Sarah R. - 11:46am Oct 26, 2001 (#1 of 4)

It's interesting that this topic got no responses at all. I wonder why. In any case, I have a question for the French students:

It seems to me that in general the French are much more frank in their general social discourse. In reading the fora, I have had difficulty with the directness of some of the French responses. To me, it is very rude to be too direct with strangers I have never met, especially about political issues. I think this might be why all the American responses to the word "France" were so polite and non-political. How do you treat that issue in France? Is political discourse always immune from being considered rude in France? What would be rude to say to a new penpal?

From the reactions to the phrase a "rude person" I am left with the impression that french and american people have a similar definition of what a rude person is. What I am wondering is how well do you have to know a person to pass on the judgement that he/she is rude? In the US a person who simply talks back to you can be considered rude sometimes.

Marcos > c'est pareil en France : souvent il n'y a pas besoin de discuter longtemps avec quelqu'un pour se rendre compte qu'il (ou elle) est malpoli(e) !

Sarah :

Qu'est-ce que tu appelles "be rude" ? Etre direct c'est être impoli ? Mais tu vois même ici en France il y a des gens qui ont été choqués par la manière directe de certaines réponses...

bisous quand même