ABSTRACT
A friend from Taiwan, who learned to speak English fluently before moving to the United States, was puzzled the first time an American said to her, “You bet!” Was this really a request to make a bet? Once I pulled up my car at a filling station in Taiwan and said to the attendant, in Chinese: “High gasoline 500”—a short-hand and common way to request: “I would like you to add 500 NT dollars [about 20 USD] of high grade gasoline.” The attendant looked at me confused and did not respond. I repeated my request, and the attendant continued to look at me, speechless. I then said, “I’m speaking to you in Chinese. I want you to add 500 NT of high grade gasoline.” Only then did the attendant respond and add fuel to the tank.
