Althought, I already knew some memes. Really British memes🤣🤣 I really enjoyed watching it, you and Lauren always perfect . 🥰 We French 🇫🇷 are the opposite of our Neighbor's British🤣 (rude, mad, not nice, never apologize...)
Lauren here 🇬🇧 👋 I’m laughing so hard at the edit of our skit 😂😂 00:15 got me 😭😭 anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the videos and thank you for your continuing support! Lots of love 💚
You were right about how easy it is to say. It feels like a reflex. I've accidentally apologised to a table when I stubbed my toe on it. Just under my breath, an automatic "sorry" came out, before I froze for a moment and just thought, "wait... did I just say that?". Elton John and Blue were lying when he sang 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word'.
Lauren & Christina ... it feels like a sitcom of two strangers becoming best friends and I'm so hooked I can't wait for the next episode !! Love them both ^^
The less of a "you're welcome" you get, the less of a burden your request was. "You're welcome" = "I have risen to the occasion of helping you and thus accept your due praise." "No problem" = Literally, as in "this was not a hardship so don't worry about it" "Yup" = Your request was so easy and minor for me that I've already forgotten doing it.
Most viewed videos of this channel are this amazing duo , Christina and Lauren , these two are funny , interesting and respectful with each other , thank you ladies 🇺🇲🇬🇧
In the US, there is sort of a generational difference for what to say when someone says "thank you". Older people (or people in more formal settings) usually expect a "you're welcome" and can find it rude if someone says "no problem" while younger people often prefer "no problem" and even saying "you're welcome" can come off as a bit rude to some as they think it implies that you think that they owed you something or that you are being sarcastic and overdoing things by saying "you're welcome" to show you might not really accept their thank you or your request was unreasonable. A lot of younger people prefer the "no problem" or "no worries" or something like that as it is showing more that you really didn't mind helping them while "you're welcome" can imply you appreciate the thank you but that it was some sort of special effort or you went out of your way to do it. I tend to often do a "you're welcome" with a very causual tone or a wave of my hands to show that even though I'm perhaps using the more "formal" words, it is done more causally so it kind of is like no big deal at all.
Well explained! It was actually only recently that I saw someone point out how "you're welcome" can come over a bit loaded, so I'm a bit more aware of that! (I'm in England, for the record.)
Do you think that the “no problem” is a Latin influence in USA? Because that’s the way Latin speakers would answer. (De rien, em francais, “de nada” em português, …).
@@joaomagalhaes6675 That's an interesting idea! De nada is certainly a fairly well known phrase in the USA even amongst people who aren't connected to Spanish speakers much so I could see that being adopted in English a bit more.
That 'bless you' does extend further than responding to a sneeze, in the way that you will respond sincerely and sympathetically to seeing or hearing someone who conveys vulnerability or kindness in some way or another (bless you, bless her, bless him). It's a form of endearment or appreciation. It has no religious connection in general parlance. Indeed, we have an expression (somewhat redundant now) relating to something an infant or young child has done, or happened to them, in 'bless his/her little cotton socks'. Robert, UK.
"I feel like for us , if somebody doesn't apologize" , actually , Lauren , this is with any person from any country in the world , being rude makes anyone angry 😂 🇨🇦🇺🇲🇬🇧🇩🇪🇦🇺🇯🇵
I guess but I feel like now that I’m living in England whenever someone bumps into me they say sorry repeatedly like “oh sorry,sorry I’m so sorry” whereas in America people would walk into me all the time and just either grunt a reply or walk away. I was shocked at how nice the British were
I absolutely love these, I feel like we’ve learnt so much about the differences between two English speaking countries. It would be really cool to see the differences in other languages too. For example, France French vs Canada French vs Belgium French. Or Spain Spanish vs Mexican Spanish vs Colombian Spanish.
Americans are also really polite to be fair... They're in that group of polite cultures. I'm Saudi Arabian, travelled to Canada, US and England. I would consider the 3 countries to have a similar 'apologetic' culture.. so many sorry's and thank you's.. It's nice. I would say Britain and America are similar in politeness, while Canada is the most polite.
As a Southern American, I can confirm we’re entirely too polite sometimes. We’ll apologize when WE were the ones who had been wronged. However, sometimes we’re just passive aggressive and wrap our snide remarks in a smile.
I'm from the U.S. in the deep South. We say "bless you" and "bless your heart " a lot. I suppose it's just where your from in the states. Love your videos!
If you wanted to compare politeness vs. directness, I think the UK vs Germany, the Netherlands or any of the Scandinavian countries would probably be better. I'm from the latter, and we would actually consider it extremely rude not to be honest when declining an invitation.
I‘m German and I agree only in parts. It would be considered very rude if someone declines an invitation without giving a reason or by giving a reason that is easily exposed to be a lie. BUT there are reasons you can’t tell honestly without hurting someone.
As a Brit, and speaking for myself and from my own personal experiences, I can tell you that it all depends on the situation, the circumstances and the person or people you are dealing with as to how you approach the situation. Believe me, if the situation warrants it and is worth wasting my breath on, I can be very direct and blunt and say it exactly as it is, and from my experiences, this is the same for a lot of Brits. BUT! That being said, if the person I am dealing with is of a sensitive nature, the last thing you want to do is hurt their feelings, I would apologise to them by saying sorry I genuinely cannot make it , and then explain WHY I can't make it, but I would also promise that I would go next time IF nothing else was hindering me at that time ( I keep my promises) so I have been honest but sensitive. But then if the person you are dealing with is mixing with bad people that you don't really want to associate with or have any problems with, I would not come out with a bare faced lie, but I would excuse myself from the situation without having to be to confrontational. The last thing I want, is to hurt people or their feelings. But if someone is rude to me, or even if I observe it being done to someone else, I will say something. We are in general good at standing up for the underdog/ weaker. We prefer blunt honesty, but it depends on your attitude and tone of voice, just because you are being sensitive and caring of others feelings, does not mean you are not being honest and upfront. And sometimes if you are so blas'e and so blunt ,you can come across as egotistical and heartless and very rude. As a rule, the British do not air their dirty laundry in public ( their personal private and intimate business is none of anyone else's business) and stays behind closed doors until they get to know you, or choose otherwise. But many of us, myself included can have a conversation with a total stranger about anything pretty much, just not really personal private or intimate stuff at the start, and i/many other Brits would not pry into others private business, so because of this, I think can make some Brits look standoffish. But it also depends on what type of character you are facing. I can say "sorry " in many ways and each time is sincere, 1: if someone accidentally bumps into me, I will say sorry ( for being in their way) 2: if someone deliberately bumped into me, I could respond with " oh I'm sorry was I in your way " ( sarcastically) 3: I could say, sorry I don't mean to be rude/ interrupt you but..... I work with a few foreign people, some don't even say hello, let alone please or thank you! Now I find that extremely rude and bad manners. Good manners costs nothing! Now I thought about it for a while, then I asked one of them if they minded me asking them about their culture etc and to please don't take it the wrong way and that I was just trying to understand. I asked if they said please or thank you in their culture, or if they looked at men and women in a different light ( apart from the obvious differences) They said women were lower class than men, they said they didn't really say thank you or please in the same way or as much as the Brits. Well, I did say in all honesty ,a piece of friendly advice, that they shouldn't look at women in that light, and if they planned on living in Britain they had better start saying please and thank you more. I don't like causing bad vibes, but after that conversation, the next time I saw one of them, I said in a firm voice, I am not dealing with you until you smile and say hello and they smiled and said hello and we both had a little laugh, since then they have been more polite. Now if you jump the queue, you may hear some colourful language from the Brits, because its rude and bad manners to jump the queue. I will also say, it is so wrong on every level to tarnish a whole nation with the same brush, no one knows every single person, and therefore cannot be so quick in their criticism. You have good and bad in all countries. Don't think that all Brits that go abroad have the football hooligan/yob mentality, because they don't!
