I’m an Australian and i would have closed the window if asked to check if it was open 🤣…… to me it is an understood request without being too specific. But, Aussie language and thinking is very close to British English
True, i'm and Englishman i lived in Melbourne for 2 years (yh i know we are everywhere there, sorry) and the language style and spelling for 99% of things is exactly the same. felt normal, where as when i was in America for 3 months i had to be conscious that the yanks weren't being rude by their direct approach even though it may seem like it. they are very blunt at times
I have literally never considered the idea that someone might hear the phrase “to each their own” and think “ah that’s nice” 😂😂😂😂 That’s hilarious to me. It means “fuck off you’re so wrong I can’t discuss this with you anymore”
I disagree. "To each their own" Is a very nice and respectful way of saying that you don't really agree what the other person is saying but you do acknowledge their right to hold a different opinion to your own and that the world is big enough for both views. But hey, To each their own. ;-)
Its also bless their heart itself lol. Its very strange for me when americans say these phrases like we may have never heard them before and never actually stopped to consider how many of them actually came from the UK or are part of the shared history and back and forth.
No seriously this is a major cultural difference. I DONT WANT to say what i mean, its way too easy and i dont want to say the same things over and over again like canned lines, thats how americans sound to us sometimes, like they've memorized a script but arent actually creating their own unique sentences based on their humour, slang, accent, vocab, situations etc The reason we have so much slang, inuendo, sarcasm, dry humour, wit, unique phrases, crass language, rhyming slang and sing song flow etc is because we LOVE to say unique things and be silly and creative with our speech. In the uk and ireland having 'the gift of the gab' or a top tier bant is something highly revered almost and respected. Not sure why they say ireland is low context im irish and have lived in ireland, NI, england and scotland and were all the same pretty much imo, the way we speak and use language is nearly identical imo. Also i really dont think americans are more genuine i think they just use direct language to say things they dont mean and a lot of americans are absolute bullshitters in a way you wouldnt get away with in the uk or ireland where we would absolutely call you out or at least mock you in a subtle way.
You worded this so well. The world is so relentlessly bleak at times, let me say my bullshittery in my own way rather than making it more bleak with rehearsed and perfected lines.
I was surprised that Ireland comes under low context. I don't get that, it must be a mistake. Not that I've spent that much time in Ireland, but I saw the polite... 'well, nice talking to you...', etc., meaning "I have to now" and so on. Just like in Britain, high context 🤷♂
Excellent comment, very thought provoking and I can totally identify with this. I always wondered why Americans sounded a bit, you know, robotic. Now I know.
My favourite is "it's a bloody nightmare" to denote a minor inconvenience, but "it's not ideal" to describe a world-changing cataclysmic event, potentially involving the death of thousands of people and the destruction of entire countries.
As a Brit, if I asked someone to check a window and they came back to report on the status of the window without actually having closed it, it would feel like a microaggression or malicious compliance. They've done what was literally asked of them and nothing more even though the inference that it was a request to close the window should have been clearly understood. Also, no, we don't make adjustments when talking with people from other countries.
@@charybdisontherocks In this situation though they were about to leave the office, so either for security or so you don't come back to it baltic the window needs closing, alternatively it might be to open it if everyone was mithering in a (rare) heatwave.
I find this difference sometimes with a European or British film and an American remake of the same film, in that 'foreign' films tend to be more nuanced and subtle; things can 'hang in the air' unspoken. However in the American film they will hit you in the face with it visually and, in case that isn't enough, will often go on to explain it verbally.
I also think it's about being comfortable with ambiguity and filling in meaning from personal experience and context. Some cultures have a very low tolerance of ambiguity and need an explicit right or wrong.
Ah you mean they tell you what they're going to tell you, then they tell you and then they tell you what they've already told,d you, meks sense for a yank dunnit.
Context, emphasis and tone is everything! At a management training day years ago, I was asked to consider how the following sentence may be received : "I don't think you are incompetent" On the face of it, a positive statement. But : 1. Emphasise "I", and you're saying that others think that 2. Emphasise "think", and you're saying that you "know" it 3. Emphasise "you" and you're saying someone else is 4. Emphasise "incompetent" and you're suggesting something different... perhaps "lazy", "dishonest" or "unlikeable". My favourite thing to say if there's a disaster: "it's not ideal" ! My favourite thing to.say if there's a minor inconvenience: "it's a total nightmare"!
a brit wouldn't say 'this conference was disorganised'.. they'd say something like 'that was an absolute shitstorm', or 'they couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery'
We also say this about wildly fantastic people that we love massively. Like I might say to my sister about my wonderful nibling when she's praising them, "yeah, they're alright" or "yeah, they'll do".
or when responding to the question "How is X person?" "Yeah they're alright." can be translated as "I have no fucking idea but they were alive and not bleeding last I saw them"
"With respect" is probably the best example of British indirect communication. It's *never* meant to be taken at face value. It means "I dislike you/your statements intensely, but I'm trying to be polite." You can reinforce this by using "with the greatest respect." This means "I loathe you, your values and ideas to a depth unplumbable by any line."
@@grunions9648 Although this is also closer to the military concept of respecting the position, not necessarily the person. You can dislike a superior intensely, but you can't undermine them even in private because that can lead to problems.
In Rhodesia they had a way of specifying this. Your car fan belt is loose so you ask a mechanic to adjust it. If he says: "I'll do it just now" he means sometime today, or maybe early tomorrow. "I'll do it now" he means soon. "I'll do it now-now" he means after he's finished the car he's currently fixing . "I'll do it now-now-now" he's reaching for the spanner.
@@sameebahAbsolutely. I'm just saying that if someone said 'if' to me, I'd assume that they wanted it closed and if they said 'that' I'd assume that they wanted it open. You're correct though, there are ways of saying it to eliminate all ambiguity.
It’s also the reason the symbols of state - eg flag and anthem - are so elevated in the US compared to older cultures, because there isn’t that long shared history and context so you have to artificially jump start a shared identity somehow
It’s not just to do with being polite or indirect, It’s also about sarcasm as sarcasm plays a big role in our everyday lives, Not just for humour purposes but it’s ingrained into our entire culture, It helps us through our daily lives.
