One says "bonjour". It's what you do.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7484564.stm

This illustrates something really important in French culture.

You greet people warmly.

M. Sarkozy said "Bonjour monsieur" to the sound man and was shocked not to get a bonjour back.

Imagine Mrs Thatcher saying "Good morning, sir" to the sound man. It's not just "Hi."

Sometimes Brits forget. French people are almost always shocked when they hear that in Britain sometimes the first thing you say to a shopkeeper is "I'm looking for .....", and that you can go through a supermarket without ever saying anything to anyone sometimes.

But the bonjour thing is really important.

Comments

Emmanuel said…
I remember going to Ikea in Lausanne, and asking one of the staff some information about something without saying Bonjour. I was just focused on what I was looking for, and I had not realised. The guy said "bonjour Monsieur" to me several times, until I realised and apologised. He then gave me the information I needed.
3:32 pm
Alan said…
Yes. Sometimes I STILL forget. Having an atrocious English accent means that people forgive you for not knowing how to behave. (Voilà - ça sert à quelque chose ! )

But it's not good. And after all, politeness is free and is BASIC. Civilised life STARTS with politeness.
4:21 pm
Alan said…
Typical. A chap at the tram stop today gave me a copy of the free newspaper and I said 'Merci'. When will I develop the 'bonjour' reflex ?
7:06 pm
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