Is Politeness and Rudeness Universal?

    Rudeness is defined as behavior that violates social or organizational norms. If a person’s action is not considered acceptable in society, then they are labeled as rude, impolite, disrespectful, etc. But through this idea of ill mannered behavior emerges a different perspective: does our idea of what is or isn’t acceptable behavior differ according to cultural identity?

     After reading articles on polite speech in different cultures, I’ve concluded that misunderstandings and miscommunications are at the core of deciding if someone is rude or polite. For example, Japanese people tend to use indirect speech tactics, such as saying: “Could I possibly bother you for a moment?”, whereas the German language puts more emphasis on direct, short constructions like: “We need to talk”. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Germans are less polite but differences in language patterns can lead to misunderstandings and offense where none was intended. With public spaces becoming more multicultural, it’s important to be aware of possible cultural differences in order to avoid unintentional rudeness.

    Is being polite and/or rude universal? Yes; but what is considered well mannered in one culture could be considered ill mannered in another. Cultures are different and we need to be able to understand that and not be stuck in our own understanding of polite and impolite behavior. There is no universally correct way, according to linguistics, to be polite. So, having the ability to understand one another is key to living in a civil world.