Basic rules of courtesy and etiquette

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Etiquette is a word of French origin, meaning demeanor, rules of politeness, good breeding, courtesy that must be observed in society, at work, at school, university, at the table and even on the street.

The rules of etiquette are unwritten, binding, that is, it is a demeanor adopted "by default" and observed by people as a kind of standard that is not subject to discussion. An educated person should not only know and adhere to the norms of etiquette, but also understand their significance for life and society. After all, good manners are a reflection of the inner world of a person, an indicator of his intellectual level and moral principles. A cultured person has more opportunities to develop, establish contacts, create good relationships with other people and, therefore, to achieve their goals.

Courtesy from the cradle

Politeness is always and everywhere highly valued. In large metropolitan areas and largeIn cities, politeness turns into a rare and valuable gift, not available to everyone. Rudeness and bad manners are becoming the norm, and this does not surprise anyone. Therefore, it is very important to cultivate the seeds of etiquette in the heart of a child from an early age, along with the first word and deed. Very often, parents, not knowing how to raise a child, adopt the experience of their friends or the older generation. This is not quite right.

Every person is different, including your child. He will not understand the authoritarian and demanding attitude towards himself. Adults need to stock up on patience and endurance in order to instill politeness and courtesy in their child. In no case do not force or put pressure on the child. Ask, be polite, and the child will gladly fulfill all your requests. Repeat when talking with him as often as possible the magic words - "thank you" and "please." But the rules of politeness for children are not limited to these words. Gradually teach him to say hello, say goodbye, apologize. Encourage him to read, followed by a discussion of the actions of the characters in the book. Explain how to behave with people, and how not to. And most importantly - always and everywhere be polite yourself. After all, a child copies the behavior of his parents and, seeing an example of etiquette before his eyes, he will try to follow it.

Etiquette from the school bench

Having received the basic concepts of good and evil, the child moves to the next level - school, where throughout the entire educational process he is taught the basic rules of etiquette.

Being a second home, the school sets itselfthe same good intentions as the parents. However, the rules of politeness at school should not consist only of moralizing lectures and instructive conversations.

For a deep and detailed mastering of all the canons of etiquette, teachers should conduct classes on the lessons of the culture of behavior and politeness, in the form:

seminars and trainings where conversations are held on the principle of "answer-question", various situations are discussed, lines of behavior are played, situations are simulated;
games in which participants are divided into several groups and beat life situations related to the norms of etiquette.

Such original methods, as a rule, are effective and efficient, they help to identify the level of politeness of each student, teach children mutual understanding, norms of behavior in a particular situation. Schoolchildren easily and imperceptibly learn the rules of politeness, examples given by senior mentors, becoming more open and sociable.

Hello should be right

Proper and skillful greeting is one of the immutable norms of etiquette. It is necessary to greet people with a friendly, open smile. The rules of courtesy when meeting people are as follows: try to look them straight in the eye, pronounce the words of greeting clearly and clearly, while the tone of address should be soft and courteous. The greeting is usually accompanied by the words: "Hello" (appeal to friends and closest acquaintances), "Hello" (universaladdress), "Good morning (afternoon, evening)" (depending on the time of day).

What not to do

The rules of etiquette have their own "veto", that is, prohibited actions that can make you look ill-mannered.

You should not address a person with the exclamation "Hello!", "Hey, you!"
When you see a friend, do not desperately make your way to him across the room, causing inconvenience to the rest of those present.
When meeting acquaintances in a theater, a restaurant, you should nod slightly in greeting, and not shout at the whole neighborhood.
When you meet a friend on the street, do not keep him for a long time, it is better to arrange the next meeting or a phone call.
It is not recommended to slap a stranger on the shoulder when greeting him.

Who greets whom

Who should say hello first? The basic rules of politeness in this case are as follows. First to say hello:

man with woman;
subordinate with boss:
younger (by age, rank, position) with a senior;
entered the room;
walking with standing.

Anyway, polite and well-mannered people are the first to greet.

Conversation as a formula of etiquette

The rules of courtesy also affected the forms of addressing people to each other. There are three forms of address:

Official - used in a business setting, during negotiations, this is a kind of code for addressing strangers. Here, mainly “you” is used with the addition of a name and patronymic, orstatus.

Informal - an appeal to relatives, acquaintances and friends. A cordial and friendly "you" indicates close relationships between people.
Impersonal - used in transport, on the street and accompanied by the phrases: "Do not tell me how to get to …", "Stop there …".

There are no clear rules on how to switch from “you” to “you”, this is set by the interlocutors themselves, or is present in the form of an address by ill-mannered people who are used to saying “you” to everyone indiscriminately.

Table etiquette

The rules of table etiquette have existed for many years and centuries. They are the same for everyone and everyone, be it a builder or a president.

First and indisputable rule - you can not place and put your elbows on the table. It is forbidden to slurp and talk with your mouth full, especially on a romantic date.

You should sit straight, not leaning on the table or chair of the guest sitting next to you. It is considered indecent to drum your fingers on the table, gesticulate frantically, throw up a napkin, cutlery, take food from someone else's plate, talk loudly.

The rules of courtesy and etiquette to be observed at the table also prohibit blowing on hot food, leaning over the table, talking on the phone, singing, whistling, makeup and powdering. A man pays attention to a woman sitting to his right: entertains her with conversations, puts snacks on her plate, pours drinks.

Generalcourtesy rules

Except for generally accepted norms of etiquette regarding greetings, address, cultural rules

at the table, there is a general rule of courtesy, the observance of which speaks of you as a well-mannered person who monitors his manners and behavior.

Don't fuss, do everything calmly and measuredly.
Try to speak quietly, clearly, clearly, without muttering, obscene language and abuse.
It is not recommended to scratch, pick your nose and paint your lips in public.
Control your emotions, be cool, putting words into graceful forms and expressions.
Don't laugh too loudly and follow people passing by.
Don't yawn with your mouth wide open.
Keep your promises.
Sorry, say hello, use "thank you" and "please".
Watch your appearance.
Don't discuss people in their absence.
Speak to strangers in a polite and courteous manner.

Smile is the main rule of etiquette

Smile is a powerful weapon of any person that can change everything and everyone. It's like a ray of sunshine in cloudy weather, a drop of water in the desert, a piece of warmth in cold weather. Her Majesty "Politeness", rules of conduct and etiquette - all these norms come down to one, the simplest advice - smile. A smile is not only a tribute to politeness, it is a lever of happiness, a recipe for success and good mood.

One smile cansoften the heart, attract attention, defuse the situation. In many businesses, smiling is a part of the job, and for good reason: it contributes to a great workflow. Smile and you will gain a reputation as a well-mannered and cultured person!

Rules of courtesy may differ by nationality, but come down to one thing: excellent manners, excellent education will always be "in fashion", and no one can refuse or cancel them.