Exactly what i was thinking, some of what is deemed polite in English would come near to a declaration of a blood feud in German (whereas we have a reputation of being very impolite in English, so I guess it goes both ways)
People can have different reasons. I'm very socially awkward, sensitive, and anti-confrontational. I'm already scared just talking to people, so I definitely can't just say "no" or "I don't want to". I would be afraid of their reaction, or just afraid of hurting them. I'd feel really bad afterwards even if they didn't react negatively. I would never be able to bring that word out.
I do know many ppl in America who would use "I'll think about it" rather than being direct but it does depend on whether you're close to the person you're communicating or not. And another reply to "thank you/thanks" that I have heard is "of course."
I’ve found that Americans are more generous than the British with the ‘bless you’ response to someone sneezing. If people knew how it originated, they might think twice about using it. During the Great Plague of London in 1655, sneezing was one of the first indicators that someone was infected. The ‘bless you’ response was used like a very short prayer in the hope that the sneezer wouldn’t eventually die.
I'm guilty of the "yup" thing from time to time. When I say it, in my head I'm conveying the idea that "yes, I'm happy to help" or "yes, I'd help anyway" or "yes, it wasn't any trouble." But it can very easily be misunderstood by people who aren't on that same wavelength and thereby come off as being rude or condescending.
I actually started watching vids of this channel because of both of you two, and since then I usually only watch the vid where there's you two. Your friendship is awesome, y'all don't look fake and I like it. Thank you for being the cast of this channel idk what to do once either of you quit or something... not sure how the system there goes ahaha Stay safe and healthy you two! 😁
Adding to the "bless you" part in the US, in the southern US, the region is known as "The Bible Belt" since that specific part is especially known for being religious. Because of that, there's a saying that has many different uses. If someone is having a successful career, people will say "Well bless their heart, that's amazing!" If they have a performance coming up, "Bless their hearts, I think they'll do great." If someone is going through a hard time and needs some comfort, "Aw I'm so sorry to hear that, bless their heart..." It's a very common phrase down here, especially in Texas.
Came here to say that as well. I’m from NC and I’ll say “bless you” if somebody helps me when I really need it (or brings me food when I’m hungry lol). Some of my friends say “bless” in situations where you’re like smh. Occasionally people say “bless her/him” when talking about somebody kinda like “what can you do” kinda way - my mother in law says “bless him” all the time when talking about my sister’s dog who can be really dumb or needy
I’m also from NC, but I’ve been up in Indiana for a little bit for school. I’ve recently found myself saying, “God bless you” both when someone does something to help me and when someone has made a dumb mistake. I’m not even an extremely religious person, but I think adding God in there just adds a little razzle dazzle for me. And we can’t forget about the “bless your heart,” that essentially means “wow, you’re so dumb.”
That is true. In contrast, in liberal, non-religious areas such as New York, my American friends have taught me to use "Gesundheit" (borrowed from German, meaning "Good health") instead of "Bless you."
I used to live in Japan and it’s impressive how British and Japanese politeness are very similar. Japanese people are very polite when writing e-mails and apologizing. There are like 5 ways to apologize depending on your hierarchical position…
I can agree with Lauren with "bless you" being so normal as a brit myself, like I remember one time in an EXAM I sneezed a lot and I just heard the same person say "bless you" everytime I sneezed, the invigilator even told him to stop because it was "distracting" lol
As a German this is really entertaining to watch as we usually already associate Americans with perceived vain and mischievous behaviour, so it's quite interesting that they are deemed rather direct within the anglophone sphere. Also quite interesting to see how different politeness is defined by different cultures as parts of what seems to be deemed polite in English would be a declaration of a blood feud in German. What about personal space? Is there also a difference between the us and the uk? As i remember from my stay in Canada that a lot of people would ask me (what appeared to me) very personal questions, tell me unasked for matters of their personal lifes and give me random "Kosenamen" (like "honey", "darling", "my love") which would trigger an immediate fist on the nose in Germany if a stranger would take that liberty (we can't even address people by their first name untill they have offered us the informal address (even in school teachers had to address us with family name once we turned 18))
Depends on where you live in the USA and who you’re talking too. Where I was born, luv, hun, etc were given freely to just about everyone and personal space was limited. Moved to another state and well I won’t be fought over a hun, they do get touchy about personal space. Keep in mind most won’t start fights because once shit escalates to physical violence, it can become lethal fast.
In the UK, there are many different regional terms of endearment, but they're quite commonly used. They're meant in a warm, kind way, not a condescending way. I lose track of how many times a day a customer calls me "pet", "love", "darling" etc. It's received in the way it's intended. I can understand how it must seem a bit odd to people who are from countries where they don't talk to people they don't know and limit interactions to the bare minimum with people who aren't friends or family. Here, it's just seen as warm, polite and friendly.
That’s interesting! In the US if you say “you’re welcome” after someone says “thanks” it can (at least where I’m from) come off rude, because it implies that they were obliged to thank you or apologize/etc. It’s considered more polite to minimize the issue or favor instead (Christina’s “no problem” is the most common), saying “yup” is not all that common although if it’s said it’s usually in an energetic tone and has the same vibe as saying “anytime!”
That seems to be an age related issue. I've noticed that older folks at my job seem to like when I say "you welcome" instead of "no problem" as it sounds more polite to them. However, being overly polite with younger clients seems to make them uncomfortable and they just prefer a simple "no problem"
As a foreigner, I've heard "yup" very often when I thank a stranger. People here are very casual, nice, and friendly toward strangers (a small city in upstate New York). I learn to say "yup" myself because I like how simple and casual it feels. Didn't realize it's considered rude in some places.
I am from the UK. If two people accidentally bump into each other I think both saying sorry is mostly automatic, even if it is clearly the other person who has been careless. I think it can mean "I don't care whose fault it was, I just don't want to fight". A loud "sorry" before trying to get through a crowd can mean "I am coming through, and I might be doing a bit of pushing if necessary". If pushing something large and on wheels, or similar, a similar thing be a loud and brisk but friendly "mind yerr backs", especially if coming up behind people. That reminds me of people in California coming up pedestrians from behind calling out "passing on your right/left", which I have adopted for use in the UK. Getting back to "sorry": it can also be used in an aggressive and negative way, with a negative, questioning, tone of voice.
That's true. Most people say sorry to each other if they bump into each other accidentally when walking. If someone pushes you when trying to queue hop, that might be met with an "excuse me", or "sorry" but with a tone of indignation. In any other situation, if it was accidental, both parties would usually say "sorry", including the innocent victim of the bumping. I even said "sorry" in response to someone else saying "sorry" at the supermarket once. My back was to them at the time. I was getting a trolley out and heard them say sorry. I assumed I must have bumped them, or inconvenienced them in some way, having heard their "sorry", so replied with "sorry". My son, who had a better view of the other person started laughing. It turns out the "sorry" was intended for the person they were talking to on the phone 😂 I've said "sorry" to a few tables during the years too, as it's such a reflex to say "sorry" if you bump someone 😂 The word can slip out, before you have time to process what you bumped into.
I adore Christina so much, i love her! Anyway I honestly wouldn't say British people are "polite". It's just that they're very adhere to certain etiquettes that most people aren't used to. Someone can be clumsy as hell but still appear to be polite.
Love this! A few things I'd say tho is you forgot the Southern "Bless your heart." That would have been perfect. Also, as a midwesterner, I'd say we say "sorry" a LOT.
Thanks again ladies. Thinking about apologies, most of our people in this part of South Africa are Zulu-speaking and, of course, they have a culture that is foreign to people of European origin (unless, like me, you've lived here for more decades than I care to remember). Something that would always puzzle me is how, if, for example you dropped something, a Zulu person standing nearby would invariably say, "Sorry!" It always seemed to me that they were admitting culpability even though they had nothing to do with your dropping the object. Of course, they were not apologising, but rather, expressing sympathy for your inconvenience.
Saying "You're welcome" implies that what you're doing for them is a great burden, which can actually feel rude if you were only doing a small thing for them. That's how I see it as a Canadian, at least
Wow, for me “You’re welcome!” is a warm acknowledgement and appreciation of someone’s saying thank you, nothing at all negative in it. Weird twisting of phrases and meanings makes communication between countries a challenge that can either be tricky or fun, depending on your open mindedness and level of curiosity.