I think one theory is that American English became very literal when you started having more of a population that didn’t speak it as a foreign language, so it became very utilitarian - whereas in the UK it’s still very usual for everyone of every education level to play with language in some way because we understand the unspoken communication / context (ah she’s mentioned that now). You see this in British vs US comedy too
During the Korean War a British commander was asked for an update by his American comrade in case he needed help. He informed him that things were getting a little sticky so the US officer assumed things were under control. They were actually surrounded by thousands of Chinese soldiers and were fighting for their lives. Sometimes British understatement doesn’t work!
@CyanideSunshines 😂😅😅 , I'm a southern girl in the US and all I can say to you is " Well ,honey ,bless your heart. I know that you really mean that this is quite interesting.and I can just deeply feel that you DO REALLY MEAN that you are indeed fascinated with this conversation .I just do not doubt you at all. Bless your heart, honey that can be such a difficult thing to get across. No.I REALLY FEEL your frustration and really want to help you out a bit. Sometimes I really do mean bless your heart.I really mean that said 1 person from a high context background to another person from a high context background. I ,too live in one of those cultures where phrases either can or cannot mean what you are saying. Seems like we can run all around the yard a few times before either of us gets to the point.😂 ❤😂
@@dakrontuI think I might be improving on that a little.May I just ask a 🙋 question please? You know that great English habit of verbal downplaying as in the house has caught fire and you might say " We're having a bit of an issue" . Isn't that sometimes, depending on the context and actual severity of the circumstances, actually delivered by who is saying it, as an actual joke at the time? Sometimes I sense it is. Because it is always admirable...... and at times really funny.
I told my German girlfriend "I'll think about it" when she suggested we go to German to meet her parents. She went ahead and bought the tickets, and wanted me to pay for mine when I said I wasn't going! My Swiss friend told me that yes, Europeans find it really hard to understand our understatement when it's perfectly clear: Yes means yes, and anything else means that you could set me on fire and I still wouldn't do it.
As a northern German I highly disagree with us being low contextual. I understood every thing mentioned from the Brits exactly as they meant it and that is exactly how we would express in my area in a work environment and with people we don't know/trust, yet. Even the list seemed accurate to me and my area, I almost felt British for a second. It's just in a highly trusted environment when we start to get extremely straight forward and can be perceived as almost rude. Or if we are just too pissed to stay polite. 😂
Us Brits use tone far more than the words that are actually said. Quite good can be both a bit disappointing and better than I expected, depending on tone
As a Brit this really makes me appreciate how different our cultures are and why sometimes each others culture can be a source of confusion and aggravation to each other at times. Their is the British way and the American way and to those Americans I say to each their own 😂
My favourite understatement was hearing an elderly man saying that his family had lived in the same house for ‘quite some time’. When asked how long, he calmly said ‘since 1285’.
Thing is we sometimes use this quirk of language to gently rib each other. Sometimes a visitor might say “I just need to borrow your loo.” Meaning they need to use the bathroom but you might get in reply “Where are you going to take it?” Like you are taking the dog out for a walk or something. We both know what they meant with the first sentence, it’s just something we might say in reply.
Most of the examples in that translated list of British sentences can be used two different ways, positive or negative / literal or coded depending on context and tone
on the window thing, a lot of UK insurance don't accept claims of theft when you've left your window open so we've all learned to close the window when leaving, even if people are in other parts of the building
A boss in a British company in Holland received a report from his Dutch team. "I suggest you think again" he responded. They went away to discuss and reported back to him with "We have thought again and our conclusions are as they were..." ...on a hiding to nothing, then!
The British polite, indirect communication style is only really used in formal situations like the workplace. Among friends and family we tell it how it is unless of course we're using sarcasm, which is itself a lesser form of indirect communication.
When I **ask**, "I'm popping out, does anyone want anything?" I mean it, otherwise I wouldn't ask. Also, when we say, "We should get together sometime," I'm sure when spoken it's genuine, but as soon as we've left the conversation, it's forgotten already. 😅
I enjoy her videos, she's very thorough and I don't think I've ever heard her say 'em' within a sentence. I consider the UK an immigrant land, all though history, from the early Neanderthals to the Romans, Saxons, Normans and Vikings though to the Empire and it's incoming people to the Irish and those from the Caribbean, right through to today with Europeans from the Baltic States. 16% of the people in UK were born abroad and approximately 1 in 3 of all Britons had a grandparent born abroad. So I'm not sure this reason fits with her reasoning.
When we say that something is quite good, we often mean this literally. I think the confusion here is that British and Americans have a different understanding of the word "quite". I often hear Americans use it as a synonym for "very" whereas British people tend to use it as a synonym for "fairly" when used as a qualifier for "good".
I just had a lightbulb moment! This High Context/Low Context thing would also explain the difference in humour, the Americans needing a more in-your-face comedy that spells out the joke for you!
Yep, like being told when to clap, and US Americans saying 'See what I did there?' when they make a conversational quip, because otherwise nobody would understand it was meant to be funny.
American comedy is generally pitched at the lowest common denominator so Cletus on his sofa doesn't feel demeaned if he doesn't understand something. That gave rise to the stock comedic formulation for American tv shows that always included the dumb one. Cheers had Woody and Friends had Joey. The purpose of the dumb one is to act as a foil if another character uses a word with more than three syllables or some sort of esoteric reference. Rather than the viewer becoming bewildered the dumb one asks what that means and another character explains it to them. British comedy tends to aim more at the intelligentsia who value subtle innuendo, cultural references or irony and often flies right over American's heads. American tv shows rely almost entirely on ratings which in turn determine advertising revenue so they can't afford to piss off even a single viewer. British tv shows are often the work of one genius writer rather than a roomful of writers all throwing sh*t at the wall and seeing what sticks which tends to result in very formulaic output. We on the other hand have such extraordinary works as Fawlty Towers and Father Ted. Such genius tends to burn brightly but for very few episodes and seasons. The yanks can churn out homogenous episodes for years and years of 20 plus episodes each.
I would point out that Americans frequently get so offended that they shoot each other. Anerican "directness" also leads to Americans being seen as crass and bad-mannered. When an American complains in a restaurant, everyone around them cringes in embarrassment.
I was covering the night manager's holiday in a large city centre hotel back in 1990, the night shift had a night manager, assistant, 2/3 night porters on duty, a night receptionist and late night bar staff for the residents bar, I was on the desk in shirt sleeves talking to the porters at around 1am when someone came to the desk and asked that I call him a cab, for the first and only time I did that and said "You're a cab sir," he was angry and demanded to speak to the manager, I went off the desk, put my jacket on and returned at which point he lost the plot.
