In the previous article, I mentioned some differences I noticed between the English and Arabic languages, and how they might actually be deeper than they may appear. At first glance, some lingual differences could appear negligible; in that article, I talked about how Saudis say, “Where’s the food?”, whereas in English it’s almost always, “Where’s my food?”, and how that — in my estimation — possibly demonstrates a cultural difference between Saudi and western cultures.

Now, there’s another difference I’ve been paying attention to. Know what it is? You should, it’s littered throughout that entire first paragraph. Look at these words I used and see if you notice a pattern: “might,” “may,” “could,” “in my estimation” and “possibly.” If you couldn’t find the pattern by now, I’ll summarize it in one word: Cautiousness. These are cautious words; they are telling the reader, “These are my views which I firmly believe, but I will soften my opinion with these words to maintain a cautious tone.”

This lack of confidence may just be common talk being apprenticed to the scientific language. In many fields of science (say, a study on the effects of a drug), one must be very cautious when publishing a study. You can’t simply say, “Drug X can cure depression.”

Rather, scientists subdue the literature with moderating elements, and that last sentence becomes something like, “It was observed that Drug X was linked to a decrease in certain depression symptoms.” This is understandable, as care is essential in these issues, because a reader might get too excited, misinterpret the findings and do something detrimental to his health or even his life, like ingesting Drug X immediately and without medical supervision. But why is this prevalent everywhere in English, even when simply conversing with someone?

More than caution, I think it’s about fear — fear of being contradicted, refuted, belittled. I really see a pattern of this meek style of talking in English that’s not found in Arabic. Here’s a comparison between how a Saudi and an English-speaker talk:

• Saudi: “Car X is THE BEST thing that company ever produced!”

English: “Car X is possibly the best thing that company produced in recent years.” Words like “recent years” also add another element of caution, as if he fears someone mocking his knowledge about cars and pointing out a car made decades ago that’s better than this one.

• Saudi: “I stumbled on the best biryani (a rice dish) you will ever taste! You must try it!”

English: “I came across a burger place which I found very delicious. I recommend it if you feel like eating a burger one day.” Notice how this guy says that he found it delicious, as if cautious not to believe the other person would find it delicious as well. Look at the use of “I recommend it,” words that temper the person’s excitement to nearly indifferent levels, as if to say, “this is my personal opinion, so don’t blame me if you don’t like it.” Words like “if you feel like eating a burger” seem to say, “I don’t want you to go there right now, because there’s a chance you might not like it.” And “one day” just kills the last shred of enthusiasm the recommender had for this tasty burger. I cannot muster any excitement when hearing a sentence qualified in such paranoid fashion.

So when you listen to people talking about things in English, pay attention to these little details: You may find that what I’ve said (which is only my personal opinion) might carry some degree of truth in it!