14 November 2007
English Language Expert Discusses American Thanksgiving Holiday
USINFO Webchat transcript, November 13
Damon Anderson, regional English language officer (RELO) at U.S. Embassy Beijing, discussed the values and traditions of the American holiday Thanksgiving during a November 13 English Language Roundtable, which allowed students an opportunity to practice writing in English.
Following is the transcript:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
USINFO Webchat Transcript
English Language Roundtable: The Values, Traditions, and Holiday of Thanksgiving
Guest: Damon Anderson
Date: November 13, 2007
Time: 1:00am EST (0600 GMT)
Question [Diki]: I used to study in U.S. for three years. It's really a happy and fruitful experience for me. In the Thanksgiving day, my American friends invited me for dinner. We prayed and enjoyed the delicious food. What a beautiful memorial! The only thing I felt uncomfortable was that too many turkeys were killed for the holiday. Even after the Thanksgiving finished for several weeks I saw so many turkeys in the supermarket and there was no many people to buy?
Answer [Damon Anderson]: Turkey is the most common main course for a Thanksgiving dinner. Usually there is too much for the one meal and we end up eating turkey soup and turkey sandwiches for the next few days.
Comment [Gianlu]: Have a nice Thanksgiving holiday!!
Damon Anderson: Thank you!!
Q [Chat Participant]: why the turkey is center of thanks giving meal?
Damon Anderson: That is a great question. I think it is because Turkey is one of the fowl that is native to North America and was one of the main courses at the original Thanksgiving dinner.
Q [Chat Participant]: what the origins of thanks giving?
A [Damon Anderson]: For a good source on this, go to: http://www.usemb.se/Holidays/celebrate/thanksgi.html. The original Thanksgiving happened in 1621 in a colony in the new world. The pilgrims, or settlers who came to the New World, were thankful that they were able to get through a whole year and had a great harvest so they could survive the harsh winter. It was a celebration of the harvest. They invited the American Indians who had helped them. The Indians had taught the Pilgrims how to survive and to plant some food such as corn. The Indians brought pop corn to the celebration.
Q [Chat Participant]: how old this thanks giving tradition?
A [Damon Anderson]: As I just mentioned, the original Thanksgiving happened in 1621. So it is an old tradition for those of us in the U.S. But almost every culture has a similar kind of thanks giving around harvest times. In China, for example, it is the Harvest Festival, Chun Chu'ui, and is celebrated with the full moon.
Q [Alejandra2]: Good afternoon, My name is Alejandra and I want to know why this day is really important for USA?
A [Damon Anderson]: Thank you for your question, Alejandra. This day is important for the U.S. because it symbolizes our beginning and the success of the early settlers who struggled against great odds to survive. It is a time for us to reflect on the good things we have and to remind us to be thankful for these things and especially thankful to the people who have helped us.
Q [Naimat Ullah Khan]: LC Karachi: Good day Mr. Anderson, Would you like to tell us what is Thanksgiving? & when it is celebrated?
A [Damon Anderson]: Thanksgiving is always the 4th Thursday in November. As mentioned above, it is a day to give thanks for our families, our friends and neighbors, and all the good things that happened to us throughout the year.
Q [Naimat Ullah Khan]: LC Karachi: Does this US Holiday fits in Asian Culture? what are your observations?
A [Damon Anderson]: Our Thanksgiving is not special to the U.S. only. Similar days are celebrated in other cultures. As I mentioned earlier, in China it is celebrated at the Harvest Festival. The Romans celebrated it on October 4th, in ancient times. Many other cultures celebrate such days.
Q [Naimat Ullah Khan]: LC Karachi: Asia & specially the South East Asia composed of very rich culture & traditions, Does visiting Americans also enjoy these festives? would you like to share some experiences?
A [Damon Anderson]: Yes, many Americans who visit Asian countries like to participate in such celebrations. I was able to celebrate the Autumn Festival with some Chinese friends recently. It was a great time with excellent food! I ate too much!!
Q [Naimat Ullah Khan]: LC Karachi: Dear Anderson, won't it be great to have a separate Website from IIP for English learners which could help out International students/Foreigners?
A [Damon Anderson]: It would be great to have an online classroom for English learners, but that would take some time to develop. In the meantime there are some great sites you can visit to help you. The first I would like to mention is Dave's ESL Cafe. Try it out.
Q [Rachel07]: Hello, I need help to get the information to improve my English in Denver, Colorado. Do you know the university or school that provide English course as free. Thanks, I'm waiting your reply soon.
A [Damon Anderson]: Rachel, Thank you for your question. I am not sure of any FREE courses for English in Denver. Check out the community colleges. They may be able to assist you.
Q [Chat Participant]: thank you. Sir, as a teacher, what activity the pupils will engage in? what activities to observe the holiday? OR is the holiday for home only?
A [Damon Anderson]: This is interesting. Teachers in schools do have lessons about the Thanksgiving holiday. In primary schools, they put on plays and make decorations which can be taken home. In secondary schools, choirs and orchestras perform concerts, there are plays, and students write essays and stories depicting the values of the holiday.
