A comparison between Vietnam and other nations How Vietnamese use the most secure technologies in the world Discover jobs that are imbued with the sidewalk culture How these systems have developed in Vietnam 60.000 VND GREETINGS AND EXPRESSION THROUGH HANDS HANDS ON STREETS HANDSIGN AND BRAILLE VOL.2, ISSUE 3, SPRING 2023 MICROSCOPE VIETNAM SOCIETY MAGAZINE A “HANDY” MAGAZINE that discover various aspects about “hand” in a Vietnam context FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION

Body language using hands all over the world compare to our nation. Discover about fingerprint identification and how it applied in Vietnam context. 01 WHO ARE WE ? TABLE OF CONTENTS 02 Le Phuong Ha My Photographer Nguyen Le Thach Thao Content Writer I-DENTITY “ CULTURE SHAKE ” (p.4 - p.5) (p.6 - p.7) 2

Handsign and Braille, wonderful systems to materialize the dream of communication. Take a tour around Ho Chi Minh City to witness hardworking, careful hands 03 04 Huynh Ngoc Minh Tu Graphic Designer Tran Nhat Dong Nghi Content Writer CARE-ERS SIGN. TOUCH. (p.8 - p.9) (p.10 - p.11) 3

References: Bose PK and Kabir MJ (2017) ‘Fingerprint: a unique and reliable method for identification’, Journal of Enam Medical College, 7(1):29-34. Kaushal N and Kaushal P (2011) ‘Human identification and fingerprints: a review’, J Biomet Biostat, 2(123):2. 01Written by: Thach Thao Illustrated by: Minh Tu Since ancient times, fingerprints have not been as widely used to identify people as they are today; back then, they were simply a mark on human hands. Determining the uniqueness of each fingerprint has actually required extensive time, research, and analysis from numerous researchers. In Vietnam specifically and overseas generally, there are numerous fingerprint sensor technologies available today for use in the capture of criminals as well as in daily life. I-DENTITY Fingerprint - a tool to identify individuals T he fingerprint industry has advanced significantly with the use of fingerprints to secure personal information and to log into devices in the current “4.0” age. Over time from the early use of fingerprints in ancient Babylonia to their use today as a core technology in biometric security devices. First, finding two people with identical fingerprints is very small. In fact, no two identical fingerprints have ever been found the same. Galton calculated that the probability of finding identical prints was 1 in 64 million. Second, the police also use fingerprint recognition as a crucial tool when apprehending offenders. Fingerprints are a hint and occasionally the key to criminal cases. This computer system, known as AFIS, is used today in identifying suspects of crimes through latent print searches against local, state, and national fingerprints. Presently, an increasing number of law 4

Second millennium BC In Babylon, fingerprints were discovered on clay tabs, seals, and earthenware that had been used to record deeds. the rule of King Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) Law enforcement officers used to take the fingerprints of criminals 1877 William Harschel in India started to use fingerprints on contracts, deeds and registering prisoners. 1880 Dr. Henry Faulds published the first paper on fingerprints in the scholarly journal “Nature”, regarding fingerprints that “every person is different, all life remains unchanging”. 1892 Francis Galton (1822–1911) conducted more thorough research than Dr. Faulds, bringing up the issue of fingerprint classification and encryption. enforcement agencies from Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) member nations, including Vietnam, regularly access and use this system and actively feed fingerprint data into it. In particular, fingerprint scanner technology has been employed extensively in crime investigation work in Vietnam to solve numerous classic cases. Skin spikes that wear the epidermis produce fingerprints because DNA can be matched but not fingerprints, each person’s fingerprint is distinctive, even more so than their DNA. When they reach a particular age, Vietnamese nationals are permitted to collect biometric samples (fingerprints, faces, iris, etc.) in order to preserve national data. Because a fingerprint from one person never matches that of another, fingerprint identification is one of the most secure technologies. As a result, it is possible to limit unwanted access by creating a lock that stores the fingerprints of one or more authorized users and unlocks the system when a match is made. As fingerprint technology advances in Vietnam, almost all homes owned by Vietnamese citizens now have locks that also contain the fingerprints of each member of the family. Fingerprints are now also being used to unlock Vietnamese-made smartphones like those made by Bphone. 5

