The Off Topic Topic

[Sheilbh]

Literally every poltical biography or memoir I've read about a UK politician includes an anecdote where they are door-knocking. And they meet someone who's been a party activist for 70 years and, you know, in the Labour version this activist was at the Battle of Cable Street and has campaigned for every Labour government there's ever been, they met all of the key figures in the party's history.

So they go in for a cup of tea and get chatting. And inevitably the old activist will lean over and say "you know what's really important though?" and the politician leans over for wisdom from this person who's met Clem and Bevan and Harold Wilson.

"We have to stop this nonsense with homosexuality. Look what it did for the Romans and the Greeks."

Polite coughs and awkward goodbyes, later and everyone leaves.

[Duque de Bragança]

Quite different to the French who are just rude rude. Its baked into their language that they cannot be anything but.

The way French works gives results which are exceptionally rude to English ears.
No 'if you don't mind I'd like to know x'. Its I DEMAND YOU TELL ME X.
I wonder if a big part of it is simply down to those words entering English in such a way that left them inherently associated with haughty nobles.

Not to mention false friends. Demander = to ask ; To demand = exiger.

[The Brain]

What's wrong with clearly stating your demands?

[Eddie Teach]

What's wrong with clearly stating your demands?

Nothing. However, people might have problems with you making demands in the first place.

[The Brain]

What's wrong with clearly stating your demands?

Nothing. However, people might have problems with you making demands in the first place.

Off with their heads.

[grumbler]

I used to believe the rudeness thing, until I went to France.

I've never encountered rudeness in France, but I may have a different definition of it.

I believe that, if you re-read what I wrote, you will find that i am saying the same thing you are saying.

[Josquius]

Quite different to the French who are just rude rude. Its baked into their language that they cannot be anything but.

The way French works gives results which are exceptionally rude to English ears.
No 'if you don't mind I'd like to know x'. Its I DEMAND YOU TELL ME X.
I wonder if a big part of it is simply down to those words entering English in such a way that left them inherently associated with haughty nobles.

Not to mention false friends. Demander = to ask ; To demand = exiger.

Oh sure. I get its the way French works. They're not actually being rude. But the way it comes across to English speakers is fundamentally so.
My francophone girlfriend is very aware of this and watches what she says to people to be sure she doesn't let it cross over into her English

[Grey Fox]

Quite different to the French who are just rude rude. Its baked into their language that they cannot be anything but.

The way French works gives results which are exceptionally rude to English ears.
No 'if you don't mind I'd like to know x'. Its I DEMAND YOU TELL ME X.
I wonder if a big part of it is simply down to those words entering English in such a way that left them inherently associated with haughty nobles.

English ears? The language that needs a comma after and because it cannot fucking provide enough context.

[Maladict]

I used to believe the rudeness thing, until I went to France.

I've never encountered rudeness in France, but I may have a different definition of it.

I believe that, if you re-read what I wrote, you will find that i am saying the same thing you are saying.

Possibly, but not necessarily.

[grumbler]

Possibly, but not necessarily.

Okay.  I guess i don't know what you are saying, then, but that doesn't matter.

[The Larch]

Quite different to the French who are just rude rude. Its baked into their language that they cannot be anything but.

The way French works gives results which are exceptionally rude to English ears.
No 'if you don't mind I'd like to know x'. Its I DEMAND YOU TELL ME X.
I wonder if a big part of it is simply down to those words entering English in such a way that left them inherently associated with haughty nobles.

Can you show us on the doll where did the French Language hurt you? 

[Admiral Yi]

I think I've mentioned my theory of the relationship between the French language and the perception of rudeness before.  To correctly pronounce French vowels you have to tense your lips a lot.  That can resemble sneering.

I developed this theory when I was jammed into the lobby of a tiny movie theater in Aix en Provence waiting for a showing of Full Metal Jacket.  It was like an elevator, so no one was talking.  Everyone's resting face looked very pleasant and normal.  Then one person started talking and they all looked a little like dickheads.

[Grey Fox]

That is, uh, right.

[Threviel]

The rudeness might be a Paris thing perhaps? First thing that happened to me when I went to Paris was that some random guy standing behind me started screaming and calling me names when I tried to buy subway tickets.

Driving around the countryside for weeks with a camping car resulted in only openness and friendliness, no-one was rude or unfriendly.

[The Brain]

The Metro is a much more polite and friendly place than the Stockholm subway in my experience. OTOH twice I just wouldn't get service at bistros, but that must have been som cultural thing I didn't grasp. I just moved on to a new bistro and everything worked fine.