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It's funny because my Persian friends describe that their relatives expect taarof to be a thing elsewhere. Here's an example: my friend was not in the mood for
by leshokunin 6y ago
It's funny because my Persian friends describe that their relatives expect taarof to be a thing elsewhere.
Here's an example: my friend was not in the mood for breakfast. The host took it as a sign that he was taarofing. He insisted that he wasn't. His persistence was seen as a sign that he really wants breakfast. The only way to make it stop while being polite was to take a bite. He was furious!
- DoofusOfDeath 6y agoDoes taarof have anything like an "safe word", that lets you be 100% clear that you mean what you're saying? It sounds from your story that the answer is no, but I wonder if it's different between close friends or family members where there's less pressure to be impeccably polite.
- riahi 6y agoMy family always used the phrase “taarof nakon”. However, this then leads to recursive questions of “by agreeing to not taarof, did they just agree out of taarof?” I agree with the other poster who hates it; it’s an obnoxious method of social interaction only enjoyed by people who like drama.
- kamyarg 6y agoas far as I know, there is a non-formal rule of three. If someone is refusing three times with the same "degree" of refusal, then they actually don't want it. There is of course also "Be khoda tarof nemikonam" which is "I swear to god I am not tarofing", after this it is usually acceptable/expected to stop it. Edit: Article also mentions the rule of three > There is an unwritten rule of two or three rounds of offering and refusing in taarof.