📘 Part 3: Handicrafts

This episode's vocabulary

To dilute (verb) - to reduce the strength of a feeling, action, etc.

Costly (adj.) - expensive, especially too expensive.

Dexterity (noun) - the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skilfully with the hands.

Ignorance is bliss (idiom) - said to emphasize that sometimes it is better for you if you do not know all the facts about a situation.

Artwork (noun) - the pieces of art, such as drawings and photographs, that are used in books, newspapers, and magazines.

Thriving (adj.) - growing, developing, or being successful.

Weaving (noun) - the act of making cloth by repeatedly crossing a single thread through two sets of long threads on a loom (= special frame).

Extensive (adj.) - covering a large area; having a great range.

To compensate (verb) - to pay someone money in exchange for work they have done or a service they have provided.

Accordingly (adverb) - in a way that is suitable or right for the situation.

Massively (adverb) - extremely or very much.

En masse (adverb) - all together and at the same time, in large numbers.

Questions and Answers

M: Are traditional handicrafts important for tourism?

R: Well, I think that comes down to the type of economy we're talking about here. I mean, it might in less developed places with fewer service industries like guided tours and hotels and the like, since they'll have fewer things to sell for the local economy. In more developed economies, though, they would have to compete with other goods and services, so that might dilute their importance.

M: What are the benefits of people learning to make things by hand?

R: Well, they would rely less on technology, which could break down more easily over time and be quite costly to replace. I imagine it might improve their manual dexterity too, assuming any injuries they received while doing that were not too severe.

M: Why might some children like to make things by hand?

R: I'm not sure if they like doing it so much as it is just the only option. I mean, they lack the knowledge and skills to be aware of other methods, let alone use them safely. Plus, at that stage, it might be too boring to learn. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

M: Are there any traditional handicrafts in your country?

R: Well, depending on how we define it, quite a few. And lots of people make artworks by hand, and we have a thriving kilt-weaving industry, of course. Aside from that there are other handmade clothes available, like sweaters or wood crafts, like small toys and furniture, since we have these extensive forests.

M: Is it reasonable to charge a high price for handmade things?

R: Given the amount of time and effort people have to put in? Yes. I mean, it can take hours for someone to produce something quite high quality for sale. So they should be compensated for that accordingly. I think that's fair.

M: How might modern technology change the handicraft industry?

R: Well, if the goods are made to the same quality by technology as they are by people, then it might massively impact the pricing of goods, since, well, there's no reason to charge high amounts for handmade things anymore, if they can be more easily produced and en masse. On the other hand, assuming that modern ones are safer, it might reduce the number of injuries people suffer if they choose those methods over less safe ones.