Deflect those compliments of your flowing blonde locks of hair.

[anhnha]

A video explaining the difference in Japanese/American "humble" culture. Nothing wrong with either, but if you go to Japan, you need to be humbler. Deflect those compliments of your flowing blonde locks of hair.

Could you explain a bit about the bold sentence? What does it mean?

 

[tzfujimino]

Hello, anhnha.:-D
I might be wrong, but I think it has something to do with this: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotypes_of_blondes
I'm also interested in your query.

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Deflect" means to make little of the compliments and to be humble.

Thanks, but it's no big deal.
Thanks, but it's only hair.

 

[anhnha]

Thank you, tzfujimino and Mike!
Do you perceive "flowing blonde locks of hair" to be negative in that sentence?

 

[MikeNewYork]

No.

 

[tzfujimino]

"Deflect" means to make little of the compliments and to be humble.

Thanks, but it's no big deal.
Thanks, but it's only hair.

I think many Japanese people would respond to you by saying something like 'No, no, it's very beautiful.'
Please imagine you and I meet at a party. You said, 'Oh, you're wearing a nice jacket', and I said, 'No, it's not nice./Not really.' I know it's an unnatural dialogue - I translated it into English literally - but how would you respond to that? I think we(=Japanese) tend to show humbleness/humility by saying no to compliments.

 

[tzfujimino]

So, the link has nothing whatsoever to do with your query.
Please accept my apologies, anhnha.

 

[MikeNewYork]

If the culture is such that accepting compliments is unnatural, then that's what it is. I find it strange. In response to the compliment you mentioned, I would say "Thank you".

 

[tzfujimino]

Thank you, Mike.
Well, as to the original sentence/statement provided by anhnha, I don't think you have to deflect a compliment. You don't have to be 'humbler' by saying 'It's no big deal' or anything similar - '(Thanks.) I'm happy to hear that' is OK to me, at least.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Good to know.

 

[anhnha]

So, the link has nothing whatsoever to do with your query.
Please accept my apologies, anhnha.

I appreciate your help. It is not a problem at all. I didn't know that meaning.