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Cultural Etiquette
• A handshake is standard for business occasions and when visiting a home. Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand first. When introduced, one should say, "How do you do?" instead of "Nice to meet you." The question is rhetorical and one should not anticipate a response.
• The British are beginning to use first names more frequently -- as is typically the case in the United States -- however one should only do so at the initiative of one's host. Erring on the side of caution and orthodoxy is recommended, unless invited to do otherwise.
• If one smokes, one should always offer the cigarettes around to others before taking one for one's self.
• It is not polite to toast those who are older or more senior in age or position.
• In general, one should maintain very proper manners. When dining, one should always keep one's hands above the table (but no elbows on the table). When dining out, one should not inquire about the food one sees around, and one should not ask to sample the dishes of others. "Sharing" dishes, a practice that is fairly common in Canada and the United States, is not common elsewhere. Of course, theses are generalizations are should be treated as such.
• Men should hold doors open for women and rise when a woman enters a room.
• In conversation, one should avoid topics such as politics or religion and other controversial issues until some degree of a realtionship is established. One should also avoid asking personal questions. Jokes about the royal family are equally inappropriate. General fare about travel, sports, music, sightseeing, theatre, movies and the like are appropriate subjects for discussion.
• Britain refers to the island on which England, Wales, and Scotland are located. Although the English are in the habit of referring to all natives of the Britain as "Brits," this term is not ubiquitously appreciated by the Welsh and the Scots. Northern Ireland shares the island of Eire with the Republic of Ireland. It is both incorrect and insulting to call someone from Eire a "Brit." Furthermore, the English often do not consider themselves European. Try to be aware of these nuances.
• If and when one is invited to a British home, one may bring flowers, liquor or champagne, and chocolates. White flowers, which signify death, are to be avoided. One may wish to ask the florist about the appropriate type and number.
• Having been invited to a British home, one should be sure to thank the host or hostess with a brief, handwritten thank you note promptly afterwards, preferably by messenger rather than by mail.
• In all correspondence, short and clipped notes (via regular mail or electronic mail), using abbreviated terms or references, is usually considered odd or impolite. Try to convey all forms of written correspondence in conventional form, avoiding initializations or incomplete sentences that are commonplace in North American cultures.
• In terms of paralanguage, it is considered impolite to talk with one's hands in one's pockets. Also, the British often do not look at the other person while they talk. Also, one should not point with one's finger, but instead indicate something with one's head. Note that sitting with your ankle resting on your knee may be seen as impolite. Note also that tapping one's nose conveys that a subject is confidential or a secret.
• One should always be aware of the culturally-determined space between people. In Britain, a wide physical space between conversational partners is maintained.
• Unlike other cultures which are famous for their passionate gesticulations, the British are generally more restrained. As such, one should maintain an equivalent level of reticence and reserve in one's demeanor, and one should also avoid excessive hand movements.
• In casual settings, especially watching local soccer matches (which in Britain are referred to as "football matches"), one should give the "victory" sign (a "V" with two fingers) with the palm facing outward.
• The British "pub" is the centerpiece of the social life. Pubs have their own special and circumscribed etiquette, which is practiced among regular visitors. Foremost in the code of proper pub behavior is generosity in buying drinks for others. If one has a conversation with another at the bar, for example, when one orders a fresh drink, it is good etiquette to offer to buy a drink for one's acquaintance with the phrase, "And one for yourself?" Learning the extensive code of proper pub behavior is highly recommended, if one intends to visit British pubs on a regular basis.
• In Britain, the style of dress will depend upon the occasion. Business dress should be neat and conservative, typified by the traditional business suit for both men and women. Some social occasions will require a formal dress; casual dress is suitable in other settings.
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