02 Language can be seen as a keystone of culture. Yet language is not the only way to express our ideas and feelings. Body movement, eye contact, gestures, and facial expression can convey messages. We call this nonverbal communication “body language” and greeting is one form of it that can reflect national culture. Culture shock from ways of greetings Illustrated by: Minh Tu “CULTURE SHAKE” Written by: Thach Thao 6

References: Cheng S (2022) ‘A Comparative Study of Tagalog and Mandarin Greetings’, International Journal of Education and Humanities, 5(1):146-150. De Mente BL (2011) Etiquette Guide to Japan: Know the rules that make the difference!, Tuttle Publishing. Howard KM (2009) ‘“When meeting Khun teacher, each time we should pay respect”: Standardizing respect in a Northern Thai classroom’, Linguistics and Education, 20(3):254-272, doi:10.1016/j.linged.2008.06.002. Zhi-peng R (2014) ‘Body language in different cultures’, US-Chine Foreign Language,(12), 12:1029-1033. Commonalities signs of body language in many culture Most cultures consider it impolite to talk with your hands in your pockets or point with your index finger. It is universal almost everywhere to place your index finger vertically in front of your lips to signal to others to stop talking or speak softly, coupled with the word “Shhh”. The handshake is one of the most common greetings for the first meeting time. Greetings in other cultures In terms of body language around the world, greetings are the most significant part to get a first glimpse of a new culture. As Federico Fellini stated, “a different language is a different view of life”, the diversity in culture has led to many rules in greeting. When Vietnamese take into account factors such as age, gender, social relationships, communication context, and situation to decide whether we shake hands, bow, hug, or high-five, there are some strictly, specific etiquettes in other nations’ greetings: Japanese When learning a new language or traveling to different countries, greetings are typically one of the first things a person learns. A positive first impression begins with these things. Filipino “Mano” greeting: Elders gently touch your forehead by their right hand. Chinese “Mō tóu” greeting: Elders touch your head for blessing Thai Wai” etiquette: Raise the hands with the palms together, pay respect to older people Handshake is sometimes followed by bowing, especially in business 7

8 Photo 1. This woman can create Vietnamese folk toys out of simple materials like foam, paper, scissors, steel wire, and the dexterity of her hands. They are brightly colored and shaped like various animals, including chickens, snakes, and turtles. These toy animals, in particular, can “dance” thanks to the simple controllers made by this woman. With her skillful hands and more than 20 years of experience, this woman crafts lovely toys that thrill both children and tourists. Photo 2. Motorcycle repair involves expertise, knowledge, and skills, therefore, just like other careers, it requires a passion for the work. Additionally, since oil and grease must come into contact with the hands during this task, mechanics’ hands get greasy and filthy. However, this man has been performing this work for about 15 years, intending to aid people with vehicle issues. He endeavors to work despite occasionally having unwell or injured hands to fulfill his passion and lend a hand to others. CARE - ERS 0 3 Written by: Dong Nghi Photo by: Ha My 1 2

9 Photo 3. In the middle of a bustling street with people and vehicles, a man sits at a corner, diligently gluing and mending damaged shoes. A small sign, a toolbox, and a few hanging shoes are easily identifiable from a distance. He has been doing this work for a long time, and it demands ingenuity, meticulousness with each needle and thread, as well as the expert use of his hands. Photo 4.Ho Chi Minh City is well-known for its numerous different and appealing street foods. Among them, the fried fish ball is a delectable dish that is enjoyed by both children and adults. People pulling carts of fish balls around the streets to sell are a common image on Saigon’s streets. This is also the job at which this man has worked for the past 28 years. Whether it’s sunny or rainy, or if he has oil burns on his hands, he still comes to the streets every day with a cart full of food to make a living and serve people snacks. We cannot dispute that manual laborers have contributed to shaping the extremely distinctive culture of Saigon's streets. Every career, no matter how it was founded or evolved, adds something valuable to the environment around it, and all deserve respect. 3 4

