Personal Habits

I agree with LisaE - the MYOB culture exists here on the surface, and in my experience, once people get to know you (however slightly) they think they can make very personal comments. 

Case in point:

I walked into the staffroom the other day and someone said "Oh Vicky, I like that shirt you're wearing.  Where did you get it?"

Me:  "Thanks.  I got it at Wallis."

Her:  "Oh, so you're obviously a person that has more money than sense."

Me:  "Thanks very much for that."

Her:  (backpedalling, realising she's p****d me off a bit) "You've had your hair done too, haven't you?  It that a new colour?"

Me:  "Yes.  I got it at Boots for £2.50 and I did it myself. Therefore, I had enough money left over to buy this shirt at Wallis."  *Turns and walks away*

She's not someone I know very well, but rather a work colleague (and I haven't been there that long) whom I wouldn't really consider a friend, so I found her comments very surprising, to say the least. 

I've also had people correct my speech and tell me I should stop speaking with my American accent.

Asking people what salary you make is what kills me! It's common here yet I STILL don't know what my friends and family make back home! 

Yeah, I know what you guys are saying. I suppose I should have said that what I like is the MYOB I get from people in shops - the girl at the checkout in my local grocer never says more than hello and I've been going there for nearly a year. Ditto with the people in Boots, etc.

But I DEFINITELY know what you mean about aquaintances and friends asking what we might consider rude questions - my b/f actually asks our friends questions that make me blush a bit and doesn't think a thing of it (salaries, rent and house prices, etc.) and thinks I'm crazy to think it's rude! I suppose it's just some sort of candor that Brits have -  I've also noticed that some of our friends offer up information about themselves that sometimes I think might be a touch personal!

And I do know we are in the gossip loop as I'm constantly amazed at how much the patrons at our local know - they knew we were getting married before my mum did! 

"J'knowwhatimean" after EVERY sentence.

When I was doing training for the help desk, (and thus listening in on calls) we had a gentleman who abused that particular phrase.  He said it at least 8 times, 3 of them in a row!  (Y'knowwhatimean, Y'knowwhatimean, Y'knowwhatimean...literally!)

I had to put the phone down, I was laughing so hard...

As for UK peeps not correcting your language...try saying "vacation" where I work...

Ah well, it's all in good fun, at least at this job. 

wench

Personally, there have been only a handful of times that someone has corrected anything I've said here in the UK. It's never really bothered me that much because I tend to find humour in the different ways we (as Americans) communicate in relation to how Brits do. As GB Shaw (with apologies to Oscar Wilde ...) wrote, "England and America are two countries separated by the same language."

Vive la difference!

Stu always reminds me that Americans speak English as it would have been spoken in Shakespeare's day. I always tell him to get with the times!

I walked into the staffroom the other day and someone said "Oh Vicky, I like that shirt you're wearing.  Where did you get it?"

Me:  "Thanks.  I got it at Wallis."

Her:  "Oh, so you're obviously a person that has more money than sense."

Me:  "Thanks very much for that."

Her:  (backpedalling, realising she's p****d me off a bit) "You've had your hair done too, haven't you?  It that a new colour?"

Me:  "Yes.  I got it at Boots for £2.50 and I did it myself. Therefore, I had enough money left over to buy this shirt at Wallis."  *Turns and walks away*

She's not someone I know very well, but rather a work colleague (and I haven't been there that long) whom I wouldn't really consider a friend, so I found her comments very surprising, to say the least. 

It sounds to me like she was just making an awkward attempt at being friendly / making  conversation with you.  She probably won't try that again after your response to her! 
 ... i probably would have just laughed when she said 'more money than sense', but we all handle things differently.

It sounds to me like she was just making an awkward attempt at being friendly / making  conversation with you.  She probably won't try that again after your response to her! 
 ... i probably would have just laughed when she said 'more money than sense', but we all handle things differently.

Perhaps it was that but personally, if I want to get to know someone I don't go and insult them (albeit mildly). She should have just complimented and let that be the end of it.

As far as the MYOB thing, I work with a lady who has to know freaking everything that goes on around her. Everytime my boss is out or is about to go out she asks me what she's up to ( I don't ask her about her boss, it's none of my business). Or if I'm eating something at my desk she turns her head around the cubicle and checks it out and she's always butting into personal conversations. I've flat out told her to mind her own business and every time she gets nosy, I tell her to go back to her work.  I've found that in general, it's better just to be blunt and let them know to mind their own business instead of ignoring it.

Perhaps it was that but personally, if I want to get to know someone I don't go and insult them (albeit mildly). She should have just complimented and let that be the end of it.

Well, like i said... it was an awkward attempt...  Some people are just socially inept! 

(Ashley, i have to tell you how much i LOVE that pic of your cat!  I dont even like cats at all, but when i see your cat and that priceless face... he really makes me smile!)

If we didn't have foot in mouth syndrome to keep us amused at the office, what would we do?



wench

(Ashley, i have to tell you how much i LOVE that pic of your cat!  I dont even like cats at all, but when i see your cat and that priceless face... he really makes me smile!)

He's much cooler in person.