英语翻译
TheBritishlovetothinkofthemselvesaspolite,andeveryoneknowshowfondtheyareoftheir"pleases"and"thankyou".Eventhesimplestbusinesssuchasbuyingatrainticketrequiresatsevenoreightofthese.Anothersignofourgoodmannersisthequeue.New-comerstoBritaincouldbeforgivenforthinkingthatqueuingratherthanfootballwasthetruenationalsport.Finally,ofcourse,Motoristsgenerallystopatcrossings.ButdoesallthismeanthattheBritishshouldconsiderthemselvesmorepolitethantheirEuropeanneighbors?Ithinknot.
Takeformsofaddress(称呼)forexample.TheaverageEnglishperson—unlesshehappenstoworkinahotelordepartmentstore--wouldratherdiethancallastranger"Sir"or"Madam".YetinsomeEuropeancountriesthisisthemostbasicofcommonaddress.Ouruniversalyouforeveryonemayappearmoredemocratic,butitmeansthatweareforcedtoseekoutcomplicatedwaystoexpresspoliteness.Iamallforreturningtotheuseof"thee"and"thou"(Theeandthouareold-fashionedpoeticwordsfor"you"):"you"wouldbeusedforstrangersandprofessionalrelationships.
Andofcourse,theEnglishfindtouchingandothershowsoffriendshiptrulyterrifying.HaveyounoticedhowtheBritishhardlyevertouch?Personally,IfindtheLatinhabitofshakinghandsorafriendlykissquitecharming.TrykissingtheaverageEnglishperson,andtheywilleithertaketwostepsbackwardsinhorror;oriftheirescapeisblocked,youwillfindyourlipstouchingthebackoftheirhead.Nowwhatcouldberuder