Why do many French people come across as rude and arrogant?

[Sword]

So on of my colleagues won a trip to France. She recently got back and said, that the French attitude really put her off of ever moving to that part of the world, as she is under the impression, that even xenophobic South Africans are better than the French.
I have family in France and ended up in France..... and I couldn't understand why the French's attitude sucked so much..... I mean, it is not like they have so much to be proud of: their power is lost, they make a terrible cars, they smoke like maniacs.... and yet they think the world revolves around them.

So, is this a common perception out there? or are they just assholes to people from other countries?

Educate me. Please.

 

[Hajar Billard]

Hello Sword,

i see that you're mad at France people, i live in France since 2009, i think i can answer your question if you can be more precise. however be aware of generalities

 

[LySergiDe]

Hi Sword,

We could not judge the whole french people. But there is a kind of common mindset, composed by a definite number of properties.

My job allows me to deal with English, German, Spanish, Italian, East European and Asian customers and colleagues. Every individual has his proper way to act or to express his ideas and opinions.

IMHO, the french guys I dealed with are sometimes irrationaly demanding. They are more problem oriented than solution oriented. Compared to the German way to think, I think the "French Method" has a long learning way to achieve...

I would also add something, the French mind is not straightforward (This is the case of the Mediterranean civilisations). I mean that the amount of the non spoken messages you have to decipher is huge.

I tried to be as short as possible. There are many other points that might also be discussed: Negativity, Overselling, Over-reacting....

My 2 cents.

 

[Sword]

Hi guys and thank you for your comments.... Sadly around here, the idea the French people are an arrogant people is persistent..... Although, I do not like to generalize. I have to say that I met some pretty nasty French people in France. I am sorry to believe that there is probably some truth in the accusation.
I live is US and moving soon to Morocco.

 

[Hajar Billard]

if you permit, they're not nasty people, they're demanding and idealists. Americans are different, i heard that they were very sociable unlike the french.
When you get to know the french, they're pretty nice actualy but they don't reveal that easily.
however we musn't forget that people are different and there are good and bad people in each country.

 

[Sword]

Hajar,

Your points are well taken. However, and again I do not want to generalize. Rather I am talking about commonly perceived overall behaviors and attitudes, whether falsly translated or not.

 

[Ancien-Membre]

So on of my colleagues won a trip to France. She recently got back and said, that the French attitude really put her off of ever moving to that part of the world, as she is under the impression, that even xenophobic South Africans are better than the French.
I have family in France and ended up in France..... and I couldn't understand why the French's attitude sucked so much..... I mean, it is not like they have so much to be proud of: their power is lost, they make a terrible cars, they smoke like maniacs.... and yet they think the world revolves around them.

So, is this a common perception out there? or are they just assholes to people from other countries?

Educate me. Please.

I spent 7 years in France and I confirm : their attitude sucks !

 

[elfo]

i don't kwow why, it's the french particularity to be like that unfortunately

 

[IbnouCid]

So on of my colleagues won a trip to France. She recently got back and said, that the French attitude really put her off of ever moving to that part of the world, as she is under the impression, that even xenophobic South Africans are better than the French.
I have family in France and ended up in France..... and I couldn't understand why the French's attitude sucked so much..... I mean, it is not like they have so much to be proud of: their power is lost, they make a terrible cars, they smoke like maniacs.... and yet they think the world revolves around them.

So, is this a common perception out there? or are they just assholes to people from other countries?

Educate me. Please.

Vas y parle français, ou tais toi. Ca te va comme (ré-)éducation ?

 

[Hopkins]

Even french people do admit that france is a beautiful country but is peopled by morons !!

 

[Ancien-Membre]

"Wonderful country france .... Pity about french"

I agree with you French people are rude and narrow minded !!!

 

[IbnouCid]

Mais non, c'est juste que vous avez un fort sentiment d'infériorité, voila tout : vous ne devriez avoir nul besoin de vous lamenter dans la langue de la perfide Albion pour l'admettre...quand à le reconnaitre...la FRANChise étant lucidité et prévoyance, cet effort n'est point attendu.