Actually it’s true it sounds weird when you are thinking about the meaning of the expression itself! In French it’s quite clear and simple, we answer “de rien” to thank you, so literally “ it’s nothing”. Quite the opposite idea of the English answer ^^’
I kinda see it more of a “you’re welcome to it anytime”. That being said I often go for “that’s ok”, “no worries”, or “honestly its fine, it was no trouble”
In the USA, "no problem" vs "you're welcome" is usually a generational thing. Those older than Gen X would say "you're welcome" and think "no problem" is rude. On the other hand, those younger may feel like it's better to say "no problem", because it indicates that helping wasn't a hardship for them / didn't put them out. They may feel "you're welcome" is a little more conceited, like you're saying it was a burden to help but you're an amazing person so you did it anyway. I hadn't really thought of this myself until I read an article about generational differences in the workplace and was like "ohhhh.... it all makes sense now." LOL I'm a millennial but now try to remember to say "you're welcome" to older people instead of "no problem". (And there are OF COURSE exceptions - there could easily be entire regions where this does not hold true.)
Me a millennial who says mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. I find it more rude to demand certain responses from people. Giving them a mean mug face just because they do not conform to YOUR rules for manners is the rudest thing ever. Too many cultures. Too many manners that conflict with each other. Too much hypocrisy. People get absolutely snobbish about manners.
I really dont get that. I say "you're welcome' meaning 'you're welcome to ask anytime'. It's a warm way of saying you don't mind doing something for them and would happily do so again if asked. I'm a british millennial btw. My general responses are 'no problem' 'welcome' 'anytime' and 'you're welcome'.
We inherited the use of sorry as a social lubricant but we almost completely lost the British habit of using sorry in a passive-aggressive manner (where the tone of the "sorry" very obviously means that they are absolutely not sorry). In Canada, sorry can be an apology, sympathy or a "let’s not get upset over this minor thing" defusing phrase (probably the most common use in both Canada and the UK) but we didn’t really retain the British "I don’t give a damn" sarcastic toned usage (although we definitely can recognize it).
@@cynthiabruce-marzenska5024 (laughing) I was careful to couch my comments with words like "almost". Of course people will still give false sarcastic apologies (especially kids and teenagers) but it’s usually a drawn out bit of obvious sarcasm (often stretching the first vowel sound), especially if they feel forced to apologize. That’s not the passive-aggressive version I meant. The Brits sometimes do this subtle shift in tone in the social lubricant sorry, adding a sort of sneering tone, that shifts it from a mutual no worries thing to a clear "you mean nothing to me" vibe and it’s used with strangers. It’s pretty rare to anything worse than an absent minded reflexive sorry in Canada. A hollow empty sorry is the usual limit with strangers here. We just don’t tend to give sorry a "piss off and get out of my way" vibe like that. It’s possible but quite a breach of social custom here.
@@paranoidrodent I’d have to say that my youngest has mastered the British-like sorry very much like a “you must die” type of sorry. Her delivery is stellar and makes me pity those who don’t recognize the tone. Conversely, when she is truly in jeopardy of inspiring my ire, she resorts to “c’est une blague!” to appease the proximity we have to the Quebec border. 15 year olds have the greatest attitude. :/
@@cynthiabruce-marzenska5024 (grinning madly) That sounds exceedingly familiar (mixed Franco and Anglo family living near the Quebec-Ontario border here). You have my sympathies and I tip my hat to your little one’s verbal prowess. 😆
You were right about how easy it is to say. It feels like a reflex. I've accidentally apologised to a table when I stubbed my toe on it. Just under my breath, an automatic "sorry" came out, before I froze for a moment and just thought, "wait... did I just say that?". Elton John was lying when he sang 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word'.
I think it depends on many things. I've heard from a Brit 'you just pee on the street, nobody cares' and from someone else 'if you fall over in London, people would just step over you' and I've certainly known many Brits who are blunt to the point of comedy. Haven't known many Americans but the ones I noticed while abroad were very loud and complainy, though there were probably quieter ones who didn't attract attention
A little anecdote I would like to share about "your welcome". I always had a strong belief in leading by example so I would say thankyou, please and your welcome with my kids all the time. My second son decided to keep it up at nursery when juice was being distributed to the rest of the kids, he would pour they would say thank you and he would say your welcome. The nursery after a while of watching this then decided to implement the use of "your welcome" across the board as a demonstration of courtesy :). My son is now 21 and still knows as we say here in the UK "his P's and Q's".
Best due on the channel, I like everyone else but these girls just click. As always great video thank you Lauren and Christina! Also seasons greetings everyone!!!
If you want to have people being outright and mercilessly honest, you have to come to Germany, especially the north. People will tell you without any concealment what they really think.
Most people in English-speaking countries really are incredibly indirect and will usually avoid sharing negative opinions with someone they don't know very well unless done very carefully and with something positive tacked on to the end to soften the blow. Here in the US, usually people want to avoid unnecessary conflict and not upset or embarrass anyone (or themselves).
@@crc00 The "party invitation" thing from the video is a classic example. In almost no circumstance would an invitee ever just tell a host honestly that they don't want to go to a party and have no intention of going - they'll either get a flimsy excuse or an "I'll look at my schedule!" It's sort of an unwritten rule in the US that you can never explicitly say "no" to an invitation so as not to offend the host.
You'll hear "Gesundheit." in Wisconsin a lot, as the people that emigrated here looked for somewhat harmless ways to retain some of their native language, at least for the sneezing.
It’s spread across North America in general as an alternative phrase in response to a sneeze. I occasionally hear it here in Canada although Bless You or Tes Souhaits (a contracted form of Best Wishes in French) are more common.
That is common here in the US as well. I have experienced it from both sides of the exchange. I have surprised a few antique dealers in my time by coming back and making purchases though... or missing out when someone else got the item. Only once though. 😉
In Australia, "no problem" is substituted with "no worries". However, I realise in recent years, many youngsters say "no drama", especially in Sydney. Not sure how they say it in the UK and USA though.
"No worries" (in the Australian usage) has caught on with some Canadians in recent years (probably due to exposure to Aussie media and media figures). It’s generally viewed as more upbeat and positive than "don’t worry about it" or "no problem" (which can carry a dismissive tone or an implication that there was a cause for worry or a potential problem). I’ve seen Americans using it the same way too. It hasn’t replaced "sorry" as the ubiquitous Canadian social lubricant phrase but it has definitely supplemented it.
I usually feel too awkward to say "you're welcome" or "no problem". I have a lot of social anxiety (and regular anxiety) and one thing that makes me feel awkward is saying words that people expect. Like expected responses to phrases. Words that aren't "my own". So like I couldn't say "Merry Christmas" and even "happy birthday" is hard for me. So when someone says thanks, I'm usually like "ah yeah... grand" or something.
Don't get offended if an American replies to thank you with "yep" instead of "you're welcome". We DO say you're welcome too but it depends. If we go out of our way to give a gift, and you thank us, then yes, we will say you're welcome. We are happy to take all the credit for making your day. ...If it's something we AREN'T expecting a thank you for, we were just doing what a courteous person SHOULD do, it catches us off-guard and there's almost a guilt blocking us from saying you're welcome. Because we don't feel we did something overly generous and don't want any credit. "Yep" is short for... "Yes, of course I was going to help you (...pick up those items you dropped even tho you are a total stranger). It should be expected of me. You don't need to thank me, but, you're welcome!!"
I got used to how to interpret those replies, the highlight of it is that when Americans say "thank you very much" and "you're welcome" they actually mean it, so the message feels so sincere that is a pleasant thing to hear.
Agreed with everything you said. Even if we're sometimes more informal with our language, it would still be extremely rude in the US not to acknowledge someone's thanks in some way. The only time it's really appropriate to be offended is if someone completely disregards you.
As a foreigner, it's exactly like what you said. I've heard "yup" often from a stranger. As a context, people in the city I live are very nice and it's often that people help out strangers on small things. And I can say it doesn't feel rude at all to me. People would say "yup" in a friendly, acknowledging tone, unlike the guy in the clip which sounds more like a tone one would talk to a really close friend, not a stranger. In fact, I like how casual people sound when they say it I started to say it myself.
