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OVERSEAS STUDENTS... does yours say 'thankyou'?

5 replies

noonar · 10/07/2009 15:48

has your overseas student grasped the importance of saying please and thankyou in british culture?

my spanish 'student' (who is actually a highly educated middle aged woman) never, ever, ever says thank you.

i've been cooking for her for 2 weeks, i've done her laundry- which i dont have to do. i gave her a lift in to town today, but not one word of thanks.

now, i accept that the british over use 'thank you', but surely some type of acknowledegment of the meal placed in front of you is universally good manners, no matter where you are from?

it's starting to really annoy me.

does she think that she doesnt have to saying thankyou, because she's a paying guest??

ps i have re posted this with a different thread title due to lack of response!

OP posts:
IloveJudgeJudy · 10/07/2009 15:58

We have had many overseas students staying with us. I have also lived abroad myself. We British really do go overboard with saying "please" and "thank you".

Perhaps as she is staying with you to improve her English you should make it clear to her that we say "please" and "thank you" all the time. Then when she doesn't say it, you can say it for her so that she realises it is a language faux pas. That's how you learn another language and about another culture, isn't it! When I was staying in other countries, the people there corrected my language and manners and I didn't get upset; they were helping me.

noonar · 10/07/2009 16:01

judy, its a bit tricky as she's highly educated and has a degree in english, and clearly considers herself to be very worldly. also, she's twelve years my senior.

yes, we do overuse 'thankyou' but she's not said it once. ever.

OP posts:
brimfull · 10/07/2009 16:05

doesn't matter that we overuse thank you ,if you are learning to get by in this country you should remember that it the norm here .

I think you should say something-tell her she's being a rude bint

noonar · 10/07/2009 16:11

i think i've left it too long to say something to her, but i will suggest that the language school add a bit about etiquette to their info pack given to students.

OP posts:
brimfull · 10/07/2009 21:18

yes good idea

how long have you got to put up with her?

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