What a great french diplomat I do

 

[Sword]

Vas y parle français, ou tais toi. Ca te va comme (ré-)éducation ?

Your comment is utterly presumptuous and laughable and is worthy of giving the middle finger.

 

[myousra]

Your comment is utterly presumptuous and laughable and is worthy of giving the middle finger.

thats a little harsh

 

[IbnouCid]

Your comment is utterly presumptuous and laughable and is worthy of giving the middle finger.

Well you know what to do whith that finger, how do we say ?
Sit on it.

Just read my second comment on this thread, it seems that you haven't noticed that i'm ironic.
So, the way we use english right here, to talk about french, while most of you do certainly speak french(my french sentenses where understood indeed), do proove what i was saying, someway.

 

[Sword]

Just read my second comment on this thread, it seems that you haven't noticed that i'm ironic.
So, the way we use english right here, to talk about french, while most of you do certainly speak french(my french sentenses where understood indeed), do proove what i was saying, someway.

Quite frankly, what you're trying to say here escapes me....., and yes some people do adapt to certain environment by pretense.

 

[Saheli]

Why does everybody hates the french so much ?

(particularly anglophones)

 

[myousra]

Why does everybody hates the french so much ?

(particularly anglophones)

its a cultural thing.
French people have this aristocratic way of viewing things/people. They have standards (and of course they are above them) by which they judge everyone else.

and i wouldnt say that anglophones hate them..thats not true. french canadians dont like them that much (the general public, not the media). Americans in general think they have a superiority syndrom and that they need to get off their high horses. (im not sure how they are perceived in europe)

I think they are often racist, judgmental in a very hurtful way, and are soo self centered.

ps: by french people i mean, the white french. i may be wrong, but thats my opinion

 

[farid_h]

Why does everybody hates the french so much ?

(particularly anglophones)

That's an old tradition -- or should I say folklore? -- going back to the 100 Years War:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Years'_War

 

[Nakame]

Well you know what to do whith that finger, how do we say ?
Sit on it.

Just read my second comment on this thread, it seems that you haven't noticed that i'm ironic.
So, the way we use english right here, to talk about french, while most of you do certainly speak french(my french sentenses where understood indeed), do proove what i was saying, someway.

Il me semble qu'il est Américain, pas Marocain (?)
Ceci expliquant cela pour la langue

 

[IbnouCid]

Il me semble qu'il est Américain, pas Marocain (?)
Ceci expliquant cela pour la langue

A confirmer ...

 

[Sword]

A confirmer ...

Your illiteracy is what makes you even more laughable. lol

 

[IbnouCid]

Your illiteracy is what make you even more laughable. lol

Oh, you find so ?

Just answer the question. you could be american, and moroccan, though. I'm sure you're speaking english for some purpose of snobisme (en francais dans le texte).

 

[Sword]

Oh, you find so ?

Just answer the question. you could be american, and moroccan, though. I'm sure you're speaking english for some purpose of snobisme (en francais dans le texte).

I am not sorry. But your comment is nothing but an ad hominem attacks.

 

[IbnouCid]

I am not sorry. But your comment is nothing but an ad hominem attacks.

And you know what ?
I'm not even french. Moroccan only.

Don't have to speak some other foreign langage to estimate that i could be better than them.

Well, all this was an exercise for me, in order to practice my albion tongue.

 

[louladesbois]

You can't generalize.
There are rude persons everywhere. Believe me: I lived in France, Morocco, switzerland, Spain and canada.

 

[moonlight30]

So on of my colleagues won a trip to France. She recently got back and said, that the French attitude really put her off of ever moving to that part of the world, as she is under the impression, that even xenophobic South Africans are better than the French.
I have family in France and ended up in France..... and I couldn't understand why the French's attitude sucked so much..... I mean, it is not like they have so much to be proud of: their power is lost, they make a terrible cars, they smoke like maniacs.... and yet they think the world revolves around them.