My daughters teacher replied to an email from me like this. I asked for an extra day on an assignment we were late on and that’s all I got, “yep.” She’s younger like 21 but I thought that was rude or being dismissive, idk! It irked me though for a minute lol
Bless you comes from the days of the plague. In the uk, we had a ring of roses or I think it was something like posies depending whether someone has died or just had the plague. This lead to the nursery rhyme ring a ring o roses a pocket full of posies a tissue a tissue we all fall down. Which basically meant if you sneezed and you had the plague you would die. A bit like we assumed everyone would die from covid.
The posies of flowers/herbs were carried to ward off infections, as well as bad smells and 'bless you' was said as there might not be time to get a priest for last rites and hearing confession.
Have to admit, when travelling, I was a bit surprised when we got to London. We love it there, but a lot of the people weren't what I would call polite. :-) They weren't rude, but just not openly friendly. Of course, London is a big city. I live in the US, but not in a big city. If I say hello to a stranger passing here, they usually say that back. In London, they frequently reacted as tho I never said hello. Not rude, just not friendly back. I think I was expecting London to be more openly friendly. But it was more like a non-rude busy city. ;-)
I'm afraid 'polite' is very different from friendly in London. I've never lived there, but whenever I visit I have to readjust my instincts to never meet people's eyes on the streets or public transport, and certainly never say hello. It feels very strange, but it's different in other parts of the country. We always say hello when out and about where I live.
I'm from the UK and yeah it is like we don't really want to talk to strangers. In smaller towns, people are friendlier and more likely to make conversations with a stranger, but even then it's still not super common. We generally don't want to bother strangers by making conversation, but we also sometimes dislike random people talking to us too, so we keep to ourselves most of the time.
@Robert Stallard That's the way a lot of people feel about cities as they get bigger and more populated. I'm not generally a city fan myself. That said, we did love the area we were at. We've stayed right around Borough Market and loved it around there. Admittedly, although we've stopped twice, we've never stayed more than a few days each time. And I don't know if I will ever learn to enjoy mushy peas... ;-)
Sorry but I can't agree, I live in UK for about 8 years now and when something happens, people usually say "no worries" and e-mails are somewhat informal and mostly ended with "best regards" or "regards " so and so.
I as a german was watching "Inspector Barnaby" dubbed in german and I even then understood the british way of politeness when he maybe confronts a very posh person with some guilt in a crime without disturbing the peace of a conversation. A little like beating around the bush, but because of british politeness the opposite can not get angry but is forced to stay polite... and give answers. Enjoyable!
Someone bumped into me waking through a line I was in with my children. They bumped my upper back so hard the wind was knocked out of me. The lady behind me asked if I was okay. And the guy was in a A-tank and just kept walking like he owned the Easter Egg hunt for children or something. I was very upset and hurt but I guess as$holes exists everywhere. Even in the southern US.
For small courtesies I respond to people saying thanks with "yeah" to acknowledge that I heard them. I don't owe them anything past what I already did to receive thanks in the first place.
In the US there can actually be a weird connotation of "you're welcome" that can be rude sometimes... because it's like saying "oh yeah, I did something nice for you." It sounds kind of sassy or entitled... I personally don't like saying "no problem" though. I tend to say "oh, of course." 😅
I've never really thought of that. And I'm young. I think of "you're welcome" as "my service *to you* was gladly offered". Even if I'm the subject of the sentence the focus isn't that *I* assisted them but that I was humble enough to be of service. It seems absurd to assume I was being pretentious and insinuating that I deserve the thank you. They'd have to be very disdainful for me to assume they may perceive me that way. And if that were the case I would never win anyway. They can believe what they want.
When I say “yup” after someone thanks me, it’s because I’m full of resentment at the moment and didn’t want to do whatever it was that they’re thanking me for.
5:11 I feel like for me (As an American) I’m more of the person to be like “No I’m Too Busy” or “I have work/school” Even if those are lies I do it to not sound rude even though I might not be interested. On some occasions I do say “I’m not really interested, sorry” while trying not to sound too rude or mean
Hahaha love making these skits with Lauren! Hope you guys enjoyed the video! And thanks for all your kind comments ❤ -Christina 🇺🇸
Althought, I already knew some memes.
Really British memes🤣🤣
I really enjoyed watching it, you and Lauren always perfect . 🥰
We French 🇫🇷 are the opposite of our Neighbor's British🤣 (rude, mad, not nice, never apologize...)
Has anyone told you that you are like the twin of Lauren German (a.k.a Chloe Decker from the TV series Lucifer)???
Lovely
bbbbbbbuuuyeeeeeeeee
make some more
Lauren here 🇬🇧 👋 I’m laughing so hard at the edit of our skit 😂😂 00:15 got me 😭😭 anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the videos and thank you for your continuing support! Lots of love 💚
I guess we French 🇫🇷 are the opposite of you. 🤣🤣
We are rude towards foreigners
Hello , Lauren , i love your videos on the channel , especially with Christina 🇬🇧🇺🇲❤💙
Love from Chile! It's a pleasure to watch your videos guys
@@christophermichaelclarence6003 but why specifically foreigners?
You were right about how easy it is to say. It feels like a reflex. I've accidentally apologised to a table when I stubbed my toe on it. Just under my breath, an automatic "sorry" came out, before I froze for a moment and just thought, "wait... did I just say that?". Elton John and Blue were lying when he sang 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word'.
Lauren & Christina ... it feels like a sitcom of two strangers becoming best friends and I'm so hooked I can't wait for the next episode !! Love them both ^^
They are a great duo.
The less of a "you're welcome" you get, the less of a burden your request was.
"You're welcome" = "I have risen to the occasion of helping you and thus accept your due praise."
"No problem" = Literally, as in "this was not a hardship so don't worry about it"
"Yup" = Your request was so easy and minor for me that I've already forgotten doing it.
The greatest thing about this is seeing Christina and Lauren's interactions. They are genuinely friends and have fun together.
Most viewed videos of this channel are this amazing duo , Christina and Lauren , these two are funny , interesting and respectful with each other , thank you ladies 🇺🇲🇬🇧
In the US, there is sort of a generational difference for what to say when someone says "thank you". Older people (or people in more formal settings) usually expect a "you're welcome" and can find it rude if someone says "no problem" while younger people often prefer "no problem" and even saying "you're welcome" can come off as a bit rude to some as they think it implies that you think that they owed you something or that you are being sarcastic and overdoing things by saying "you're welcome" to show you might not really accept their thank you or your request was unreasonable. A lot of younger people prefer the "no problem" or "no worries" or something like that as it is showing more that you really didn't mind helping them while "you're welcome" can imply you appreciate the thank you but that it was some sort of special effort or you went out of your way to do it. I tend to often do a "you're welcome" with a very causual tone or a wave of my hands to show that even though I'm perhaps using the more "formal" words, it is done more causally so it kind of is like no big deal at all.
This is exactly it! :)
Well explained! It was actually only recently that I saw someone point out how "you're welcome" can come over a bit loaded, so I'm a bit more aware of that! (I'm in England, for the record.)
Cuz English doesn't have the tu/vous or du/sie or ni/er/du or je/jij/ U. Or -san -kun ... Only Sir, Madame or Lady.
Do you think that the “no problem” is a Latin influence in USA? Because that’s the way Latin speakers would answer. (De rien, em francais, “de nada” em português, …).
@@joaomagalhaes6675 That's an interesting idea! De nada is certainly a fairly well known phrase in the USA even amongst people who aren't connected to Spanish speakers much so I could see that being adopted in English a bit more.
"Bless your heart" is a saying in the Southern US which can be well-meant but also quite snide depending on tone and context.
Surprised she didn’t bring that up, guess it’s more common down South. I’ve always found “Bless your little heart” to be a gut punch myself.
We say that in the UK as well. “Oh bless his heart”. But it’s never snide. I like that twist 😂.