The best ambiguous use of the word.. (Self-regarding singer to W.S. Gilbert) "Well, Mr. Gilbert, was I good ?" (Gilbert) "My dear fellow, good is not the word !"
@@ruthholbrook Being British, I would never use the word "awesome". My standard scale goes atrocious, very poor, poor, acceptable, good, very good, excellent, perfect.
@@jerry2357 True - I've picked up 'awsome' somewhere. Point remains that if something is excellent to perfect, I would say it was 'quite good' or 'okay'
The worst insult a british person can give is "I'm not angry just disappointed." Usually, it means I'm completely pissed off about something or someone.
Imagine you are leaving the house... "Is the door locked?" That's not really enquiring if the door is locked, it's not looking for a yes/no answer. It's making sure the door is locked before you drive off.
Seeing that translation written down surprised me. I would never even consider the 3rd column. I'd just know the middle meaning, but never really thought of the way it could come across to others. Understatement, subtle sarcasm, insults and put downs is just regular communication. It isn't something I make a conscious decision to do, it's just how I speak and understand. I was having a blonde moment yesterday and my best friend called me a dumb c**t , totally true at the time but maybe saying that to a non brit might not play out as well 😂
I would say if we say something is 'quite good' it often means we thought it was the most amazing thing that ever happened rather than being disappointed
@@lynnbargewell3833 yeah definitely down this way in the south west and mostly guys I guess. Like after seeing a movie you really liked or tucking into a nice bit of food or something. An under stated 'thats quite good' or 'that was quite good' slips out when in actual fact you loved it.
Comedian Pierre Novellie has a book about autism that outlines the difficulty autistic people have with this kind of British indirect communication. He uses an example of a boss saying "Hey, is there ANY CHANCE that you could POSSIBLY, THINK ABOUT, MAYBE, HAVING A LOOK AT this task WHEN YOU GET A MINUTE? Thanks" and how there are 6 instances of making the question devoid of urgency when what they mean is "Hello, can you do this for me?"
Those "Charts" that show people the real meanings are just jokes or memes. They're not intended to be taken seriously. They've been around for years and were initially about "Business speak", then they turned into "Office speak", and now they're a conversion chart for English to American? I wouldn't take too much notice of them. Good for a chuckle, but that's about it.
I feel like most of these "British videos" apply to England only. I'm pretty sure up here in Scotland noone would have a problem saying "shut that fkn windi wud yi"
@@allanmanaged5285 no I'm just pointing out the fact because it was mentioned. Her initial intention of the channel was to show anyone in her situation (foreign student) how to negotiate the early days and months in a big city. She then got married moved to the home counties and got her UK citizenship about 4 years ago. Her research goes a lot deeper than many other people who do similar things on here. And I'm sure you don't need telling that she has to make a generalised statement about a country or area otherwise the video would be several hours long.
I can see why why most in the US don't read into our deadpan sarcasm and rely on being told when they're supposed to laugh in their comedy programmes‼️ 😬😬😬😬😬😆😆😆♥️🇬🇧
Or US Americans who tell a joke in a conversation, and immediately follow up with 'See what I did there?' because otherwise nobody would know she or he'd made a joke.
What the British say and what we mean is hilarious and very, very true 😂 Great British Problems are brilliant and shows the translations. One of my favourites of theirs is "Well that was a bit harsh" which translates to "I've never been so insulted in my life" 😂 I wanted to buy a t shirt with that on. Hope you're well 😀
I just watched this video last night and now I'm already watching a reaction to it. 🙄😄 I was so surprised by her first comment about the window as I thought the intention in her bosses question was obvious, but hearing JJs confusion, clearly it's not! I also stopped the video to read the chart, and thought yep! That seems accurate!
Very funny video The British understatement 😀 Expressions need context, tone of voice, body language, situation for understanding. I wonder if you'd been going away on a family vacation and while your parents had been locking up to leave for the airport your dad said " can you see if the window upstairs is open" you'd have understood he meant you to close it if it was?
It's not usually a conscious thing, it's just the way we communicate, like she said. So it's not about worrying about someone's feelings and we don't consider needing to "say what we mean" because as far as we're concerned, we're already saying what we mean, we just say it in different ways to you.
To each their own is very negative. Same as agree to disagree. The person who said it is either very angry or thinks you're an idiot... and doesnt want to bother arguing
The average Brit would understand that comment as meaning "Are you completely mad?" I was about to explain that "That's a very interesting suggestion" means precisely as above!
The one with the Brits saying ‘oh by the way’ is a good one in the medical field. Drs I work with always say that patients start the appointment with some more trivial issues and then as they head towards the door to leave they say, ‘by the way’ and the dr knows that this is the real reason for the appointment. They know they have to add 5 mins on to the end and get to the leaving point early to accommodate this indirect way of accessing healthcare
Cadence and inflection can also change the same sentence completely in English. Like: Oh thats just great ! Meaning its good or Oh, thats just great. Meaning its awful.
To me ‘quite good’ is an understatement. If something is ‘quite good’ then it means it’s ’excellent’ but for a variety of reasons we feel we can’t/don’t want to come out and say just how excellent it really is
If a lead fire fighter says to one of their team, 'check if there's a fire on the 3rd floor', the fire fighter will check and come back and say 'yes'....come on, really, and just leave the fire to burn? Thanks for the reaction vids, please carry on. Cheers.
That's why Americans say "side walk" because they needed to know they had to walk on the side of the road. "Horse back riding" because Americans couldn't figure out where on the horse to sit. "Eye glasses" because you know... where else on our body needs glasses. "Waste paper basket", have to specify waste paper because before they just be throwing brand new paper in the bin.
The one word Americans find hard to understand is Nuance : having nuances : having or characterised by subtle and often appealingly complex qualities, aspects, or distinctions
I'd be willing to bet he said "Can you check IF the upstairs window is open." which would imply that if it is you should close it. If he had said "Can you check THAT the upstairs window is open." it would mean that if it is closed you should open it. As she initially phrases it "Can you check the upstairs window is open." it is ambiguous and could mean either.
Good = Good Quite Good = it's not fully good (hence the use of quite) anything that has "quite" in front of it is never fully what it should be. Makes sense to me.
You should watch 'Yes Minister/Prime Minster' sitcom from the 80s. Absolute genius and Sir Humphrey his chief advisor is king of the hidden context response. I think essentially we consider anyone failing to understand our hidden meaning beneath the politeness as a sign of their unworthiness. It also makes any barbs all the more killer, because it's delivered with deflecting subtle sarcasm or a rebuff that is a form of self-protection.
