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| Twist on light bulb |
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| Screw on light bulb |
I had an experience recently when purchasing a light bulb at a shop owned by a Pakistani who speaks very little English. Not only was I left amused, but I was equipped with some invaluable cross-cultural communication lessons which I am proud to advise you about today.
When I told him that I wanted a light bulb, he wanted to know which type. I told him that I wanted the clip-on type with the two small pins sticking out on top. All the while, I wondered why he was making weird gestures with his hands. After walking for a hundred metres or so, I realised that he had sold me the screw-on type of bulb with threads as opposed to the pin type that I had asked for.