As a Texan, I can confirm. Really, if a southerner tells you “Bless your heart” they’re actually calling you stupid but in a polite way haha
these two are great, and always explain that (everyone is unique and different, but this is the average norm in my country).
this is one of the best series to ever exist on this channel
That 'bless you' does extend further than responding to a sneeze, in the way that you will respond sincerely and sympathetically to seeing or hearing someone who conveys vulnerability or kindness in some way or another (bless you, bless her, bless him). It's a form of endearment or appreciation. It has no religious connection in general parlance.
Indeed, we have an expression (somewhat redundant now) relating to something an infant or young child has done, or happened to them, in 'bless his/her little cotton socks'. Robert, UK.
Good to see cristina and lauren pair again thank you soo muucchh..!!! 🤗🤗🤗🤗
"I feel like for us , if somebody doesn't apologize" , actually , Lauren , this is with any person from any country in the world , being rude makes anyone angry 😂 🇨🇦🇺🇲🇬🇧🇩🇪🇦🇺🇯🇵
"being rude makes anyone angry"
Truth.
I guess but I feel like now that I’m living in England whenever someone bumps into me they say sorry repeatedly like “oh sorry,sorry I’m so sorry” whereas in America people would walk into me all the time and just either grunt a reply or walk away. I was shocked at how nice the British were
@@LilacMorelli “grunt”
@@LilacMorelli guess you would know already since you live there, but be careful of some of the bumping.. someone might just be a pickpocket
@@martinkhoe4997 oh don’t worry even if they were a thief there wouldn’t be much to steal
I absolutely love these, I feel like we’ve learnt so much about the differences between two English speaking countries.
It would be really cool to see the differences in other languages too. For example, France French vs Canada French vs Belgium French. Or Spain Spanish vs Mexican Spanish vs Colombian Spanish.
Those are all awesome suggestions, I'd love to see those too! :)
It would be awesome it they make a challenge like the Commonwealth vs the Europeans
🇺🇸🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿🇨🇦 vs 🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇪🇸🇵🇱
If they go on with Spanish they have a lot of content there.
Great ideas!
Americans are also really polite to be fair... They're in that group of polite cultures.
I'm Saudi Arabian, travelled to Canada, US and England. I would consider the 3 countries to have a similar 'apologetic' culture.. so many sorry's and thank you's.. It's nice.
I would say Britain and America are similar in politeness, while Canada is the most polite.
As a Canadian, I find that to be funny because Americans like to stereotype of as being too polite.
Southern Americans are very polite to the point of being incredibly indirect.
On behalf of Canada I'd like to apologize for being so polite. ( ;
As a Southern American, I can confirm we’re entirely too polite sometimes. We’ll apologize when WE were the ones who had been wronged. However, sometimes we’re just passive aggressive and wrap our snide remarks in a smile.
I found the Americans to be the most polite out of all those you mentioned.
I'm from the U.S. in the deep South. We say "bless you" and "bless your heart " a lot. I suppose it's just where your from in the states. Love your videos!
If you wanted to compare politeness vs. directness, I think the UK vs Germany, the Netherlands or any of the Scandinavian countries would probably be better. I'm from the latter, and we would actually consider it extremely rude not to be honest when declining an invitation.
As a Dutch, we are the same... You have to be just upfront
I‘m German and I agree only in parts. It would be considered very rude if someone declines an invitation without giving a reason or by giving a reason that is easily exposed to be a lie. BUT there are reasons you can’t tell honestly without hurting someone.
As a Brit, and speaking for myself and from my own personal experiences, I can tell you that it all depends on the situation, the circumstances and the person or people you are dealing with as to how you approach the situation.
Believe me, if the situation warrants it and is worth wasting my breath on, I can be very direct and blunt and say it exactly as it is, and from my experiences, this is the same for a lot of Brits. BUT! That being said, if the person I am dealing with is of a sensitive nature, the last thing you want to do is hurt their feelings, I would apologise to them by saying sorry I genuinely cannot make it , and then explain WHY I can't make it, but I would also promise that I would go next time IF nothing else was hindering me at that time ( I keep my promises) so I have been honest but sensitive.
But then if the person you are dealing with is mixing with bad people that you don't really want to associate with or have any problems with, I would not come out with a bare faced lie, but I would excuse myself from the situation without having to be to confrontational.
The last thing I want, is to hurt people or their feelings. But if someone is rude to me, or even if I observe it being done to someone else, I will say something.
We are in general good at standing up for the underdog/ weaker. We prefer blunt honesty, but it depends on your attitude and tone of voice, just because you are being sensitive and caring of others feelings, does not mean you are not being honest and upfront. And sometimes if you are so blas'e and so blunt ,you can come across as egotistical and heartless and very rude.
As a rule, the British do not air their dirty laundry in public ( their personal private and intimate business is none of anyone else's business) and stays behind closed doors until they get to know you, or choose otherwise. But many of us, myself included can have a conversation with a total stranger about anything pretty much, just not really personal private or intimate stuff at the start, and i/many other Brits would not pry into others private business, so because of this, I think can make some Brits look standoffish. But it also depends on what type of character you are facing.
I can say "sorry " in many ways and each time is sincere,
1: if someone accidentally bumps into me, I will say sorry ( for being in their way)
2: if someone deliberately bumped into me, I could respond with " oh I'm sorry was I in your way " ( sarcastically)
3: I could say, sorry I don't mean to be rude/ interrupt you but.....
I work with a few foreign people, some don't even say hello, let alone please or thank you! Now I find that extremely rude and bad manners. Good manners costs nothing!
Now I thought about it for a while, then I asked one of them if they minded me asking them about their culture etc and to please don't take it the wrong way and that I was just trying to understand.
I asked if they said please or thank you in their culture, or if they looked at men and women in a different light ( apart from the obvious differences)
They said women were lower class than men, they said they didn't really say thank you or please in the same way or as much as the Brits.
Well, I did say in all honesty ,a piece of friendly advice, that they shouldn't look at women in that light, and if they planned on living in Britain they had better start saying please and thank you more. I don't like causing bad vibes, but after that conversation, the next time I saw one of them, I said in a firm voice, I am not dealing with you until you smile and say hello and they smiled and said hello and we both had a little laugh,
since then they have been more polite.
Now if you jump the queue, you may hear some colourful language from the Brits, because its rude and bad manners to jump the queue.
I will also say, it is so wrong on every level to tarnish a whole nation with the same brush, no one knows every single person, and therefore cannot be so quick in their criticism. You have good and bad in all countries. Don't think that all Brits that go abroad have the football hooligan/yob mentality, because they don't!
Exactly what i was thinking, some of what is deemed polite in English would come near to a declaration of a blood feud in German (whereas we have a reputation of being very impolite in English, so I guess it goes both ways)
People can have different reasons. I'm very socially awkward, sensitive, and anti-confrontational. I'm already scared just talking to people, so I definitely can't just say "no" or "I don't want to". I would be afraid of their reaction, or just afraid of hurting them. I'd feel really bad afterwards even if they didn't react negatively. I would never be able to bring that word out.
Hahahah the "sorry" illustration was so funny, I had a good laugh
How can you not love these two girls?
I do know many ppl in America who would use "I'll think about it" rather than being direct but it does depend on whether you're close to the person you're communicating or not. And another reply to "thank you/thanks" that I have heard is "of course."
I’ve found that Americans are more generous than the British with the ‘bless you’ response to someone sneezing. If people knew how it originated, they might think twice about using it. During the Great Plague of London in 1655, sneezing was one of the first indicators that someone was infected. The ‘bless you’ response was used like a very short prayer in the hope that the sneezer wouldn’t eventually die.
Being from the USA, my favorite alternative to "you're welcome" is "my pleasure!". this works in 99% of situations.
I'm guilty of the "yup" thing from time to time.
When I say it, in my head I'm conveying the idea that "yes, I'm happy to help" or "yes, I'd help anyway" or "yes, it wasn't any trouble." But it can very easily be misunderstood by people who aren't on that same wavelength and thereby come off as being rude or condescending.
I can’t never give a one word answer I feel so weird like it’s automatically rude sounding to me lol.