Another confusing one, not just to Mercans but other nationalities, is out penchant to ask a complete stranger we pass on the street "how are you" ,but we are not asking after their health, but simply saying hello
Here in Liverpool, and possibly elsewhere (i.e. almost certainly everywhere else) the single word 'Alright' is used in the same way. It's equivalent to 'how are you' but less formal.
I am Birtith, and as to the window, I would ask "do you want it open or closed?" However, if I say "I don't think it is a very good idea!" I mean "If you do that, the ship will sink and we will all drown!"
I work in a large retail store, and I get asked all day long if I know where the restroom is in the building, they don't ask if I can tell them where it is. I have to say, couple of times I've said yes, I do and left it at that.
I feel like this does get muddled even within the uk sometimes. Im forever asked to do things “when i get a chance” and everytime i’m like “okay i’ll do it right now” and then get told no just when i get a minute. I also say “I quite like” something when I like something but only just a little bit. I’d never say it meaning the opposite of like
I loved your reaction to this video (honestly I did 🇬🇧🤣🤣!). You had me crying with laughter when you were trying to remember previous conversations with Brits!🥰❤️
You've got this right. What we mean has a lot to do with intonation. Some of those phrases in the chat can mean what they say or the exact opposite depending on how you say it. "Quite good" can mean "meh" but say it differently and it can mean "shit hot awesome". ... However, "That's a brave proposal" will always mean "are you bonkers?".
I'm sure it's already been said, but a huge amount of information is gleaned from how an phrase/understatement is said, with regards to tone, word stress and facial expression. For example "quite good" with a nod and a shrug usually means "acceptable", where as "quite good" with a slight grimace could mean, "that wasn't particularly good but it could have been worse and I'm trying not to hurt your feelings". I had a giggle at the window story, just imagining the bafflement of her co-workers at her having traipsed up the stairs just to look at an open window, then come and report it as open.
I am very literal and need specifics with instructions but that is due to my Autism. I am a Brit too but indirect communication just goes right over my head 😂
Germans and Scandinavians get annoyed by British politeness as they think it wastes time, when they are very openly blunt and critical, which can offend some people
They used that to great effect in The Archers when a new Scandinavian vet came to the village and kept offending all the farmers and horsey folk by telling them what they were doing wrong in very direct terms. It was pretty funny.
I’m an Australian and i would have closed the window if asked to check if it was open 🤣…… to me it is an understood request without being too specific. But, Aussie language and thinking is very close to British English
True, i'm and Englishman i lived in Melbourne for 2 years (yh i know we are everywhere there, sorry) and the language style and spelling for 99% of things is exactly the same. felt normal, where as when i was in America for 3 months i had to be conscious that the yanks weren't being rude by their direct approach even though it may seem like it. they are very blunt at times
Indeed.
'check if the gas is on"
Would also be assumed you don't want it on ;-)
True! Our Aussie cousins 💕🇬🇧
Colonials should speak in the Mother tongue.
Makes more sense if you would be told can you check see if the window is closed .I think she is in a strange part of the UK
I have literally never considered the idea that someone might hear the phrase “to each their own” and think “ah that’s nice” 😂😂😂😂 That’s hilarious to me. It means “fuck off you’re so wrong I can’t discuss this with you anymore”
Well of course there may be something in what you say...
I agree, this is a statement of I do not agree with this and I don't have the time/energy/care enough to debate it with you
Whatever floats your boat.
I'm not a native, but it just sounds like sod off you bugger!
I disagree. "To each their own" Is a very nice and respectful way of saying that you don't really agree what the other person is saying but you do acknowledge their right to hold a different opinion to your own and that the world is big enough for both views.
But hey, To each their own. ;-)
@@stopthink7202It depends on context..it could be extremely sarcastic! 😅
Bless their little cotton socks, Brit version of bless his heart
Its also bless their heart itself lol. Its very strange for me when americans say these phrases like we may have never heard them before and never actually stopped to consider how many of them actually came from the UK or are part of the shared history and back and forth.
No seriously this is a major cultural difference. I DONT WANT to say what i mean, its way too easy and i dont want to say the same things over and over again like canned lines, thats how americans sound to us sometimes, like they've memorized a script but arent actually creating their own unique sentences based on their humour, slang, accent, vocab, situations etc The reason we have so much slang, inuendo, sarcasm, dry humour, wit, unique phrases, crass language, rhyming slang and sing song flow etc is because we LOVE to say unique things and be silly and creative with our speech. In the uk and ireland having 'the gift of the gab' or a top tier bant is something highly revered almost and respected. Not sure why they say ireland is low context im irish and have lived in ireland, NI, england and scotland and were all the same pretty much imo, the way we speak and use language is nearly identical imo. Also i really dont think americans are more genuine i think they just use direct language to say things they dont mean and a lot of americans are absolute bullshitters in a way you wouldnt get away with in the uk or ireland where we would absolutely call you out or at least mock you in a subtle way.
You worded this so well. The world is so relentlessly bleak at times, let me say my bullshittery in my own way rather than making it more bleak with rehearsed and perfected lines.
I was surprised that Ireland comes under low context. I don't get that, it must be a mistake. Not that I've spent that much time in Ireland, but I saw the polite... 'well, nice talking to you...', etc., meaning "I have to now" and so on. Just like in Britain, high context 🤷♂
Yeah, I've never been to Ireland but I've worked with countless Irishmen over the years here in England. Top banter.
Is the Irish language similar in its high context use?
Excellent comment, very thought provoking and I can totally identify with this. I always wondered why Americans sounded a bit, you know, robotic. Now I know.
My favourite is "it's a bloody nightmare" to denote a minor inconvenience, but "it's not ideal" to describe a world-changing cataclysmic event, potentially involving the death of thousands of people and the destruction of entire countries.
@davewalker6760 I love those two. So funny.
Lads, they're breaking the code, we can't belittle them privately anymore.
The modern day enigma machine
Hell no. Never stop taking the piss out of septics😅
Australia is here to help! Meet you at the Red Lion at 1800 ( they can’t read 24 hour clock) I’ll have a scrumpy
But we can add more letter U's to words, that will confuse them.
@allanmanaged5285 they need to do themselves a favour and add more flavour and colour to their language!
As a Brit, if I asked someone to check a window and they came back to report on the status of the window without actually having closed it, it would feel like a microaggression or malicious compliance. They've done what was literally asked of them and nothing more even though the inference that it was a request to close the window should have been clearly understood.
