Why american people think french people are rude, arrogant etc? (i am french)?

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Rillifane

It is primarily a cultural difference.

Americans are instantly familiar when meeting people. They exchange personal information and presume friendship. They volunteer information abut their personal lives, their possessions, their occupations and their background.

They smile at complete strangers. In many parts of the USA they verbally greet strangers as they pass on the street or, at minimum, nod their heads and smile.

They regard formality or reticence in almost any situation as being a deliberate insult. This is not limited to social situations as there is little real division between social manners and business manners.

Therefore, French mannerisms may appear to Americans to be unfriendly or even actively hostile.

Also, understand, that Americans travel less extensively outside their own country than Europeans. They therefore have less experience in dealing with foreigners.

Moreover, within the USA itself, people from one region often hold unflattering views of those from another region. Thus some people from Texas see New Yorkers as being rude while New Yorkers see Texans as being crude and unsophisticated. Many other such stereotypes exist.

Maya

Parce que la plupart du temps ils viennent Ã Paris et faut avouer qu'Ã Paris les gens sont souvent trÃ¨s impolis, de mauvaise humeur, imbus d'eux-mÃªme. MÃªme moi qui suis parisienne j'ai du mal Ã les supporter. En plus on a aucun sens du service, dans les cafÃ©s les serveurs sont rarement sympas.

Because most of the time, they come in Paris, and you have to admit that in Paris people are usually very impolite, in a bad mood and very pretentious. I am Parisian myself and it's hard for me to stand them. Moreover we have no sense of services, in the cafes the waiters are barely nice.

Vladimir ILL

Parce que cela fait partie de leurs stÃ©rÃ©otypes et assure le confort, notamment de ceux, une majoritÃ© de frustrÃ©s, qui ne pourront jamais venir en France, et n'y sont jamais venus -

Sabine

Je ne comprends pas, moi non plus! Moi, je trouve que les Francais, eux, sont bien polis. C'est peut-etre qu'il y a tres peu d'Americains que parlent le Francais, et ils attendent que les Francais les comprennent. En outre, il faut dire que les manieres des Francais sont en generale un peu plus formelle que les manieres des Americains.

love ashlee.

I live in America, but I am French. (I speak it, my family is french, ect.) When I am around most people in, say, a public place, and my family and I speak in our native language, we sometimes get bad stares, angry looks, and ect.

I believe this is because the Americans have an image of the French that is of a certain air or an additude that is just not so.
Sometimes the Americans are portrayed as selfish, indulgent, and a vain country.
However, that does not mean that every single citzen is that way! While some people are mean, cruel, angry, selfish, ect, there are also very kind, giving, brave, good-hearted people!

While France may be portrayed as a country with a bad additude, not all of the citizens behave in that way.

Forever25

Bonjour!!

I've never once ran into a rude french person. I have no idea how french people are mean got into everyones heads. Everyone is in-titled to a bad day gees.

I have been to France 3 times and absolutley loved it. The people, the culture, everything. I wish i was french haha.

Anyways i don't think french are rude and i'll be sure to pass that around :)

dydy

People who think that, saw it on tv ...like french who think that american are fat .....they saw it on tv.

People sould travel !

precioustang

I was reading your answers and don't have anything much to contribute other than the fact that the cultural differences between North America and Europe are very different however, i would like to say that after taking 6 years of high school french classes, i fully understood all the french responses.
I'm so relieved!

Also, I must say that I believe Paris (especially) is probably the most beautiful city in the world and the citizens are not as rude compared to some other European cities.

Bon soir!

La_rose_noire

jsuis d'accord avec maya et sabine

Rachel

We don't think you are rude (at least I don't) it's just that we have problems communicating. Whenever that happens we get a little frustrated and can act rude towards you. Your english is good! I can understand it and thats all that matters

la vita e bella

I'm American, I've been to France at least half a dozen times, the people I've dealt with have always been nice (aside from one receptionist at a Paris hotel), I've traveled to smaller towns (in the Dordogne region), in Paris, and Lyon and people were always nice...People here at home often ask me if French people are rude and are surprised when I tell them that they are very nice...I do not know where that misconception arises from.

bakki74

!!!!! i dont speak English well

andraia

I'd say, it's because we think very differently. What they find rude, we don't find particularly rude. I'd recommend the site www.understandfrance.org. It's made for Americans who want to go to France. Kinda funny but also interesting to see how Americans see us.

seeker

I'm Australian but heres a story..
I was in Paris last year, and this elderly lady ran into this teenage girl, they both turned and death stared each other and neither of them apologised.
My friends and I were shocked as in Australia both would say sorry numerous times.

In TV shows etc. French characters always appear to be rude and arrogant so most people assume they are like that.

ps. please answer my question: http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ai5G15HVISudt6o_jHXJpbqOEBV.;_ylv=3?qid=20090411045533AAAMoE0

alleycat

It is the French way...no can do...but accept them the way they are...

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