I actually started watching vids of this channel because of both of you two, and since then I usually only watch the vid where there's you two. Your friendship is awesome, y'all don't look fake and I like it. Thank you for being the cast of this channel idk what to do once either of you quit or something... not sure how the system there goes ahaha
Stay safe and healthy you two! 😁
Adding to the "bless you" part in the US, in the southern US, the region is known as "The Bible Belt" since that specific part is especially known for being religious. Because of that, there's a saying that has many different uses.
If someone is having a successful career, people will say "Well bless their heart, that's amazing!" If they have a performance coming up, "Bless their hearts, I think they'll do great." If someone is going through a hard time and needs some comfort, "Aw I'm so sorry to hear that, bless their heart..."
It's a very common phrase down here, especially in Texas.
Came here to say that as well. I’m from NC and I’ll say “bless you” if somebody helps me when I really need it (or brings me food when I’m hungry lol). Some of my friends say “bless” in situations where you’re like smh. Occasionally people say “bless her/him” when talking about somebody kinda like “what can you do” kinda way - my mother in law says “bless him” all the time when talking about my sister’s dog who can be really dumb or needy
I’m also from NC, but I’ve been up in Indiana for a little bit for school. I’ve recently found myself saying, “God bless you” both when someone does something to help me and when someone has made a dumb mistake. I’m not even an extremely religious person, but I think adding God in there just adds a little razzle dazzle for me. And we can’t forget about the “bless your heart,” that essentially means “wow, you’re so dumb.”
That is true. In contrast, in liberal, non-religious areas such as New York, my American friends have taught me to use "Gesundheit" (borrowed from German, meaning "Good health") instead of "Bless you."
Love lauren and christina
Bless you started because the heart skips a beat, you you are thought to be dead for that second. So is to being a blessing for that time.
Christina AND lauren Make my Day ❤️🔥😂
As an "impolite" american I equate polite in most of these instances as deceitful or dishonest rather than not being rude.
@European Socialist Union That's just how it comes off feeling if your from here it feels disingenuous and false .
I used to live in Japan and it’s impressive how British and Japanese politeness are very similar. Japanese people are very polite when writing e-mails and apologizing. There are like 5 ways to apologize depending on your hierarchical position…
There’s never a better insult than saying “Bless your heart” 😂
I knew it means something like: poor dummy (depending on the situation.
It seems that Christina hasn't met many people from the south. Bless her heart.
I can agree with Lauren with "bless you" being so normal as a brit myself, like I remember one time in an EXAM I sneezed a lot and I just heard the same person say "bless you" everytime I sneezed, the invigilator even told him to stop because it was "distracting" lol
Please make more videos with Christina and Lauren.. I love their chemistry..
0:15 OMG! can't stop laughing 🤣😂
Good
As a German this is really entertaining to watch as we usually already associate Americans with perceived vain and mischievous behaviour, so it's quite interesting that they are deemed rather direct within the anglophone sphere.
Also quite interesting to see how different politeness is defined by different cultures as parts of what seems to be deemed polite in English would be a declaration of a blood feud in German.
What about personal space? Is there also a difference between the us and the uk? As i remember from my stay in Canada that a lot of people would ask me (what appeared to me) very personal questions, tell me unasked for matters of their personal lifes and give me random "Kosenamen" (like "honey", "darling", "my love") which would trigger an immediate fist on the nose in Germany if a stranger would take that liberty (we can't even address people by their first name untill they have offered us the informal address (even in school teachers had to address us with family name once we turned 18))
Depends on where you live in the USA and who you’re talking too. Where I was born, luv, hun, etc were given freely to just about everyone and personal space was limited.
Moved to another state and well I won’t be fought over a hun, they do get touchy about personal space.
Keep in mind most won’t start fights because once shit escalates to physical violence, it can become lethal fast.
In the UK, there are many different regional terms of endearment, but they're quite commonly used. They're meant in a warm, kind way, not a condescending way. I lose track of how many times a day a customer calls me "pet", "love", "darling" etc. It's received in the way it's intended. I can understand how it must seem a bit odd to people who are from countries where they don't talk to people they don't know and limit interactions to the bare minimum with people who aren't friends or family. Here, it's just seen as warm, polite and friendly.
That’s interesting! In the US if you say “you’re welcome” after someone says “thanks” it can (at least where I’m from) come off rude, because it implies that they were obliged to thank you or apologize/etc. It’s considered more polite to minimize the issue or favor instead (Christina’s “no problem” is the most common), saying “yup” is not all that common although if it’s said it’s usually in an energetic tone and has the same vibe as saying “anytime!”
That seems to be an age related issue. I've noticed that older folks at my job seem to like when I say "you welcome" instead of "no problem" as it sounds more polite to them. However, being overly polite with younger clients seems to make them uncomfortable and they just prefer a simple "no problem"
Yes! As an American I usually don't say you're welcome. I usually say no problem or of course!
As a foreigner, I've heard "yup" very often when I thank a stranger. People here are very casual, nice, and friendly toward strangers (a small city in upstate New York). I learn to say "yup" myself because I like how simple and casual it feels. Didn't realize it's considered rude in some places.
What part of the states are u in? Bc where I’m in it’s more polite to say “ur welcome” and “no problem” is more informal among friends
I think 'you're welcome', 'no problem' and 'of course' are pretty much interchangeable.
I am from the UK. If two people accidentally bump into each other I think both saying sorry is mostly automatic, even if it is clearly the other person who has been careless. I think it can mean "I don't care whose fault it was, I just don't want to fight".
A loud "sorry" before trying to get through a crowd can mean "I am coming through, and I might be doing a bit of pushing if necessary". If pushing something large and on wheels, or similar, a similar thing be a loud and brisk but friendly "mind yerr backs", especially if coming up behind people.
That reminds me of people in California coming up pedestrians from behind calling out "passing on your right/left", which I have adopted for use in the UK.
Getting back to "sorry": it can also be used in an aggressive and negative way, with a negative, questioning, tone of voice.
That's true. Most people say sorry to each other if they bump into each other accidentally when walking. If someone pushes you when trying to queue hop, that might be met with an "excuse me", or "sorry" but with a tone of indignation. In any other situation, if it was accidental, both parties would usually say "sorry", including the innocent victim of the bumping.
I even said "sorry" in response to someone else saying "sorry" at the supermarket once. My back was to them at the time. I was getting a trolley out and heard them say sorry. I assumed I must have bumped them, or inconvenienced them in some way, having heard their "sorry", so replied with "sorry". My son, who had a better view of the other person started laughing. It turns out the "sorry" was intended for the person they were talking to on the phone 😂
I've said "sorry" to a few tables during the years too, as it's such a reflex to say "sorry" if you bump someone 😂 The word can slip out, before you have time to process what you bumped into.
There we are then is often used in Wales as a put down,add together the first letters.
I love you two,😃 funny as ever
I like them both, hope there's more of them
1:20 LOL! The old British guy is going to use the dog to pull the drownee out.
Once I was in class and somone sneezed! Everyone instantly was like belss you all at the same time it was soo funny🤣🤣🤣😆
I adore Christina so much, i love her! Anyway I honestly wouldn't say British people are "polite". It's just that they're very adhere to certain etiquettes that most people aren't used to. Someone can be clumsy as hell but still appear to be polite.
Love this! A few things I'd say tho is you forgot the Southern "Bless your heart." That would have been perfect. Also, as a midwesterner, I'd say we say "sorry" a LOT.
In many parts of the U.S., if someone says 'oh bless your heart', that is an even worse insult than if they had started insulting you directly.
Thanks again ladies. Thinking about apologies, most of our people in this part of South Africa are Zulu-speaking and, of course, they have a culture that is foreign to people of European origin (unless, like me, you've lived here for more decades than I care to remember). Something that would always puzzle me is how, if, for example you dropped something, a Zulu person standing nearby would invariably say, "Sorry!" It always seemed to me that they were admitting culpability even though they had nothing to do with your dropping the object. Of course, they were not apologising, but rather, expressing sympathy for your inconvenience.
I love both of them but Christina wins my heart.
