Don W wrote:
the_bmac wrote:
Don W wrote:

Why allow yourself to be insulted en Francais by the French, when the
English are mostly polite and friendly? And if they aren't, you can
at least understand their insults '-)


my experience in France was that it was mostly loud Americans who used
the "maybe if I speak English really loudly he'll understand" method
of communicating with the French -who not surprisingly speak French-
were the ones getting insulted

(Shrug) Maybe. I have had good experiences in French territories (F.P.
& Martinique).

However, I've heard second hand stories about the rudeness of the French
waiters to _all_ customers, and not just the Americans and Brits. I
have not experienced this myself. Perhaps someone who has been to Paris
recently would care to comment.

Well if all you are going to judge by is Paris, then you do need to understand the mindset of many
Parisians. Unlike New Yorkers, Londoners -or God help them, Torontoids- who _think_ they're living in
the centre of the known universe, Parisians _know_ they are living in the centre of the known
universe. Parisians refer to all living outside of "L'île de France" as "provincials", quaint rustic
bumpkins who are not to be taken seriously. Americans are frequently regarded as crass, bourgeois,
hobbled by puritanical mores and completely devoid of any appreciation for art, culture and most
particularly food. Perhaps your hearsay stories about French waiters come from fellow Americans who
are accustomed to treating wait-staff like second class citizens. Waiter is a respected occupation in
France. They know their business and expect their customers to know about food, etiquette etc.
because that is the societal norm in France.