So, is this a common perception out there? or are they just assholes to people from other countries?

Educate me. Please.

no need to visit France to notice the french attitude , just a dinner in a french restaurant gives it away,
the french waiter is arrogant , snob and thinks of himself god s gift to humanity

 

[Sword]

no need to visit France to notice the french attitude , just a dinner in a french restaurant gives it away,
the french waiter is arrogant , snob and thinks of himself god s gift to humanity

Yes. Rather, I am trying to learn the root-cause of such behavior and attitude.

 

[PinkyLife]

So on of my colleagues won a trip to France. She recently got back and said, that the French attitude really put her off of ever moving to that part of the world, as she is under the impression, that even xenophobic South Africans are better than the French.
I have family in France and ended up in France..... and I couldn't understand why the French's attitude sucked so much..... I mean, it is not like they have so much to be proud of: their power is lost, they make a terrible cars, they smoke like maniacs.... and yet they think the world revolves around them.

So, is this a common perception out there? or are they just assholes to people from other countries?

Educate me. Please.

In a way, I do agree with you!
I've noticed this french arrogant behavior only when I travelled and lived in other countries (after comparing). I studied intercultural communication in Lugano and from what I saw, France is one the most chauvinist country.
They try to hide it and they may smile at you and show how open they are while they bite you in your back!
I would also add italians!
I used to love this country and its culture but when I travelled there I was so dissapointed from their attitude at the airport!

 

[yacine92]

It's totaly true , I'm living in French for about 8 years and I confirm that France is a very beautiful country populated with jackasses

 

[Nakame]

In a way, I do agree with you!
I've noticed this french arrogant behavior only when I travelled and lived in other countries (after comparing). I studied intercultural communication in Lugano and from what I saw, France is one the most chauvinist country.
They try to hide it and they may smile at you and show how open they are while they bite you in your back!
I would also add italians!
I used to love this country and its culture but when I travelled there I was so dissapointed from their attitude at the airport!

Lugano? In Switzerland? They all speak italian there, isnt'it?

 

[Sword]

Thank you all for your comments. They were all very interesting to read. However, my topic isn't meant to offend or insult the French or French culture. But to inform and educate.

 

[PinkyLife]

Lugano? In Switzerland? They all speak italian there, isnt'it?

Yes it's in the Ticino, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland! A very beautiful place! But my studies were in english and french.

 

[skarry]

Yep it’s totaly true !
French people are unfriendly and rude.... that’s too bad...
I dare telling that because i spent my entiere life in this country, i was born there and still live there.
There was a time when i had to lead some survey about how foreign people perceive french people. And tourists were unanimous... we are unfriendly, rude sometimes, too proud, very elegant and romantic (that was precisely the result).
BUT cause there’s a but... this unfriendly and rude thing was the first impression. Yep french people seems to be cold hearted. Foreign people have to dig a little bit more you know scratch this wall and I am telling you, most of the time you will find nice and deep person.
So keep faith in french people and.... keep digging :-D
Tc

 

[Soumeya46]

So on of my colleagues won a trip to France. She recently got back and said, that the French attitude really put her off of ever moving to that part of the world, as she is under the impression, that even xenophobic South Africans are better than the French.
I have family in France and ended up in France..... and I couldn't understand why the French's attitude sucked so much..... I mean, it is not like they have so much to be proud of: their power is lost, they make a terrible cars, they smoke like maniacs.... and yet they think the world revolves around them.

So, is this a common perception out there? or are they just assholes to people from other countries?

Educate me. Please.

Hi, i'm a native french woman and i can tell you that i feel this impression, particulary since i'm wearing hijeb (islamic headscarf). My people is so arogant because they take a rest on there national way of life. The most of french people is uncultivated, racists and narrow minded but doesn't feel bad because of it. Nicolas Sarkozy found a great sentence: "La France, tu l'aimes ou tu la quittes" = "France, love it or leave it", that's a great thinker our president, isn't it?