4 ms·

Keep in mind that etiquette is highly subjective and culture-specific. As English speakers a lot of ours is derived from traditional British customs, even if yo

Keep in mind that etiquette is highly subjective and culture-specific. As English speakers a lot of ours is derived from traditional British customs, even if you’re not a native of a former colony. For instance, saying “excuse me” before you barge in front of someone to get something off the shelf at a shop. I’m American, so that is obvious. I live in Estonia, and here you either 1) stand awkwardly and wait for them to move because you don’t want to interact with them or 2) just shove in front of them and grab what you want and leave. The first time I took my then girlfriend to the UK she did that and the woman she dove in front of looked at me like “WTF?”. I apologized and then had to explain to my girlfriend that that isn’t acceptable in English-based countries. She was genuinely confused and asked how she should do it instead. Even though she speaks English fluently, there is only so much you learn from Cartoon Network (I kid you not, many have learned English that way) and YouTube. She wasn’t trying to be rude, she just genuinely had no idea it was coming off that way. The same also applies to standing in lines, getting on and off public transit, and many other things. Edit: oh, and table manners. My $diety, the table manners... I don’t expect you to be able to set a formal place setting (though I can), but we aren’t animals, you should know how to use a napkin, not to double dip your chips, etc.

cascom 6y ago
True - but I’d also say that part of good etiquette is to make an effort to learn the basics of the culture in which you’re participating. If I’m traveling to China for business it’s incumbent upon me to learn the order in which people should be introduced, how to exchange business cards etc.
analog31 6y ago
Indeed, being able to quickly perceive and adapt to the prevailing etiquette of your surroundings is the graduate level of learning etiquette.
OJFord 6y ago
Table manners too are so culture specific though. Who am I (a Briton) to insist that roti should be eaten with fork and knife, rather than finger-formed into a shovel, at an Indian restaurant? Or to object to slurping from bowls hovering off the table at a Chinese one? That said, if the setting is English, (/French/¿European?) I despise seeing, for example, fork and knife cack-handed. (I wouldn't worry about your chip 'double-dipping' being a snobbishly high bar!)

cascom 6y ago

True - but I’d also say that part of good etiquette is to make an effort to learn the basics of the culture in which you’re participating. If I’m traveling to China for business it’s incumbent upon me to learn the order in which people should be introduced, how to exchange business cards etc.

analog31 6y ago

Indeed, being able to quickly perceive and adapt to the prevailing etiquette of your surroundings is the graduate level of learning etiquette.

OJFord 6y ago

Table manners too are so culture specific though. Who am I (a Briton) to insist that roti should be eaten with fork and knife, rather than finger-formed into a shovel, at an Indian restaurant? Or to object to slurping from bowls hovering off the table at a Chinese one? That said, if the setting is English, (/French/¿European?) I despise seeing, for example, fork and knife cack-handed. (I wouldn't worry about your chip 'double-dipping' being a snobbishly high bar!)