Saying "You're welcome" implies that what you're doing for them is a great burden, which can actually feel rude if you were only doing a small thing for them. That's how I see it as a Canadian, at least
Wow, for me “You’re welcome!” is a warm acknowledgement and appreciation of someone’s saying thank you, nothing at all negative in it.
Weird twisting of phrases and meanings makes communication between countries a challenge that can either be tricky or fun, depending on your open mindedness and level of curiosity.
Actually it’s true it sounds weird when you are thinking about the meaning of the expression itself! In French it’s quite clear and simple, we answer “de rien” to thank you, so literally “ it’s nothing”. Quite the opposite idea of the English answer ^^’
I kinda see it more of a “you’re welcome to it anytime”. That being said I often go for “that’s ok”, “no worries”, or “honestly its fine, it was no trouble”
as an American I find my self saying "no problem" more then "your welcome" in most situations.
In the USA, "no problem" vs "you're welcome" is usually a generational thing. Those older than Gen X would say "you're welcome" and think "no problem" is rude. On the other hand, those younger may feel like it's better to say "no problem", because it indicates that helping wasn't a hardship for them / didn't put them out. They may feel "you're welcome" is a little more conceited, like you're saying it was a burden to help but you're an amazing person so you did it anyway. I hadn't really thought of this myself until I read an article about generational differences in the workplace and was like "ohhhh.... it all makes sense now." LOL
I'm a millennial but now try to remember to say "you're welcome" to older people instead of "no problem". (And there are OF COURSE exceptions - there could easily be entire regions where this does not hold true.)
Me a millennial who says mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. I find it more rude to demand certain responses from people. Giving them a mean mug face just because they do not conform to YOUR rules for manners is the rudest thing ever.
Too many cultures. Too many manners that conflict with each other. Too much hypocrisy. People get absolutely snobbish about manners.
I really dont get that. I say "you're welcome' meaning 'you're welcome to ask anytime'. It's a warm way of saying you don't mind doing something for them and would happily do so again if asked.
I'm a british millennial btw. My general responses are 'no problem' 'welcome' 'anytime' and 'you're welcome'.
I like the British accent more America
More polite and sensitive 💕💕
Love you
We Canadians have inherited quite a few traits from our often British ancestors. Laughed out loud!
We inherited the use of sorry as a social lubricant but we almost completely lost the British habit of using sorry in a passive-aggressive manner (where the tone of the "sorry" very obviously means that they are absolutely not sorry). In Canada, sorry can be an apology, sympathy or a "let’s not get upset over this minor thing" defusing phrase (probably the most common use in both Canada and the UK) but we didn’t really retain the British "I don’t give a damn" sarcastic toned usage (although we definitely can recognize it).
@@paranoidrodent if you believe we’ve completely lost the passive-aggressive manner, you’ve obviously never met any of my children! :). Cheers!
@@cynthiabruce-marzenska5024 (laughing) I was careful to couch my comments with words like "almost". Of course people will still give false sarcastic apologies (especially kids and teenagers) but it’s usually a drawn out bit of obvious sarcasm (often stretching the first vowel sound), especially if they feel forced to apologize. That’s not the passive-aggressive version I meant.
The Brits sometimes do this subtle shift in tone in the social lubricant sorry, adding a sort of sneering tone, that shifts it from a mutual no worries thing to a clear "you mean nothing to me" vibe and it’s used with strangers. It’s pretty rare to anything worse than an absent minded reflexive sorry in Canada. A hollow empty sorry is the usual limit with strangers here. We just don’t tend to give sorry a "piss off and get out of my way" vibe like that. It’s possible but quite a breach of social custom here.
@@paranoidrodent I’d have to say that my youngest has mastered the British-like sorry very much like a “you must die” type of sorry. Her delivery is stellar and makes me pity those who don’t recognize the tone. Conversely, when she is truly in jeopardy of inspiring my ire, she resorts to “c’est une blague!” to appease the proximity we have to the Quebec border. 15 year olds have the greatest attitude. :/
@@cynthiabruce-marzenska5024 (grinning madly) That sounds exceedingly familiar (mixed Franco and Anglo family living near the Quebec-Ontario border here). You have my sympathies and I tip my hat to your little one’s verbal prowess. 😆
The true British apologises when people bump into them. That's the rule
100%
I've said thank you to people from the UK, and their reply has been, "That's okay," and it throws me off every time!
You were right about how easy it is to say. It feels like a reflex. I've accidentally apologised to a table when I stubbed my toe on it. Just under my breath, an automatic "sorry" came out, before I froze for a moment and just thought, "wait... did I just say that?". Elton John was lying when he sang 'Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word'.
Me in the same situation would probably swear as a reflex 😅
I'm pleased I'm not the only one who has said "sorry" to tables before 😂
Is it just me? In my experience, British are direct and blunt while Americans are not open about their feelings and beat around the bush
I think it depends on many things. I've heard from a Brit 'you just pee on the street, nobody cares' and from someone else 'if you fall over in London, people would just step over you' and I've certainly known many Brits who are blunt to the point of comedy. Haven't known many Americans but the ones I noticed while abroad were very loud and complainy, though there were probably quieter ones who didn't attract attention
A little anecdote I would like to share about "your welcome". I always had a strong belief in leading by example so I would say thankyou, please and your welcome with my kids all the time. My second son decided to keep it up at nursery when juice was being distributed to the rest of the kids, he would pour they would say thank you and he would say your welcome. The nursery after a while of watching this then decided to implement the use of "your welcome" across the board as a demonstration of courtesy :). My son is now 21 and still knows as we say here in the UK "his P's and Q's".
Best due on the channel, I like everyone else but these girls just click. As always great video thank you Lauren and Christina!
Also seasons greetings everyone!!!
Spot on! The difference between US and UK.
In Icelandic we say when some1 sneezes "God bless you/ Guð blessi þig". Goodbye is "Bless" ;)
When Americans visit the Netherlands, they have a similar experience but with reversed roles. The Dutch directness often baffles them.
If you want to have people being outright and mercilessly honest, you have to come to Germany, especially the north. People will tell you without any concealment what they really think.
Most people in English-speaking countries really are incredibly indirect and will usually avoid sharing negative opinions with someone they don't know very well unless done very carefully and with something positive tacked on to the end to soften the blow. Here in the US, usually people want to avoid unnecessary conflict and not upset or embarrass anyone (or themselves).
@@cahinton. as a German from the Ruhr-Area everytime people are indirect I think „Red ma Tacheles“ haha
Edit: Its like „Speak plainly!“ in English
@@crc00 The "party invitation" thing from the video is a classic example. In almost no circumstance would an invitee ever just tell a host honestly that they don't want to go to a party and have no intention of going - they'll either get a flimsy excuse or an "I'll look at my schedule!" It's sort of an unwritten rule in the US that you can never explicitly say "no" to an invitation so as not to offend the host.
The Netherlands may be even better at that.
@@juanfran579 Maybe. Similar folks.
You'll hear "Gesundheit." in Wisconsin a lot, as the people that emigrated here looked for somewhat harmless ways to retain some of their native language, at least for the sneezing.
It’s spread across North America in general as an alternative phrase in response to a sneeze. I occasionally hear it here in Canada although Bless You or Tes Souhaits (a contracted form of Best Wishes in French) are more common.
I'd rather give someone a "no" in the best possible way rather than string them along with a "maybe".
Bless your heart . . .
Haha this was funny but helpful. I'll visit the UK for the first time so I better learn how to express myself properly over there haha.
In the markets in london sometimes if people say oh I'll come back to get an item we didn't pay for when really we won't .
That is common here in the US as well. I have experienced it from both sides of the exchange. I have surprised a few antique dealers in my time by coming back and making purchases though... or missing out when someone else got the item. Only once though. 😉
Love this pair ❤
I think being ghosted hurts 10 times worse than someone just directly telling me why they don’t want to see me again.
British politeness is too difficult 😃 I love American way😁
In Australia, "no problem" is substituted with "no worries". However, I realise in recent years, many youngsters say "no drama", especially in Sydney. Not sure how they say it in the UK and USA though.
People definitely say "no worries" here in the US, too.
