Are British people more polite than Americans?

So I was watching a Buzzfeed video and I had saw comments over how one British woman said 'thank you' compared to the other people who didn't say anything and it made me wonder - are British people actually more polite and sincere?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWtuCloWgyg

^ for reference

Reply 1

Schrödingers Cat

Is this even a question? Of course British people are more polite, have you never watched an American cartoon on how we're portrayed?

Reply 2

Sabertooth

Original post by Valyrian

are British people actually more polite and sincere?

More polite? Definitely.

More sincere? No ****ing way.

Reply 3

High Stakes

Generally, British upbringing has a greater emphasis on manners and politeness. But that truth is beginning to deteriorate. One look at this forum and you'll think every British person is an aggressive crackhead armed with a keyboard.

Reply 4

aaronlowe

Not really. There's always an undertone of superiority with the Brits that is quite offensive therefor not polite

Reply 5

K.C

sweet and savoury pizza is nice,

erm hello hawaiian

also most likely idk

Reply 6

Valyrian

Original post by aaronlowe

Not really. There's always an undertone of superiority with the Brits that is quite offensive therefor not polite

Undertone of superiority?

Reply 7

aaronlowe

Original post by Valyrian

Undertone of superiority?

Yes its in everything we say. Havent you noticed on TSR that everybody is pretending to be a genius and keep referring to other members as kids. Can you imagine what they'd sound like in RL. Thank God I can turn them off!

Reply 8

K.C

Original post by aaronlowe

this is true, but it happens almost everywhere on the internet tbh

Reply 9

Man.bear.pig

Original post by aaronlowe

are...you not British? :erm:

and I think everyone can be obnoxious, but do Americans have the basic sense and manners to at least pretend to have class? Dunno.

Reply 10

cambio wechsel

No. Americans are more polite, and certainly more formally polite, and especially in the south. The only people I know who routinely use Sir and Ma'am in addressing others are Americans. The matey informality characterising e.g. the making of a purchase in the UK is unimaginable in the US, though I'm not sure which I prefer.

Reply 11

jammy4041

I wouldn't say so. From my time out on exchange, at Idaho State, I would say that pretty much everyone that I encountered from Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Montana, as well as from Virginia, were very hosipitable, genuine and sincere, always giving me the time of day, always willing to hear me out. Ultimately would there be people in the UK willing to do the same for me? I don't know, but I would hope it is so.

In terms of politeness, everyone I came across except for one Californian and New Yorker were exceptionally polite. My time in Atlanta was pretty positive, although my time in D.C. and Chicago, I would say less so, in terms of politeness. One thing I would say, is, I know I was fairly sheltered, what with the novelty factor of being an exchange student.

That said, I still think that politeness and sincerity are not things that could really be stereotyped. It depends on one's upbringing to be honest. There's a lot of polite and sincere British people, just as there are a lot of insincere and unpolite American people.