Should we all be more direct? A new survey looks at the most popular British “polite-isms” — ways of saying things to avoid arguments, even if they are the opposite of what you think.
Britain’s top polite lies revealed
Polite society: John Cleese (AI-generated above), best known for playing the irascible Basil Fawlty in 1970s sitcom Fawlty Towers, says Britain was a "calmer, more polite" country when he grew up. Glossary
Rude - Impolite, bad-mannered.
Survey - When you ask a group of people questions about what they think about a particular topic.
Average - Typical or usual.
Netherlands - A country in northwestern Europe. Netherland means low-lying country. More than one fourth of the country is below sea level.
Blunt - Being direct and speaking without paying attention to others' feelings.
Expert - Someone who knows a lot about a particular subject.
Honest - Being truthful in what you say and do.