"No worries" (in the Australian usage) has caught on with some Canadians in recent years (probably due to exposure to Aussie media and media figures). It’s generally viewed as more upbeat and positive than "don’t worry about it" or "no problem" (which can carry a dismissive tone or an implication that there was a cause for worry or a potential problem). I’ve seen Americans using it the same way too. It hasn’t replaced "sorry" as the ubiquitous Canadian social lubricant phrase but it has definitely supplemented it.
Oh lol my meme is there 😂
I usually feel too awkward to say "you're welcome" or "no problem". I have a lot of social anxiety (and regular anxiety) and one thing that makes me feel awkward is saying words that people expect. Like expected responses to phrases. Words that aren't "my own". So like I couldn't say "Merry Christmas" and even "happy birthday" is hard for me. So when someone says thanks, I'm usually like "ah yeah... grand" or something.
Good stuff! And that’s the TRUTH!
Don't get offended if an American replies to thank you with "yep" instead of "you're welcome". We DO say you're welcome too but it depends. If we go out of our way to give a gift, and you thank us, then yes, we will say you're welcome. We are happy to take all the credit for making your day. ...If it's something we AREN'T expecting a thank you for, we were just doing what a courteous person SHOULD do, it catches us off-guard and there's almost a guilt blocking us from saying you're welcome. Because we don't feel we did something overly generous and don't want any credit.
"Yep" is short for... "Yes, of course I was going to help you (...pick up those items you dropped even tho you are a total stranger). It should be expected of me. You don't need to thank me, but, you're welcome!!"
I got used to how to interpret those replies, the highlight of it is that when Americans say "thank you very much" and "you're welcome" they actually mean it, so the message feels so sincere that is a pleasant thing to hear.
Agreed with everything you said. Even if we're sometimes more informal with our language, it would still be extremely rude in the US not to acknowledge someone's thanks in some way. The only time it's really appropriate to be offended is if someone completely disregards you.
As a foreigner, it's exactly like what you said. I've heard "yup" often from a stranger. As a context, people in the city I live are very nice and it's often that people help out strangers on small things. And I can say it doesn't feel rude at all to me. People would say "yup" in a friendly, acknowledging tone, unlike the guy in the clip which sounds more like a tone one would talk to a really close friend, not a stranger. In fact, I like how casual people sound when they say it I started to say it myself.
Where I'm from a head nod is the more common response as both the thanks and reply more would imply a grand gesture or sarcasm.
My daughters teacher replied to an email from me like this. I asked for an extra day on an assignment we were late on and that’s all I got, “yep.” She’s younger like 21 but I thought that was rude or being dismissive, idk! It irked me though for a minute lol
Bless you comes from the days of the plague. In the uk, we had a ring of roses or I think it was something like posies depending whether someone has died or just had the plague. This lead to the nursery rhyme ring a ring o roses a pocket full of posies a tissue a tissue we all fall down. Which basically meant if you sneezed and you had the plague you would die. A bit like we assumed everyone would die from covid.
The posies of flowers/herbs were carried to ward off infections, as well as bad smells and 'bless you' was said as there might not be time to get a priest for last rites and hearing confession.
A++ discussion - do more of these...
I miss your group with Grace 🥰🥰🥰
This content is so fun, beruntung saya bisa menemukan channel ini. Nice to see, all of you guys :)
Have to admit, when travelling, I was a bit surprised when we got to London. We love it there, but a lot of the people weren't what I would call polite. :-) They weren't rude, but just not openly friendly. Of course, London is a big city. I live in the US, but not in a big city. If I say hello to a stranger passing here, they usually say that back. In London, they frequently reacted as tho I never said hello. Not rude, just not friendly back. I think I was expecting London to be more openly friendly. But it was more like a non-rude busy city. ;-)
I'm afraid 'polite' is very different from friendly in London. I've never lived there, but whenever I visit I have to readjust my instincts to never meet people's eyes on the streets or public transport, and certainly never say hello. It feels very strange, but it's different in other parts of the country. We always say hello when out and about where I live.
@@geemo4284 Yep, exactly my point... Agreed..
I'm from the UK and yeah it is like we don't really want to talk to strangers. In smaller towns, people are friendlier and more likely to make conversations with a stranger, but even then it's still not super common. We generally don't want to bother strangers by making conversation, but we also sometimes dislike random people talking to us too, so we keep to ourselves most of the time.
@Robert Stallard That's the way a lot of people feel about cities as they get bigger and more populated. I'm not generally a city fan myself.
That said, we did love the area we were at. We've stayed right around Borough Market and loved it around there. Admittedly, although we've stopped twice, we've never stayed more than a few days each time.
And I don't know if I will ever learn to enjoy mushy peas... ;-)
plz don't judge the uk only by london
i'm from the uk and the area where i live is really polite, as well as other place
I love these series, keep uploading more
“Maybe if you’re super religious, you’d say ‘bless you’ in the second context.”
LOL. Christina must have never been to the South.
Grr Im 4th 🟦⬜🟥. Our Neighbor's British are actually and indeed polite 🇬🇧.
Bring back the Europeans. Make a face off challenge 🇪🇺🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇪🇸🇵🇱
I used to travel often before the pandemics. Never have I met people so rude to me using polite words like in London.
London is often rude and unfriendly. I lived there for a few years. Other parts of the country are totally different.
You should look at the meme of meanings behind email sign offs 😂 Like "Best" means never speak to me ever again 😂
Sorry but I can't agree, I live in UK for about 8 years now and when something happens, people usually say "no worries" and e-mails are somewhat informal and mostly ended with "best regards" or "regards " so and so.
I as a german was watching "Inspector Barnaby" dubbed in german and I even then understood the british way of politeness when he maybe confronts a very posh person with some guilt in a crime without disturbing the peace of a conversation. A little like beating around the bush, but because of british politeness the opposite can not get angry but is forced to stay polite... and give answers. Enjoyable!
Thank you. I love this video
Someone bumped into me waking through a line I was in with my children. They bumped my upper back so hard the wind was knocked out of me. The lady behind me asked if I was okay. And the guy was in a A-tank and just kept walking like he owned the Easter Egg hunt for children or something. I was very upset and hurt but I guess as$holes exists everywhere. Even in the southern US.
For small courtesies I respond to people saying thanks with "yeah" to acknowledge that I heard them. I don't owe them anything past what I already did to receive thanks in the first place.
In the US there can actually be a weird connotation of "you're welcome" that can be rude sometimes... because it's like saying "oh yeah, I did something nice for you." It sounds kind of sassy or entitled... I personally don't like saying "no problem" though. I tend to say "oh, of course." 😅
I've never really thought of that. And I'm young. I think of "you're welcome" as "my service *to you* was gladly offered".
Even if I'm the subject of the sentence the focus isn't that *I* assisted them but that I was humble enough to be of service. It seems absurd to assume I was being pretentious and insinuating that I deserve the thank you. They'd have to be very disdainful for me to assume they may perceive me that way. And if that were the case I would never win anyway. They can believe what they want.
the part about saying sorry all the time is so me, I say sorry all the time
2:45
British
: Thank you
: You're welcome
While here in Malaysia
:Thank you
:Thank you
Yes a bit weird,but this is how we will respond 😂
While here in France :
Bonjour
Dégage
Foute moi la paix
I love Malaysia ❤🇲🇾🇲🇾🇲🇾
God, my last english class was about It, I love this Channel e you help a lot in my study.
When I say “yup” after someone thanks me, it’s because I’m full of resentment at the moment and didn’t want to do whatever it was that they’re thanking me for.
5:11
I feel like for me (As an American) I’m more of the person to be like “No I’m Too Busy” or “I have work/school”
Even if those are lies I do it to not sound rude even though I might not be interested.
On some occasions I do say “I’m not really interested, sorry” while trying not to sound too rude or mean
Sometimes, if I need somebody to repeat what they have said I will say, "Sorry" with an enquiring look
America South say "OH bless your heart" and depending on the situation it may not be a good thing lol
Whenever someone starts a sentence with "I'm not complaining but....." They're complaining 😂
Aku suka banget lihat christina dan lauren