
| Yana: легализирането на марихуаната (legaliziraneto na marihuanata) |
| Michael: Another sensitive topic is that of "Turkish and Romany minorities," called |
| Yana: турски и ромски малцинства (Turski i romski maltsinstva) |
| Michael: The topic of ethnicity in general is quite a sensitive one, but especially when discussing Turkish or the nomad minorities who live in ghettos. |
| Michael: Another rather sensitive issue is that of "homosexuality," or |
| Yana: хомосексуалност (homoseksualnost) |
| Michael: Homosexuality is still a very sensitive topic in Bulgaria, as is in many parts of the world, and some people might get very passionate about it—especially orthodox christians in Bulgaria. Proceed with caution! |
| And, speaking of religion, |
| Yana: Религия (Religiya) |
| Michael: it is worth pointing out that this could also be a sensitive topic for many people in the country. Even though orthodox Bulgarians have cohabited with Muslims under the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries, it took a lot of struggle for them to preserve the right to practice their religion undisturbed. As a result, in modern day Bulgaria, you can meet people who are still triggered by the activity of mosques in some cities. |
| You might also want to steer clear of talking about "Bulgarian heritage," |
| Yana: българско наследство (Balgarsko nasledstvo) |
| Michael: For example, it is important to remember that "Cyrillic is not the Russian alphabet." |
| Yana: Кирилицата не е руската азбука (Kirilitsata ne e ruskata azbuka) |
| Michael: Cyrillic is not the same thing as the Russian alphabet. Foreigners sometimes make this mistake and wonder why it can be offensive to some Bulgarian people. We will clarify this later on. |
| Discussing the Bulgarian heritage might easily lead to a discussion of a political nature. Like the "Macedonian question" |
| Yana: Македонски въпрос (Makedonski vapros) |
| Michael: It deals with the identification of Macedonian people, and heritage prior to and after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. You may hear many Bulgarians claiming that their Macedonian neighbours are actually Bulgarians, speaking a dialect version of the language, to which the latter fervently object. So, even though this subject might be more sensitive to Macedonians, to avoid upsetting anyone, it is best to stay away from the topic. |
| [Summary] |
| Michael: We have now discussed six different topics that could be controversial in Bulgaria, but just remember that it always depends on the individual you are talking to. These are just general guidelines and overall Bulgarian people tend to be tolerant towards foreigners' lack of knowledge on their taboo topics. |
| Cultural Insight |
| Michael: Not only is Cyrillic not the Russian alphabet, but the Cyrillic script actually originated in Bulgaria. That's why Bulgarian people might get upset when foreigners call it the "Russian alphabet"! To start a friendly conversation you could say something like, "I was surprised to find out that Cyrillic originated in Bulgaria!" |
| Yana: С изненада установих, че кирилицата произхожда от България. (S iznenada ustanovih, che kirilitsata proizhozhda ot Bŭlgariya) |
| Michael: I'm sure the person you are talking to will be pleased! |
Outro |
| Michael: That's all for this lesson. Do you have any more questions? We're here to answer them! |
| Yana: До скоро! |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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