Politeness

The topic this week was graciously suggested by Rafa! 

Questions:

• What is polite in Spanish society, and what is considered impolite or rude?  Think about: greetings (old friends, new people, at a party, in the elevator),  goodbyes,  table etiquette (food),  phone conversations (when is it acceptable to call? What do you say? How do you greet people on the phone?), restaurants, stores, etc.
• Have you traveled to another country where you felt the people where more/less polite? What sorts of cultural differences did you observe?  (Or, conversely, have you had many experiences with foreigners in Spain—and observed any differences)
• Are people's understanding of courtesy changing with time? (generational changes, observations?) 

Tuesday, november 12, 2013