7 Tips For Befriending A Brit
1. Always apologize. In England, one says sorry for everything.One does anything to avoid embarrassment and shame. One pretends (v.假装) nothing happened.
2. Keep to yourself. English people need private space—physically and emotionally. People walked around as if they had a home around them, and I wasn’t invited in.American politeness is positive, making people feel included. But English politeness is negative. One assumes you want privacy (n.隐私), so one ignores you completely.
3．Don’t share. Emotional space extends to food. My first time at a Chinese restaurant with English friends. I noticed no one had requested it, so I said “four rice.” Turned out, my dinner was four bowls of rice. It didn’t even dawn on（使 …渐渐明白）them to share, except for the bill.
4．Be not clear.One doesn’t say what one means, one doesn’t mean what one says, but one means something—and it’s often mean.
5．Don’t complain. Americans kvetch (v.发牢骚), but the English want to blend in （调和） and avoid fuss(n.忙乱,争吵).
6. Don’t compliment. My American friends flatter to show someone we acknowledge their existence and are willing to engage with them further. English people take flattery(n.恭维) as fake, intrusive, vindictive（adj.恶意的,怀恨的）, and abusive.
7. Beware of class (等级). Class doesn’t count for us North Americans, but it heavily impacts English lives. It’s not your cash-stash（现金储备）, it’s genetic, and is indicated by dress, cars, newspaper, vocabulary and how clean your house is.
参考翻译；
译者注：一位美国女演员根据她在伦敦生活十年的经验，总结出七点和英国人打交道的窍门，虽是针对前往英国的美国人而写，但也让我们得以窥见英国人独树一帜的国民性格。
1．不停道歉。在英国，人们会为任何事情道歉，他们会尽一切努力避免尴尬，装作没发生什么。
2．紧锁内心。英国人需要私人空间——无论是实质上还是情感上。人们就像背着壳的蜗牛，你永远无法进入他们的内心。美国式的礼貌是积极的，令人感到你身处其中。但英国式的礼貌是消极的。如果他们认为你想知道他们的隐私，他会完全不理你。
3. 不要分享。情感上的私人空间也能延伸到食物。我第一次和我的英国朋友在中餐馆吃饭，我发现没有人叫了米饭，就叫了四碗。结果是，这四碗饭成了我的晚餐。他们毫无分享的意思，除了对账单除外。
4．模棱两可。有人言不由衷，有人口不对心，有人说的另有所指——但通常并不是什么好的意思。
5.不要抱怨。美国人喜欢发牢骚，英国人却想着调和，避免争吵。
6. 不要恭维。我的美国朋友恭维是为了表现他重视你的存在，并愿意继续与你来往。但英国人会把恭维看作虚伪、打扰、挑衅和谩骂。
7．等级观念。对于等级，美国人看的很淡，但却深刻影响英国人的生活。不是你存有多少现金，而是你的出生，并从你的穿着、座驾、所看的报纸、所用的词汇和你的房间有多感情所反映出。 |
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