Also, no, we don't make adjustments when talking with people from other countries.
"no, we don't make adjustments when talking with people from other countries." Yes we do, we talk louder and slower. 🤣
I can't agree. You would have to know whether or not that window was supposed to be open. It is all about context
@@charybdisontherocks In this situation though they were about to leave the office, so either for security or so you don't come back to it baltic the window needs closing, alternatively it might be to open it if everyone was mithering in a (rare) heatwave.
I would have asked "Can you make sure the window is closed?" in the first place.
I find this difference sometimes with a European or British film and an American remake of the same film, in that 'foreign' films tend to be more nuanced and subtle; things can 'hang in the air' unspoken. However in the American film they will hit you in the face with it visually and, in case that isn't enough, will often go on to explain it verbally.
I noticed that with the American remake of Let the Right One In.
I also think it's about being comfortable with ambiguity and filling in meaning from personal experience and context. Some cultures have a very low tolerance of ambiguity and need an explicit right or wrong.
Ah you mean they tell you what they're going to tell you, then they tell you and then they tell you what they've already told,d you, meks sense for a yank dunnit.
Yes! And If it wasn't for those pesky kids, I would of got away with it?
@@JamesLMason Perfect example!
“It’s making me rethink every conversation I had with them, since I was a child”. 😂
Bless.
Context, emphasis and tone is everything!
At a management training day years ago, I was asked to consider how the following sentence may be received :
"I don't think you are incompetent"
On the face of it, a positive statement.
But :
1. Emphasise "I", and you're saying that others think that
2. Emphasise "think", and you're saying that you "know" it
3. Emphasise "you" and you're saying someone else is
4. Emphasise "incompetent" and you're suggesting something different... perhaps "lazy", "dishonest" or "unlikeable".
My favourite thing to say if there's a disaster:
"it's not ideal" !
My favourite thing to.say if there's a minor inconvenience: "it's a total nightmare"!
a brit wouldn't say 'this conference was disorganised'.. they'd say something like 'that was an absolute shitstorm', or 'they couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery'
Or they couldn’t find their arses with both hands.
Depends on the person. I'm a "could've been better" typa guy
@@TheCornishCockney "And a map" is sometimes tacked on.
The 'shitstorm' one is more American isn't it ?
@@allanmanaged5285 possibly, but in my experience, it's gained a lot of traction over here...
To us, all this is perfectly direct. We don't get why Americans don't get it.
Personally, my favourite one to use is saying “yeah they’re alright” when describing someone, but really meaning that I loathe them entirely
We also say this about wildly fantastic people that we love massively. Like I might say to my sister about my wonderful nibling when she's praising them, "yeah, they're alright" or "yeah, they'll do".
In England, describing someone as a "complete c***" is milder than calling them "a bit of a c***" 😂
or when responding to the question "How is X person?"
"Yeah they're alright." can be translated as "I have no fucking idea but they were alive and not bleeding last I saw them"
In england when someone says they are disappointed with you in a clam manner that's considered twice as bad as someone shouting at you .
"I'm not angry, I'm just... disappointed."
"With respect" is probably the best example of British indirect communication.
It's *never* meant to be taken at face value. It means "I dislike you/your statements intensely, but I'm trying to be polite." You can reinforce this by using "with the greatest respect." This means "I loathe you, your values and ideas to a depth unplumbable by any line."
"With all due respect" is what I use - it implies respect, but it doesn't actually specify whether you're giving it to them.
@@grunions9648 I take that as meaning that no respect is due so I'm not giving any.
@@grunions9648"with all due respect" implies that you think the person is completely stupid with completely ridiculous ideas.
@@Ross-df6ge yes exactly. "All due respect" can mean "your opinion is NOT due any respect"
@@grunions9648 Although this is also closer to the military concept of respecting the position, not necessarily the person. You can dislike a superior intensely, but you can't undermine them even in private because that can lead to problems.
“Do this when you get a minute” you can judge the urgency based on the stress level of the person asking.
In Rhodesia they had a way of specifying this.
Your car fan belt is loose so you ask a mechanic to adjust it. If he says:
"I'll do it just now" he means sometime today, or maybe early tomorrow.
"I'll do it now" he means soon.
"I'll do it now-now" he means after he's finished the car he's currently fixing .
"I'll do it now-now-now" he's reaching for the spanner.
To me Do this when you get a minute means I've increased your work load and want both jobs completed today
I think it's the subtle difference between 'check if the upstairs window is open' and 'check that the upstairs window is open'.
It would be much more obvious if they said "could you check that we closed the window?"
@@sameebahAbsolutely. I'm just saying that if someone said 'if' to me, I'd assume that they wanted it closed and if they said 'that' I'd assume that they wanted it open. You're correct though, there are ways of saying it to eliminate all ambiguity.
Yes, that one word change is subtle but makes all the difference!
Why would they ask you to check if the window was open if they didn't expect you to close it if it was?
@@Swivel360 to make sure nobody else has closed it
If I hear somone in work saying, good job loading that lorry... Someones in trouble 😂
That translation table doesn’t take context into account. It’s all about inflection and facial expressions.
This
And it is a little exaggerated (I mean that literally !)
That's largely true, but sarcasm and dry humour also work with twisted inflection or facial expressions, and dead-pan humour with none at all.
I see your American clarity of expression and raise you a Dutch bluntitude
It’s also the reason the symbols of state - eg flag and anthem - are so elevated in the US compared to older cultures, because there isn’t that long shared history and context so you have to artificially jump start a shared identity somehow
We all agree that "see you later" doesn't necessarily mean you will. Lets meet up is the same
Absolutely!
It’s not just to do with being polite or indirect, It’s also about sarcasm as sarcasm plays a big role in our everyday lives, Not just for humour purposes but it’s ingrained into our entire culture, It helps us through our daily lives.
I think one theory is that American English became very literal when you started having more of a population that didn’t speak it as a foreign language, so it became very utilitarian - whereas in the UK it’s still very usual for everyone of every education level to play with language in some way because we understand the unspoken communication / context (ah she’s mentioned that now).
You see this in British vs US comedy too
During the Korean War a British commander was asked for an update by his American comrade in case he needed help. He informed him that things were getting a little sticky so the US officer assumed things were under control. They were actually surrounded by thousands of Chinese soldiers and were fighting for their lives. Sometimes British understatement doesn’t work!
