Etiquette in England (0)

Etiquette in england
* meeting and greeting

• The British are reserved, which may cause them to appear cool and indifferent or overly formal . In fact , they are very friendly and helpful to foreigners.
  
• Shake hands with everyone present -- men, women , and children -- at business and social meetings. Shake hands again when leaving.
  
• Use last names and appropriate titles until specifically invited by your British hosts or colleagues to use their first names.
  

* body language

• The English tend to keep about an 2-3 feet between them while speaking.
  
• Touching is usually kept to a minimum.
  
• Family members are more relaxed and familiar with each other , so touching of the arms, elbows, or hands is acceptable.  However in a business environment, touching is very minimal and personal space is respected much more than in a family setting.
  
• Direct eye contact is generally maintained during conversations, but not to the point of staring.  
  
• Looking away when an elder is speaking is usually viewed as disrespectful.
  

*dining (food service )

• Most business entertaining is done restaurants or pubs over lunch . The host , the one who extends the invitation , pays the bill .
  
• An invitation to someone 's home is more common in England than in the rest of Europe .
  
• In England, when invited to someone's home, arrive at least 10-20 minutes after the stated time. Never arrive early .
  
• A male guest of honor is seated at the head of the table or to the right of the hostess. A female guest of honor is seated to the right of the host.
  
• Wait for your host to begin eating before you eat.
  
• Host or hostess always initiates first toast , which is usually only given at a formal dinner .
  
• At a formal dinner, do not smoke until after the toast to the Queen or until otherwise indicated by the host.
  
• You should leave a very small amount of food on your plate when finished eating.
  
• Write a thank you note to the hostess.
  

* dress

• People in the larger cities dress more formally, especially in London.
  
• Men and women wear wools and tweeds for casual occasions. Slacks, sweaters and jackets are appropriate for men and women.
  
• For business meetings, men should wear dark suits and ties. Women should wear suits, dresses or skirts and blouses.
  
• Do not wear a blazer to work . A blazer is country or weekend wear.
  

*gifts

• Gifts are normally not exchanged in business settings.
  
• When invited to someone's home, always bring a small gift for the hostess. Give flowers, chocolates, wine , champagne or books .
  
• Gifts are opened upon receiving.
  
• It is polite to send flowers in advance of a dinner party . Do not send white lilies, which denote death .
  

*helpful hints for a foreigner

• Men should open doors for women and stand when a woman enters a room .
  
• Always hold the door for a person following behind you.
  
• Respect the British desire for privacy . Don’t ask personal questions , such as where a person lives or what a person does for a profession or job. Don’t talk about money .
  
• Do not violate a queue. It is considered very rude to push ahead in a line.
  
• Staring is considered impolite.
  
• Do not be too casual, especially with the English language.
  
• Never try to sound British or mimic their accent.
  
• Humor is ever-present in English life. It is often self-deprecating, ribbing, sarcastic, sexist or racist. Try not to take offense.
  

*general behavior

• Always be punctual in England.  Arriving a few minutes early for safety is acceptable.
  
• Decision - making is slower in England than in the United States ; therefore it is unwise to rush the English into making a decision.
  
• A simple handshake is the standard greeting for business occasions and for visiting a home.
  
• Privacy is very important to the English. Therefore asking personal questions or intensely staring at another person should be avoided.
  
• Personal space is important in England, and one should maintain a wide physical space when conversing.  Furthermore , it is considered inappropriate to touch others in public. 
  
• A business lunch will often be conducted in a pub and will consist of a light meal and perhaps a pint of ale.
  

*family

The family in Britain is changing . The once typical British family headed by two parents has undergone substantial changes during the twentieth century . In particular there has been a rise in the number of single -person households. By the year 2020, it is estimated that there will be more single people than married people. Fifty years ago this would have been socially unacceptable in Britain.
*slang of the country
Cockney Rhyming slang is a coded language invented in the nineteenth century by Cockneys so they could speak in front of the police without being understood . It uses a phrase that rhymes with a word, instead of the word itself – thus ‘stairs’ becomes ‘apples and pears ’, ‘ phone ’ becomes ‘dog and bone' and ‘word’ becomes ‘dicky bird’. It can become confusing when sometimes the rhyming part of the word is dropped: thus ‘daisies’ are ‘boots’ (from ‘ daisy roots ’).