A study conducted by Harvard University says Singaporeans would only say sorry if they have committed a serious mistake, reported Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao.
Apparently, this makes Singaporeans one of the least apologetic people in the world.
According to the study, the word “sorry” carries different definitions for people from different countries.
For example, people from Hong Kong are so used to saying “sorry” that it has become a kind of a formality.
Similarly, people from the UK have used the word so excessively that it has become one of the most common words used in daily life.
The Japanese say sorry when they’ve made a mistake or when they see misfortune - even if the event does not concern them, according to the article in Lianhe Wanbao.
According to the data from the study, the Japanese use the word sorry about 11.05 times a week, while people from the US say it 4.51 times a week.
Koreans link the word “sorry” to “this is my fault” or “I should not have done that”. They are similar to folks in the US who only use the word if they believe they are in the wrong.
Singaporeans on the other hand treat the word very seriously and would only use it if they have made a serious mistake.
Some mental health websites say one of the reasons why folks may shy away from saying sorry is because they feel admitting to a mistake makes them a bad person in general - which obviously is not true.
Many say the ability to recognise your mistakes quickly, apologise and to move on is a great skill that will be useful for leading a better life.
But of course - constantly apologising for trivial matters can be quite irritating, no?
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