There is a wonderful South Walian expression "I'll do it now in a minute", it means "Just fuck off and leave me alone, I'm busy"
yep - I've used it myself many times.
My son perfected that. He never ever refused to tidy his room, do the washing up or anything else, he just found he could never do it just then.
@@dianemarks985 Me too, also, as well.
Im a brit and i find this quite interesting
No really . I do.
Its fascinating
Ah shit now everything i say sounds sarcastic😂
Yeah but only us fellow Brits know what ya mean.
@CyanideSunshines 😂😅😅 , I'm a southern girl in the US and all I can say
to you is " Well ,honey ,bless your heart. I know that you really mean that this is quite interesting.and I can just deeply feel that you DO REALLY MEAN that you are indeed fascinated with this conversation .I just do not doubt you at all. Bless your heart, honey that can be such a difficult thing to get across. No.I REALLY FEEL your frustration and really want to help you out a bit. Sometimes I really do mean bless your heart.I really mean that said 1 person from a high context background to another person from a high context background. I ,too live in one of those cultures where phrases either can or cannot mean what you are saying. Seems like we can run all around the yard a few times before either of us gets to the point.😂 ❤😂
Seem to remember reading decades ago that Americans dont't get Sarcasm. Or was it Irony? Can't remember now.
@@dakrontuI think I might be improving on that a little.May I just ask a 🙋 question please? You know that great English habit of verbal downplaying as in the house has caught fire and you might say " We're having a bit of an issue" . Isn't that sometimes, depending on the context and actual severity of the circumstances, actually delivered by who is saying it, as an actual joke at the time? Sometimes I sense it is. Because it is always admirable...... and at times really funny.
@@dakrontu Yep, Americans don't understand sarcasm, irony, passive aggressive or even light hearted banter.
I told my German girlfriend "I'll think about it" when she suggested we go to German to meet her parents.
She went ahead and bought the tickets, and wanted me to pay for mine when I said I wasn't going!
My Swiss friend told me that yes, Europeans find it really hard to understand our understatement when it's perfectly clear: Yes means yes, and anything else means that you could set me on fire and I still wouldn't do it.
As a northern German I highly disagree with us being low contextual. I understood every thing mentioned from the Brits exactly as they meant it and that is exactly how we would express in my area in a work environment and with people we don't know/trust, yet. Even the list seemed accurate to me and my area, I almost felt British for a second.
It's just in a highly trusted environment when we start to get extremely straight forward and can be perceived as almost rude. Or if we are just too pissed to stay polite. 😂
I agree with you. I used to be based in Northern Germany and used to get the sayings there. It's understandable as we come from the same stock...
Us Brits use tone far more than the words that are actually said. Quite good can be both a bit disappointing and better than I expected, depending on tone
With the greatest respect, I think what she had to say was very interesting.
As a Brit this really makes me appreciate how different our cultures are and why sometimes each others culture can be a source of confusion and aggravation to each other at times. Their is the British way and the American way and to those Americans I say to each their own 😂
My favourite understatement was hearing an elderly man saying that his family had lived in the same house for ‘quite some time’. When asked how long, he calmly said ‘since 1285’.
Thing is we sometimes use this quirk of language to gently rib each other. Sometimes a visitor might say “I just need to borrow your loo.” Meaning they need to use the bathroom but you might get in reply “Where are you going to take it?” Like you are taking the dog out for a walk or something. We both know what they meant with the first sentence, it’s just something we might say in reply.
Most of the examples in that translated list of British sentences can be used two different ways, positive or negative / literal or coded depending on context and tone
on the window thing, a lot of UK insurance don't accept claims of theft when you've left your window open so we've all learned to close the window when leaving, even if people are in other parts of the building
This is one of Kaylyn's most recent videos. One of my favourite UA-camrs. I was so pleased for her when she gained dual citizenship.
A boss in a British company in Holland received a report from his Dutch team.
"I suggest you think again" he responded.
They went away to discuss and reported back to him with "We have thought again and our conclusions are as they were..." ...on a hiding to nothing, then!
The British polite, indirect communication style is only really used in formal situations like the workplace. Among friends and family we tell it how it is unless of course we're using sarcasm, which is itself a lesser form of indirect communication.
When I **ask**, "I'm popping out, does anyone want anything?" I mean it, otherwise I wouldn't ask. Also, when we say, "We should get together sometime," I'm sure when spoken it's genuine, but as soon as we've left the conversation, it's forgotten already. 😅
I enjoy her videos, she's very thorough and I don't think I've ever heard her say 'em' within a sentence. I consider the UK an immigrant land, all though history, from the early Neanderthals to the Romans, Saxons, Normans and Vikings though to the Empire and it's incoming people to the Irish and those from the Caribbean, right through to today with Europeans from the Baltic States. 16% of the people in UK were born abroad and approximately 1 in 3 of all Britons had a grandparent born abroad. So I'm not sure this reason fits with her reasoning.
When we say that something is quite good, we often mean this literally. I think the confusion here is that British and Americans have a different understanding of the word "quite". I often hear Americans use it as a synonym for "very" whereas British people tend to use it as a synonym for "fairly" when used as a qualifier for "good".
I just had a lightbulb moment! This High Context/Low Context thing would also explain the difference in humour, the Americans needing a more in-your-face comedy that spells out the joke for you!
Yep, like being told when to clap, and US Americans saying 'See what I did there?' when they make a conversational quip, because otherwise nobody would understand it was meant to be funny.
That must be why British and US comedy is different
American comedy is generally pitched at the lowest common denominator so Cletus on his sofa doesn't feel demeaned if he doesn't understand something. That gave rise to the stock comedic formulation for American tv shows that always included the dumb one. Cheers had Woody and Friends had Joey. The purpose of the dumb one is to act as a foil if another character uses a word with more than three syllables or some sort of esoteric reference. Rather than the viewer becoming bewildered the dumb one asks what that means and another character explains it to them. British comedy tends to aim more at the intelligentsia who value subtle innuendo, cultural references or irony and often flies right over American's heads. American tv shows rely almost entirely on ratings which in turn determine advertising revenue so they can't afford to piss off even a single viewer. British tv shows are often the work of one genius writer rather than a roomful of writers all throwing sh*t at the wall and seeing what sticks which tends to result in very formulaic output. We on the other hand have such extraordinary works as Fawlty Towers and Father Ted. Such genius tends to burn brightly but for very few episodes and seasons. The yanks can churn out homogenous episodes for years and years of 20 plus episodes each.
