> It's also worth considering that perhaps there is a language difference > (does Hans have English as a first language?) that make it seem that the > email seem harsher than it really is. Many Europeans are naturally very > honest with what they say and at first this comes across as been rude/blunt > etc (especially to people who rarely consider the world outside there own > borders).
Quite true. And while it certainly looks like Hans' was angry or at least frustrated, I for one, consider my English better than the average among Finns but often don't have a clue how my English messages sound for a native. They are probably full of grammar errors, making them sound careless/negligent and contain words that sound funny/obsolete or expressions that are not exactly suitable in the situation. In a face-to-face conversation these shortcomings are compensated by body language. A slightly raised tone of voice is immediately reflected on the other person's face so you don't have to exaggerate like in email. - Jarno
