How often do you say thank you?

NineDeuce

Pollycat wrote: »

Me too. :T

I must admit I'm a bit scathing sometimes about the MMDs that are posted by MSE mods but I think this is a nice thread.

I'd much rather be thought 'cringeworthy' for being too polite than for being rude.

We were once 'told off' (in a nice way) by a taverna owner in Greece who said we shouldn't say 'thank you' to him as we were honouring him by visiting his restaurant.
That was a long, long time ago though and I guess attitudes may have changed.

Why do you see it as choice between too polite and rude? It's not rude just to say 'Thanks' and that's it, when someone picks your pen up off the floor, or lends you a paper clip . Judging some people's reactions, you would have thought that they have just received the world's biggest favour.....

(I always make sure they are aware though that I am just lending them a paper clip and that I do want it back).

atolaas

I was brought up proper!! Had my P's and Q's drilled into me by my parents and family...that's pleases and thank q's to those who are haven't heard them called P's & Q's before :-)

lillie421

All the time!! Manners cost nothing!

Izadora

NineDeuce wrote: »

Why do you see it as choice between too polite and rude?

I don't think it's necessarily a choice between the two and, ideally, I'd find the perfect happy medium. However, if I'm not certain exactly what level of gratitude is correct then I'd rather be over-polite than appear rude.

One thing I wish I could stop doing is apologising for things which aren't my fault though, I fall into the awful English stereotype of apologising to people who bump into me

NeilCr

Izadora wrote: »

One thing I wish I could stop doing is apologising for things which aren't my fault though, I fall into the awful English stereotype of apologising to people who bump into me

Oh yes. This is me

I know it irritated my partner when we started going out. I was for ever apologising. In the end she told me to stop saying sorry. She would tell me when I had done something that needed apologising for! :D

badmemory

Please & thank you help the world go round. Maybe if a few more people used those words there would be a lot less aggression around.

Just as an aside - has anyone tried counting smiles? I used to walk to work & one day had just had enough of all the miserable faces so decided to smile at everyone. Whilst I know this wouldn't be such a good idea in a city centre (or would it?) I only got one (well 2 actually) refusal, a couple I saw every day taking their 3 boys to school. She just wasn't for smiling, he almost did but looked at his wife & decided not to. It brightened my day. Never did get her to smile though although he did when he was on his own.

It is all part of the give and take that makes it easier to get along when we live too much on top of one another.

kpwll

The one I would add to the list is 'Excuse me please', instead of just pushing past.

moneyistooshorttomention

kpwll wrote: »

The one I would add to the list is 'Excuse me please', instead of just pushing past.

Ingrained habit to say that in French - and am having problems with few people seem to understand me when I say that recently:(

comeandgo

I find that Excuse me Please is being used as a demand to let someone through, rather than a request.

*max*

All the time! I'd rather be "cringeworthy" for being too polite, than be rude. Plus, it's just nice! Same as saying "please", "excuse me", "sorry"...It's just ingrained, I don't even think about it, and I can't see it as anything other than a good thing, frankly.