I would point out that Americans frequently get so offended that they shoot each other. Anerican "directness" also leads to Americans being seen as crass and bad-mannered. When an American complains in a restaurant, everyone around them cringes in embarrassment.
Or sue each other.
Q. Can you call me a cab?
A. Of course, you're a cab.
Or, in my house:
Offspring "Mum can you call my phone?"
Me, slightly louder "Offspring's phone!"
Statement: 'i'm going to the loo'
Response: 'Hi I'm going to the loo'
Statement: 'i'm hungry'
Response: 'Hi I'm hungry'
I was covering the night manager's holiday in a large city centre hotel back in 1990, the night shift had a night manager, assistant, 2/3 night porters on duty, a night receptionist and late night bar staff for the residents bar, I was on the desk in shirt sleeves talking to the porters at around 1am when someone came to the desk and asked that I call him a cab, for the first and only time I did that and said "You're a cab sir," he was angry and demanded to speak to the manager, I went off the desk, put my jacket on and returned at which point he lost the plot.
"Quite good" can mean anything from terrible to very good, depending on context, tone of voice etc.
It can also be supportive, indifferent or mocking.
The best ambiguous use of the word..
(Self-regarding singer to W.S. Gilbert) "Well, Mr. Gilbert, was I good ?"
(Gilbert) "My dear fellow, good is not the word !"
Actually "Quite good" can refer to something that was truly awesome as well. Different tone of voice though.
@@ruthholbrook
Being British, I would never use the word "awesome". My standard scale goes atrocious, very poor, poor, acceptable, good, very good, excellent, perfect.
@@jerry2357 True - I've picked up 'awsome' somewhere. Point remains that if something is excellent to perfect, I would say it was 'quite good' or 'okay'
The worst insult a british person can give is "I'm not angry just disappointed." Usually, it means I'm completely pissed off about something or someone.
I only found your channel yesterday and I love your content. You are really funny and your voice is so soothing
Imagine you are leaving the house...
"Is the door locked?"
That's not really enquiring if the door is locked, it's not looking for a yes/no answer.
It's making sure the door is locked before you drive off.
But you say that after leaving the house, not before
Seeing that translation written down surprised me. I would never even consider the 3rd column. I'd just know the middle meaning, but never really thought of the way it could come across to others. Understatement, subtle sarcasm, insults and put downs is just regular communication. It isn't something I make a conscious decision to do, it's just how I speak and understand.
I was having a blonde moment yesterday and my best friend called me a dumb c**t , totally true at the time but maybe saying that to a non brit might not play out as well 😂
I would say if we say something is 'quite good' it often means we thought it was the most amazing thing that ever happened rather than being disappointed
Errrrrrrrmmmm……….really ?
@@lynnbargewell3833 yeah definitely down this way in the south west and mostly guys I guess. Like after seeing a movie you really liked or tucking into a nice bit of food or something. An under stated 'thats quite good' or 'that was quite good' slips out when in actual fact you loved it.
Comedian Pierre Novellie has a book about autism that outlines the difficulty autistic people have with this kind of British indirect communication. He uses an example of a boss saying "Hey, is there ANY CHANCE that you could POSSIBLY, THINK ABOUT, MAYBE, HAVING A LOOK AT this task WHEN YOU GET A MINUTE? Thanks" and how there are 6 instances of making the question devoid of urgency when what they mean is "Hello, can you do this for me?"
But if they know a person is autistic they would modify accordingly and use a literal sentence.
A sentence like this would certainly be made in an aggressive manner that would make its meaning clear.
Those "Charts" that show people the real meanings are just jokes or memes. They're not intended to be taken seriously. They've been around for years and were initially about "Business speak", then they turned into "Office speak", and now they're a conversion chart for English to American? I wouldn't take too much notice of them. Good for a chuckle, but that's about it.
Great video 👍I as Brit loved this video,if you learn English then have to learn all the sutles of conversation 😂😂😂
I feel like most of these "British videos" apply to England only. I'm pretty sure up here in Scotland noone would have a problem saying "shut that fkn windi wud yi"
Absolutely not, I think it's more likely about London where she lives, I'm from the Midlands and don't agree with most she says.
@W0rdsandMus1c fair enough. I find that when Americans say "British" they mean English. Taking ur point, they most likely mean English southerner
@@W0rdsandMus1cshe doesn't live in London. She's in Buckinghamshire or out that way and has been for a number of years.
@@MillsyLM So we have to somehow know that even though she calls herself 'Girl gone London' ? She is truly British now.
@@allanmanaged5285 no I'm just pointing out the fact because it was mentioned. Her initial intention of the channel was to show anyone in her situation (foreign student) how to negotiate the early days and months in a big city. She then got married moved to the home counties and got her UK citizenship about 4 years ago. Her research goes a lot deeper than many other people who do similar things on here. And I'm sure you don't need telling that she has to make a generalised statement about a country or area otherwise the video would be several hours long.
I can see why why most in the US don't read into our deadpan sarcasm and rely on being told when they're supposed to laugh in their comedy programmes‼️ 😬😬😬😬😬😆😆😆♥️🇬🇧
Or US Americans who tell a joke in a conversation, and immediately follow up with 'See what I did there?' because otherwise nobody would know she or he'd made a joke.
I'm British & I walk round in a constant state of confusion, perhaps I need that list.
Being able to understand inference in the spoken word is a higher order language skill.
I've had the 'when you get a minute' one from very senior US managers - meaning 'do it and do it now, before anything else!'
What the British say and what we mean is hilarious and very, very true 😂
Great British Problems are brilliant and shows the translations. One of my favourites of theirs is "Well that was a bit harsh" which translates to "I've never been so insulted in my life" 😂 I wanted to buy a t shirt with that on.
Hope you're well 😀
I just watched this video last night and now I'm already watching a reaction to it. 🙄😄 I was so surprised by her first comment about the window as I thought the intention in her bosses question was obvious, but hearing JJs confusion, clearly it's not! I also stopped the video to read the chart, and thought yep! That seems accurate!
Interesting reaction mate.
Can’t wait for your next one.
to close female friends if they do or say something stupid it is common to respond with 'Aww your so pretty' 🙂 and they will know they have been dumb.
Very funny video The British understatement 😀
Expressions need context, tone of voice, body language, situation for understanding.
I wonder if you'd been going away on a family vacation and while your parents had been locking up to leave for the airport your dad said " can you see if the window upstairs is open" you'd have understood he meant you to close it if it was?
