http://op-expat.com/2008/04/formality/ An Expat's Hilarious Observations About Life Abroad Fri, 18 May 2012 13:02:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://op-expat.com/2008/04/formality/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Britta Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:20:36 +0000 http://op-expat.com/?p=21#comment-18 Oh yes, that =) Oh yes, that =)

]]> http://op-expat.com/2008/04/formality/comment-page-1/#comment-15 helimax Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:17:43 +0000 http://op-expat.com/?p=21#comment-15 Don't forget: in austria the whole name can be replaced by the title. like "Herr Doktor" or "Herr Diplomingeneur" - which translates to Mr. Doctor and so on :-) Don’t forget: in austria the whole name can be replaced by the title. like “Herr Doktor” or “Herr Diplomingeneur” – which translates to Mr. Doctor and so on

]]> http://op-expat.com/2008/04/formality/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Yugowife Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:44:17 +0000 http://op-expat.com/?p=21#comment-5 Hi Britta, looks like we're living in the same city. I just wanted to say that the Viennese are not the only ones to be "formal". In fact, most Europeans have an informal and a formal "you" French: tu/vous Italian: tu/lei Germain: du/sie Spanish: tu/usted Serbian: ti/vi Russian, Portuguese, etc. and most of us use the polite/formal one and the person's last name until we know them (especially in writing!.) We, Europeans, when we are in the US of A are shocked (or at least surprised) by people we have never seen before checking our passports and addressing us by our first name as if we were old-time friends! Titles however are very important only in Italy, that I know of, where you will be called "Dottore/Dottoressa" to indicate a PHD or in fact as a bit of flattery when you have some form of higher education. But he Italians do use the informal in ads just like IKEA! Hi Britta,
looks like we’re living in the same city.
I just wanted to say that the Viennese are not the only ones to be “formal”. In fact, most Europeans have an informal and a formal “you”
French: tu/vous
Italian: tu/lei
Germain: du/sie
Spanish: tu/usted
Serbian: ti/vi
Russian, Portuguese, etc.
and most of us use the polite/formal one and the person’s last name until we know them (especially in writing!.) We, Europeans, when we are in the US of A are shocked (or at least surprised) by people we have never seen before checking our passports and addressing us by our first name as if we were old-time friends! Titles however are very important only in Italy, that I know of, where you will be called “Dottore/Dottoressa” to indicate a PHD or in fact as a bit of flattery when you have some form of higher education.
But he Italians do use the informal in ads just like IKEA!

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