Anade

Ana (Burmese: အားနာမှု) is a Burmese cultural and social value that has no direct English equivalent and is manifested by very strong inhibitions (hesitation, reluctance, restraint, or avoidance) against asserting oneself in human relations based on the fear that it will offend someone or cause someone to lose face, or become embarrassed, or be of inconvenience.[1] Ana also involves a strong sense of consideration for others' feelings and a desire not to cause them to feel psychological distress, unease, or burden.[2] Ana significantly shapes interpersonal relationships and pervades everyday social interactions, as well as political and social behaviors in Burmese society.[3]

Comparable values are found throughout Asian societies, including in Thailand, where it is called kreng jai (เกรงใจ) and in Japan, where it is called enryo (遠慮).[4]

Etymology

Ana literally means to have one's strength (အား) hurt (နာ).[5] Ana-pana (အားနာ ပါးနာ) is synonymous to ana, with the suffix pana (ပါးနာ, lit. "cheek hurts."[5] The term anade (အားနာတယ်) is a sentence describing one's feeling of ana. The term ana has been borrowed into several regional languages, including into Shan as ဢႃးၼႃႇ and into Jingpho as ăna.

Usage

Ana typically informs interactions with strangers, acquaintances, elders, social superiors and other respected persons, not with immediate family members and close friends.[2][5] Ana is most commonly felt as self-restraint on self-assertiveness, requiring another's best interests to take priority over one's own interests.[6] In fact, ana contributes to a strong sense of hierarchy and inequality within social relations, as frankness and directness is considered aggressive or confrontational behavior.[2] The value involves an unwillingness to prevent others from feeling uncomfortable.[7]

The feeling is also applied to situations when one wishes to behave in a certain manner but is restrained from doing so, for fear of causing the other party to feel angry, embarrassed or disappointed.[8]

Elements

The major elements of ana include the following:[6]

Sympathy, pity, empathy
Timidity in new social situations
Fear of distressing others
Desire to share or give
Inability to resist social pressure
Self-restraint
Respect to elders
Fear of offending others
Consideration for others
Prevention of aggression or confrontation
Giving or receiving hospitality
Shyness
Loss of face and shame
Response to suffering
Gratitude for favors or assistance
Etiquette, propriety
Observance of sex taboos
Failure to achieve
Sense of duty

Examples

This social value is exemplified in many everyday situations, including the following examples:

A person may hesitate to tell family members of his/her illness, for fear of causing them worry.
A speaker may intentionally omit controversial points, to prevent an audience from taking offense.
A guest may restrain himself from telling the host that he is hungry, for fear of burdening the host.
A recipient may reject gift givers' presents, for fear of having burdened them.
A parent may avoid asking his child to take him to the hospital, to display consideration.

References

"The Myanmar Personality". www.myanmar.gov.mm. Archived from the original on 22 August 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
Seekins, Donald M. (2006). Historical dictionary of Burma (Myanmar). Scarecrow Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-8108-5476-5.
Spiro, Melford E. (November 1982). "Essays on Burma. by John P. Ferguson". The Journal of Asian Studies. Association for Asian Studies. 42 (1): 211–213. doi:10.2307/2055422. JSTOR 2055422. S2CID 144792695.
Andrews, Tim; Sununta Siengthai (2009). The Changing Face of Management in Thailand. Routledge. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9780203878347.
"Burmese – Ana (Pana)". Languages of Security in the Asia-Pacific. College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
Bekker, Sarah M. (1981). "The Concept of Anade - Personal, Social, and Political Implications". In John P. Ferguson (ed.). Essays on Burma - Contributions to Asian Studies. Essays on Burma. Vol. 16. Brill Archive. pp. 19–37. ISBN 9789004063235.
Packer, George (2010). Interesting Times: Writings from a Turbulent Decade. Macmillan. p. 277. ISBN 9781429935814.
Peggy Golde, ed. (1986). Women in the Field: Anthropological Experiences. University of California Press. pp. 247. ISBN 9780520054226.