Japanese Courtesy

[belodion]

Some time ago I was approached in the street of my UK home town by three boys aged about 13. One asked directions in good English. Having answered, I was pleasantly startled to receive a brief courteous bow of thanks. Such good manners make the world a better place. This is nothing to do with phones, except that I have just looked up 'emojis' and was reminded of the incident.

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[belodion]

I omitted to say, the boys were Japanese.

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[Golfdriver97]

The sad thing is decent manners seem to be a dying breed.

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[belodion]

The sad thing is decent manners seem to be a dying breed.

From a Carbon M8 and AC Forums app

In my own country, if I were spoken to by 13yo boys, or indeed girls, at all, I should not be surprised to be addressed as 'mate'.

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[Aglet]

There seems to be a growing attitude that courtesy equates to submission; that is, if you are respectful to someone else then you are not simply being polite but you acquiesce or "kow tow" to them. How this absurd misconception got started I don't know. Is it gangsta-based perhaps? And therefore promulgated by rap artists.

In my own country, if I were spoken to by 13yo boys, or indeed girls, at all, I should not be surprised to be addressed as 'mate'.

Same where I am! If, as you suggest, they deigned to talk to us at all...

 

[belodion]

There seems to be a growing attitude that courtesy equates to submission; that is, if you are respectful to someone else then you are not simply being polite but you acquiesce or "kow tow" to them. How this absurd misconception got started I don't know. Is it gangsta-based perhaps? And therefore promulgated by rap artists.

Same where I am! If, as you suggest, they deigned to talk to us at all...

Yes, and that 'respect' thing.
Regarding 'mate' when used as described....it is I think a peculiarity of British English and will hardly translate into other versions of English. It's not necessarily impolite, but it's certainly rather jarring and graceless when used by young to address adult.
Of course we were once young and foolish ourselves...but I was amused when watching some teenagers ahead of me in a shop queue, engrossed in their facebookings and gamings. Would they have enjoyed their awesome devices so much if it had suddenly dawned on them that they were invented and made by old, uncool members of the adult world?

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[belodion]

(Omigosh, I sound old, don't I? I must start addressing people as 'dude'.)

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