It's not usually a conscious thing, it's just the way we communicate, like she said. So it's not about worrying about someone's feelings and we don't consider needing to "say what we mean" because as far as we're concerned, we're already saying what we mean, we just say it in different ways to you.
To each their own is very negative. Same as agree to disagree. The person who said it is either very angry or thinks you're an idiot... and doesnt want to bother arguing
Yeah, but there’s a subtle difference. Usually, “To each their own” is said TO the idiot. “Agree to disagree” is said BY the idiot
Fascinating! Would there be a usual way to express the American meaning in Brithish English?
To each his own is very clear, it very obviously means we don't agree on this but let's not get into a fight about it.
Ummm. I would place Canada much closer to high context than the US. We are not so much polite as passive aggressive at times.
That woman is quite good. Meaning she is a bloody genius.
This was very interesting. Very brave concept for a video.
The average Brit would understand that comment as meaning "Are you completely mad?"
I was about to explain that "That's a very interesting suggestion" means precisely as above!
Well said her, I could never have explained all that, and have it make any sense.
The one with the Brits saying ‘oh by the way’ is a good one in the medical field. Drs I work with always say that patients start the appointment with some more trivial issues and then as they head towards the door to leave they say, ‘by the way’ and the dr knows that this is the real reason for the appointment. They know they have to add 5 mins on to the end and get to the leaving point early to accommodate this indirect way of accessing healthcare
Cadence and inflection can also change the same sentence completely in English. Like: Oh thats just great ! Meaning its good or Oh, thats just great. Meaning its awful.
Bless their little cotton socks (baby socks) is our version of bless their heart but we say bless their heart too...
To me ‘quite good’ is an understatement. If something is ‘quite good’ then it means it’s ’excellent’ but for a variety of reasons we feel we can’t/don’t want to come out and say just how excellent it really is
If a lead fire fighter says to one of their team, 'check if there's a fire on the 3rd floor', the fire fighter will check and come back and say 'yes'....come on, really, and just leave the fire to burn? Thanks for the reaction vids, please carry on. Cheers.
That's why Americans say "side walk" because they needed to know they had to walk on the side of the road. "Horse back riding" because Americans couldn't figure out where on the horse to sit. "Eye glasses" because you know... where else on our body needs glasses. "Waste paper basket", have to specify waste paper because before they just be throwing brand new paper in the bin.
Seeing eye dog, hide and "go" seek.
The one word Americans find hard to understand is Nuance : having nuances : having or characterised by subtle and often appealingly complex qualities, aspects, or distinctions
Tone is very important here in Britain, you can change the meaning of most words with how you say it.
We use a lot of irony in England something that is completely non existent in the US.
This video wasn't bad . . . LOL . . . no, seriously I did enjoy it (and I'm from Ireland) :)
I'd be willing to bet he said "Can you check IF the upstairs window is open." which would imply that if it is you should close it. If he had said "Can you check THAT the upstairs window is open." it would mean that if it is closed you should open it. As she initially phrases it "Can you check the upstairs window is open." it is ambiguous and could mean either.
'If' would not imply close the window either.
@@allanmanaged5285Yes it would like if I said can you check if the front door is open.
She's not British. Probably didn't remember the precise phrasing because the real meaning passed her by.
Good = Good
Quite Good = it's not fully good (hence the use of quite) anything that has "quite" in front of it is never fully what it should be.
Makes sense to me.
You should watch 'Yes Minister/Prime Minster' sitcom from the 80s. Absolute genius and Sir Humphrey his chief advisor is king of the hidden context response.
I think essentially we consider anyone failing to understand our hidden meaning beneath the politeness as a sign of their unworthiness. It also makes any barbs all the more killer, because it's delivered with deflecting subtle sarcasm or a rebuff that is a form of self-protection.
Honestly, I thought the first thing (the open window) meant something along the lines of "You have too many buttons undone on your shirt."
Another confusing one, not just to Mercans but other nationalities, is out penchant to ask a complete stranger we pass on the street "how are you" ,but we are not asking after their health, but simply saying hello
Here in Liverpool, and possibly elsewhere (i.e. almost certainly everywhere else) the single word 'Alright' is used in the same way. It's equivalent to 'how are you' but less formal.
That was averagely okay.!! lol
Congratulations on 30K
I am Birtith, and as to the window, I would ask "do you want it open or closed?" However, if I say "I don't think it is a very good idea!" I mean "If you do that, the ship will sink and we will all drown!"
I work in a large retail store, and I get asked all day long if I know where the restroom is in the building, they don't ask if I can tell them where it is. I have to say, couple of times I've said yes, I do and left it at that.
I feel like this does get muddled even within the uk sometimes. Im forever asked to do things “when i get a chance” and everytime i’m like “okay i’ll do it right now” and then get told no just when i get a minute. I also say “I quite like” something when I like something but only just a little bit. I’d never say it meaning the opposite of like
I loved your reaction to this video (honestly I did 🇬🇧🤣🤣!). You had me crying with laughter when you were trying to remember previous conversations with Brits!🥰❤️
You've got this right. What we mean has a lot to do with intonation. Some of those phrases in the chat can mean what they say or the exact opposite depending on how you say it.
"Quite good" can mean "meh" but say it differently and it can mean "shit hot awesome".
... However, "That's a brave proposal" will always mean "are you bonkers?".
I'm sure it's already been said, but a huge amount of information is gleaned from how an phrase/understatement is said, with regards to tone, word stress and facial expression. For example "quite good" with a nod and a shrug usually means "acceptable", where as "quite good" with a slight grimace could mean, "that wasn't particularly good but it could have been worse and I'm trying not to hurt your feelings".
I had a giggle at the window story, just imagining the bafflement of her co-workers at her having traipsed up the stairs just to look at an open window, then come and report it as open.
I had no idea Americans understood so little 😂
I instantly would have closed the window.
'Put that over there'
Me - where ?
Them - OVER THERE !!!! 😂
This was quite good JJ.
I am very literal and need specifics with instructions but that is due to my Autism. I am a Brit too but indirect communication just goes right over my head 😂
Germans and Scandinavians get annoyed by British politeness as they think it wastes time, when they are very openly blunt and critical, which can offend some people
To each their own, when in Rome.
They used that to great effect in The Archers when a new Scandinavian vet came to the village and kept offending all the farmers and horsey folk by telling them what they were doing wrong in very direct terms. It was pretty funny.