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While the clash between the monochronic and polychronic perceptions of time can rifle the best of intentions in international settings, similar challenges can occur within a co-culture. In the United States, the Hawaiian culture provides an example of how co-cultures can clash. Two time systems exist in Hawaii, where “the Polynesians live somewhere between two time systems: Haole time and Hawaiian time. When you hear someone say “See you at two o’clock haole time,” that means that they will see you at precisely two o’clock. But if you hear someone say, “I will be there at two o’clock Hawaiian time” then the message has an entirely different meaning. This is because Hawaiian time is very lax and basically means “when you get there.” Within the Native American community, the same relaxed concern for punctuality is dominant. Comments like "We're on Indian time, as usual" is commonly heard at many community events. Elders give calming reassurance that things "will happen when they happen" and "things happen when they are supposed to happen", implying there is a reason behind it all, even if it might not be apparent at the moment. Moreover, it is a common vernacular for individuals originating from polychronic areas that are inhabiting a monochronic envirnment, to joke about their laxed chronal habits- humoursly saying comments like, "we follow DST time zone - Desi standard time."
Read on >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronemics
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