> I have been told (in Britain) I can come across as rude because I am usually direct with disagreement rather than making a lot of ceremony about it. I am a na

> I have been told (in Britain) I can come across as rude because I am usually direct with disagreement rather than making a lot of ceremony about it. I am a native Italian speaker, and I find the English apologetic fear of confrontation even in benign settings (i.e. "I do not think this idea can work") to be infuriating. I think that even further reinforces the point too. Canadians, Australians and Americans tend to use more direct language (again, outside of familiarity-based scenarios) compared to the British and Irish; and are seen as particularly rude because of it. The same goes with American businesses doing business in Japan, where "cultural" relations managers are specifically on hand to smooth things over. But from their perspective, there's no use mincing words or dilly-dallying to sign a contract or otherwise close business, especially after weeks-months of schmoozing and negotiating.