Quote Originally Posted by fan_ta
может это вежливость? типо хочешь камуто сказать - да флаг ю! - а молчишь и говоришь - сэнкс

English children have their own particular catechism of accepted conduct to learn. The first rule they come across at an early age is "Mind your Ps and Qs". These have nothing to do with waiting politely to use the lavatory. Ps and Qs are short for "Pleases" and "Thank Yous". Supplication, gratitude and, most important of all, apology are central to English social intercourse, which is why English people seem to express them endlessly as if to the hard of hearing.

It is difficult for the foreigner to learn how to wield the small vocabulary necessary, but the starting point is to understand that it is almost impossible linguistically to be over grateful, over apologetic or over polite when it comes to the point. Thus, the English man or woman whose toe you tread on will be "so sorry" presumably for not having had the offending digit amputated earlier. He or she will thank you "so much" when you stop treading on it or, if you do not, ask you to with a routine of pleases and thank yous that would last any other national half a lifetime. It's just the English way.

A lack of profusion in the gratitude or apology department will certainly land anyone in such a situation in the "not very nice" camp from which there is little chance of escape.
Вот ведь любопытное противоречие - рассказывая о воспитании вежливости в Англии и вежливых манерах англичан в неловких ситуациях, самим рассказом показать свою невоспитанность и отсутсвие хороших манер - на русском Форуме писать по-английски это грубое проявление полного неуважения к читающим.