Which cultures are stereotyped to be more or less formal than is really the case?

[Tooting Carmen]

As someone who is half-British half-Colombian, IMO British culture is stereotyped to be more formal than is really the case, while Colombian culture is stereotyped to be less formal than is really the case.

[Ayetooey]

Sterotyped as more formal its of course Britain, or England in particular. The foreign image of the typical Englishman is a middle class semi rural family from the home countries. I think the average foreigner would get a big culture shock visiting any city here, especially somewhere in the working class North like Grimsby. I'd go as far as saying Britain is the least formal country in the North of Europe; Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians are much colder than Brits. In terms of sterotyped as less formal I'd say broadly speaking the Arab world. https://www.uklinkology.co.uk/wp-con...ic_Customs.pdf

[Tutankhamun]

East asians in general

[Tooting Carmen]

East asians in general

Are you saying they are stereotyped as being more or less formal than the reality?

[Tooting Carmen]

Stereotyped as more formal its of course Britain, or England in particular. The foreign image of the typical Englishman is a middle class semi rural family from the home countries. I think the average foreigner would get a big culture shock visiting any city here, especially somewhere in the working class North like Grimsby. I'd go as far as saying Britain is the least formal country in the North of Europe; Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians are much colder than Brits. In terms of stereotyped as less formal I'd say broadly speaking the Arab world. https://www.uklinkology.co.uk/wp-con...ic_Customs.pdf

I agree with you about Brits. It seems that many foreigners view Britain as basically like the characters in Lewis or Midsomer Murders. But why is the formality of the Arab world such a surprise? They are mostly very traditional and hierarchical societies.

[Ayetooey]

I agree with you about Brits. It seems that many foreigners view Britain as basically like the characters in Lewis or Midsomer Murders. But why is the formality of the Arab world such a surprise? They are mostly very traditional and hierarchical societies.

Many people, especially in the US, ignorantly dismiss and sterotype the whole Arab world as barbaric, full of terrorists, violent, dirty etc. Ignoring a lot of the deep seated formal traditions which exist there.

[Tooting Carmen]

Many people, especially in the US, ignorantly dismiss and sterotype the whole Arab world as barbaric, full of terrorists, violent, dirty etc. Ignoring a lot of the deep seated formal traditions which exist there.

At least some of said violence is the Islamist reaction to what they perceive to be the decadence and loose morals of the West, which they view as a threat to their deep-seated traditions.

[Tutankhamun]

Are you saying they are stereotyped as being more or less formal than the reality?

Yes

[Tooting Carmen]

Yes

I think you misunderstand: are they more formal than the stereotype, or less formal than the stereotype?

[Tutankhamun]

I think you misunderstand: are they more formal than the stereotype, or less formal than the stereotype?

Sorry for not specifying lol. Certainly less formal than the stereotype. But I'm talking about young people, because old East Asian people are extremely formal, and this is not a streotype for me.