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> You will never offend or annoy someone by being overly formal and polite. I get that the average person in the English-speaking world might claim that, but E
by Mediterraneo10 9y ago
> You will never offend or annoy someone by being overly formal and polite.
I get that the average person in the English-speaking world might claim that, but Europeans and many other peoples whose languages have a tu/vous distinction are well aware that sometimes you can inadvertently offend or even intentionally belittle someone by actually using the more formal way of address. Context is everything.
- maxerickson 9y agoEven without the distinction intentionally ignoring context can be used to be offensive. I guess not really for a student talking in a formal way to a professor. But then you can just be formal in an overly mechanical way to imply that you are merely going through the motions and don't actually intend to convey any respect.