NO: cultural diffs (UK version)

[Fred Brinkman]

And there you're wrong... Tu and Du are the informal ones, the 'Thou'  
or 'Thee' ones would be Vous and Sie...




Fred Brinkman
www.euromnis.com

**********************************************
Fred Brinkman Consultancy
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Tel. +32-474-83 80 80
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Op 28 dec 2010, om 14:10 heeft Mike Matthews het volgende geschreven:

> We used to have one, it was thou or thee, as in Tu in French or Du  
> in German or Eσύ in Greek (started learning this one in September,  
> hard), but has fallen into disuse.  I always prefer the formal first  
> contact, but in the UK that is very fast going the way of the Dodo.
>
> Sometimes we use first name and surname, but most shop staff have  
> name badges with just a first name, call centres annoy me as well,  
> so a quick reminder is always in order.
>
> But all of us lot are of course on first terms, we are all listers,  
> brothers and sisters of the Omnis Temple, Happy New Year when it  
> arrives around the globe to you all.
>
> Mike Matthews
> Managing Director
> Lineal Software Solutions Ltd
>
> Past Authorised Apple Reseller,  Omnis Business Partner
>
> Tel: 01271 850 550
>
> Email: mike.matthews at lineal.co.uk
>
> Web: www.lineal.co.uk
>
>
> On 28 Dec 2010, at 08:45, Fred Brinkman wrote:
>
>> 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
>> *********************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 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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