NO: cultural diffs

[Fred Brinkman]

Especially in the French part of Belgium it is 'good manners' to not  
call everybody by the first name, staff will almost never call their  
'bosses' by the first name, a bit like in Germany where politeness  
forbids this. It is considered not done...

In English you don't have a 'polite' form. it's always 'You', no  
matter who you're talking to. in most other languages there's a  
'formal You' and a 'common You'. When I talk to people I don't know,  
or who are older than I am f.i. I always use the 'formal you'...  
matter of respect... I expect them to do the same...

Maybe this sounds old-fashioned to you but that's the way it is... it  
surely is no 'joke' or 'contempt' or 'suppressed anger', it's a  
respectful way of dealing with others.

Fred.






Fred Brinkman
www.euromnis.com

**********************************************
Fred Brinkman Consultancy
B-1000 Brussels

Tel. +32-474-83 80 80
Fax +32-2-330 10 31 (on request)
Email fred.brinkman at euromnis.com
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Op 28 dec 2010, om 09:20 heeft Olafur Gardarsson het volgende  
geschreven:

> Using title such as Mr. and last name is one way of being formal.  
> What do
> you consider formal? I should not let this annoy me. I guess it's  
> touching
> on ideas about economic and social classes. Touchy subject for many,
> including me it seems.
>
> Oli
>
>
>
> 2010/12/27 Fred Brinkman <fred.brinkman at euromnis.com>
>
>> well. I live in Brussels... what do you call 'formal in  
>> communications'?
>> not calling people by their first name?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Fred Brinkman
>> www.euromnis.com
>>
>> **********************************************
>> Fred Brinkman Consultancy
>> B-1000 Brussels
>>
>> Tel. +32-474-83 80 80
>> Fax +32-2-330 10 31 (on request)
>> Email fred.brinkman at euromnis.com
>> *********************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Op 27 dec 2010, om 22:45 heeft Olafur Gardarsson het volgende  
>> geschreven:
>>
>> I have some Belgian customers that are annoying me no end. They  
>> insist
>>> that
>>> I be formal in all communications with them, even in email's. Is  
>>> this
>>> important in Belgium in general? I feel like I'm talking to a  
>>> relic from
>>> the
>>> 19th century. Over here we dropped all formalities in address over  
>>> half a
>>> century ago. Now days it's considered either a joke or a way to show
>>> contempt or a show of suppressed anger. What's the story in your  
>>> country?
>>>
>>> Oli
>>> Iceland
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