Originally Posted by
Yaatri
Same as what?
I meant that the words for "post office" and "postal service" are the same in Hong Kong English as they are in US English.
Originally Posted by
Yaatri
You are right that she could have figured out. But she didn't.
Mind works in mysterious ways. Once it strays away from the intended issue, it may not get back to it at all. If the person thought "posting" as posting it on a network depository, her mind was so far from posting/mailing that it couldn't make the connection. It can happen to anyone.
Yes, I am aware of that. I don't mean any insult to this person. This type of thing happens to me too.
Originally Posted by
Yaatri
People who say that Hong Kong or Singapore are English speaking are only partially correct. While they are more English speaking than, say, India, stray a bit further than touristy spots, you will come across plenty of people who barely speak any English at all.
As busy and small as they are, I have been in places in Hong Kong and Singapore, where it was hard to find anyone who understood English. You can even find salesmen who speak little English.
In that case, could it have been an English language barrier rather than a dialect barrier? If she didn't know much English to begin with, then that is an entirely separate matter.