Q [henryzwh2]: Actually, we don't know the origin of Thanksgiving exactly. Thank for God's giving or something else? Is there any interesting story for this?
A [Damon Anderson]: Hi Henry. The most interesting story is the one about the first Thanksgiving. Go to the web site: http://www.usemb.se/Holidays/celebrate/thanksgi.html and check it out.
Q [Kuba]: As we know, eagle symbolizes America. Can you confirm: Mr. Benjamin Franklin was first inspired by turkey as original symbol?
A [Damon Anderson]: Kuba, you are correct. When the founding fathers were selecting a national bird, Ben Franklin wanted it to be the Turkey because it was plentiful and looked majestic and was native to North America. The others vetoed him because they thought the Turkey was not an intelligent bird, and they selected the Eagle.
Q [Chat Participant]: I do know thanksgiving is "day 1 of shopping season" for Christmas gifts. Why this is so? Are gifts exchanged for thanksgiving or only meal?
A [Damon Anderson]: Thanksgiving, on the commercial side, has become to represent the beginning of the Christmas Season. Many, if not most Americans watch the Macey's parade in New York. At the end of the parade is a float with Santa Clause as the main character. His coming marks the beginning of the Christmas Season. Shoppers begin to flood the stores looking for Christmas gifts for family and friends.
Q [Naimat Ullah Khan]: LC Karachi: How is Thanksgiving in USA different from Thanksgiving in China?
A [Damon Anderson]: Naimat, thank you for so many great questions today. One of the biggest differences is the food. The Chinese have moon cakes to represent their festival while the Americans have the Turkey to represent their festival. The Chinese story of how the festival began is more of a myth, while the story of the first American Thanksgiving is a legend. In both countries people give thanks on that day, but in the U.S., we often give the thanks at family gatherings, saying to our loved ones what we were thankful for over the past year.
Q [Naimat Ullah Khan]: LC Karachi: Well I do appreciate the efforts of IIP to assist foreign students to excel in English Language, would you like to share some valuable resources which could help a novice in English? either litrary or Web resources.
A [Damon Anderson]: Naimat Ullah Khan, you can go to the web site of the Office of English Language Programs http://exchanges.state.gov/education/engteaching/eal-res.htm
and find several great links to web resources. There are too many to type in here today.
Comment [Damon Anderson]: Thanksgiving is a holiday for giving thanks, therefore it is named Thanksgiving. Many people have asked me why Americans say thank you so much. It is because we are taught from a young age to value any assistance or gift from someone, no matter how small. Many people have asked why I thank a waiter for pouring me a glass of water. After all, it is his job. Yes, it is his job, but if he does it well and with a smile, I think he deserves a thank-you for that.
Q [Damon Anderson]: Do any of you celebrate a day like Thanksgiving with your family and friends?
Q [henryzwh2]: Thanks, Damon, Now we know much more about the Thanksgiving. Is there any special word, phrase or short term for Thanksgiving in English?
A [Damon Anderson]: Henry, there is no short term for Thanksgiving since it is already just one word. There are slang terms such as Turkey Day, or Gobble Day (gobble being the sound a turkey makes.
Comment [Damon Anderson]: Going back to my comment about saying thank you so much: There was study done that showed that waiters and waitresses that wrote thank you on the check before they handed it to the customer received bigger tips than if they did not write thank you.
Q [henryzwh2]: Fine, we Chinese know that when Thanksgiving time we would like to taste some tender turkey to celebrate although we cannot find turkey meals easily.
A [Damon Anderson]: Henry, that is true. Turkey here is expensive. I do know of one restaurant in Beijing that is serving traditional Thanksgiving meals. It is in the Chaoyang district.
Comment [Kuba]: not in my native land.
A [Damon Anderson]: Kuba, what is your native land?
Comment [Hongro]: Hi Damon. It was pleasure to see you in UB and talk to again. This discussion is very topical to us as we do not know much about the Thanksgiving. And it is the right time.
A [Damon Anderson]: Thank you Hongro. It was great to see you as well. I hope the information you got today was useful. Be sure to go to the web site:http://www.usembse/Holidays/celebrate/thanksgi.html and get more information. Cheers!!
Q [Hongro]: Why is Turkey served for this holiday?
A [Damon Anderson]: Hongro, I tried to answer this earlier. It is because the turkey was served at the original Thanksgiving dinner. It is a fowl native to North America.
Comment [henryzwh2]: Thanks, Damon, Good to know all of this, have a nice Thanksgiving holiday!
Comment [Damon Anderson]: Thank you, Henry. Cheers!!
Comment [Hongro]: Thanks alot Damon. Have a nice Thanksgiving! Cheers!
Damon Anderson: Everyone, I want to thank you all for participating in today's web chat. It was a pleasure to chat with you. You had some really great questions. I look forward to seeing you all for our next web chat December 11th at 2pm Beijing time. In the meantime, HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I am thankful for all of you!!
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