10 04 S urveys by the General Statistics Office in 2019 reported that Vietnam has approximately 6.2 million disabled persons. Specifically, hearing and speech disabilities make up 9.32% of all disabilities. Therefore, sign language plays a very important role, it is a way for disabled people to express their thoughts and convey information to others through hand gestures. HAND SIGN: THE DEVELOPMENT Sign language has existed in Vietnam for a long time but has not been recognized since no scientists have studied it. People believe that deaf people use hand gestures to communicate since they lack language. The first study on sign language in Vietnam was conducted in 1996 by Prof. Dr. James C. Woodward, who had previously collaborated with William Stokoe at Gallaudet University in the US. HAND SIGN: THE DISTINCTION Although the standard American Sign Language serves as the foundation for Vietnamese Sign Language, Vietnamese Sign Language also features a few unique signs that are not included in the American Sign Language lexicon. In particular, due to cultural diversity, it is the same term “uncle” in English, but there are various words with different meanings in Vietnamese. Moreover, the deaf community in Vietnam uses at least three popular sign languages, including the sign languages of Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City. The sign language of these regions will differ because each will have its own unique customs. When describing “pink”, for instance, those in Hanoi gesture to the cheeks whereas others in Ho Chi Minh City point to the lips. SIGN. TOUCH. Sign language and 6 magic dots Uncle - “Bác”: father’s older brother Uncle - “Chú”: father’s younger brother

11 Written by: Dong Nghi, Ha My Photo by: Ha My She started out by introducing us to these Braille typewriters. This is a unique braille writing device for the blind. Since they cannot be made in Vietnam, they are costly since they are imported as whole units from abroad. They have a design that is relatively similar to that of regular typewriters, but they can be identified by the keyboard set, which has space buttons in the centre and six primary buttons that represent the six dots of the Braille alphabet. The machine will emboss braille on the paper as you enter characters. Typists must also adhere to certain standards to indicate accents, punctuations in the Vietnamese alphabet, which has rhymes and sounds, making reading easier. The accents should be placed between the consonant and the vowel, and they also should be placed in front of words that begin with a vowel. Every student will get a blank notebook, a Braille board, and a practice Stylus for writing in Braille. Each little box on the writing board is designated with six smaller dots inside, the students have to feel them and press down with the Stylus pen to form dots. Especially, it will be written from right to left so that it reads from left to right when you turn it over. T here are about 2 million people in Vietnam who are currently blind or have limited vision. Despite their marginalisation, they still need to learn, access knowledge and culture, and stay up to date on new information. Braille has long been utilised to help the blind read and write books, newspapers, and other types of written material. Louis Braille invented a six-dot “cell” Braille system in 1924. The system was first published in 1829, and a more comprehensive version followed in 1837. The Braille method was introduced to Vietnam in 1897, and it has since helped Vietnamese blind people access knowledge more easily. Although there is numerous text-to-speech software available today to help the blind read documents in a variety of formats, Braille is still useful and indispensable because when persons with visual impairments use touch and read texts in Braille, the information is remembered and retained longer in the brain than listening. A TRUE EXPERIENCE AT THE NGUYEN DINH CHIEU SCHOOL BRAILLE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION We arrived at the Nguyen Dinh Chieu School (District 10, Ho Chi Minh city), which is known as the special school for visually impaired students in order to have a better understanding about Braille as well as blind’s life. We were fortunate to meet Mrs. Van, a first-grade teacher who has spent almost 30 years of her life working at this unique school. Refereces: Hoa NT and Woodward J (2019) ‘Education and Services for Deaf People in Viet Nam’, Deaf Education Beyond the Western World: Context, Challenges, and Prospects, 195. Jiménez J, Olea J, Torres J, Alonso I, Harder D and Fischer K (2009) ‘Biography of Louis Braille and invention of the Braille alphabet’, Survey of ophthalmology, 54(1):142-149. Vo AH, Pham V-H and Nguyen BT (2019) ‘Deep learning for Vietnamese sign language recognition in video sequence’, International Journal of Machine Learning and Computing, 9(4):440-445.

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