Many people think of England as being a particularly polite country and this is, in fact, the case. Politeness is very important in England so if you want to be a success here, you should definitely try to understand it, and practise it if you can. In doing so, you will almost certainly become not only more successful but also a happier and more rounded person.

See below for an introduction to the main headings of English politeness as we teach it.

Victorian chromolithograph of Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Walter Raleigh
Queen Elizabeth I & Sir Walter Raleigh

The keynote of English politeness is that the dignity of others is more important than one’s own dignity. This is why an English person will often say, ‘Oh, sorry’ if you step on their foot or bump into them on the footpath. You have to laugh but it shows how fundamental this is.

Another common example of this is the English habit of saying, ‘After you.’, ‘No, after you’. They are each saying, ‘No, your dignity is more important than mine.’ Sometimes you get drivers flashing their headlights back and forth at each other in cramped traffic conditions. Again, you have to laugh, but the English prefer it that way, and after living here a while, you will probably start to appreciate it, too. And most important of all is the dignity of those most vulnerable in society, because the English always love the underdog.

A contemporary illustration of polite society at a soirée
Polite society, today

Educational PDFs available

Module I — The Basics of English politeness

An introduction to English politeness. Covers acknowledgement, the dignity of others, queueing, the weather, and the many small disciplines of daily life.

Purchase — £12.00 · delivered by e-mail

Module II — A wider context

A deeper look at the moral framework: the law of civilisation, emotional maturity, the subtleties of acknowledgement, and the cultivation of an unhurried air.

Purchase — £12.00 · delivered by e-mail

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