Cultural Differences: England vs.

Italy Danny Singh, UK Danny Singh, born and raised in London, has been living in Rome, Italy for the last 18 years, teaching predominantly adults working in companies, Politicians etc. He attends Pilgrims TT courses almost every summer as a Guest Speaker. E-mail: singh_danny@hotmail.com Introduction As I was born and raised in England and have since passed an enormity of years in Italy, I feel it is of my utmost duty to give my observations on some of the most fundamental differences between these two great nations. One of the questions that I am regularly asked by my new students is, What are the most important differences between living in England and living in Italy and in particular, between the Italians and the English? Eye Contact Lets go back to 1989, when I started my journey towards life in Italy. The 1980s were almost at an end, the Berlin wall had just come down and I was living in a place called Avezzano, part of the Abruzzo region. The first thing that I noticed was the way people looked at you. In England, eye contact is minimal. It is to be avoided in most circumstances. Here it seemed as if they were looking for something, as they eyed me up and down. The English might see you, but the Italians look at you, watch you and stare at you! To begin with, it was slightly unnerving. The differences in eye contact are also noticeable when crossing the road. In London, when the traffic lights turn green to cross, the English look down at the ground and walk as fast as possible, somehow managing to avoid any physical contact with other pedestrians. In Rome, the Italians walk as if they are models on a catwalk, there to be seen, but failing in the process to notice anyone else, until someone walks into them. Physical Contact Apart from eye contact, there was the question of touching. In England, it is difficult to find even lovers who share any kind of physical contact, except perhaps on Saturday night after the football. Its amazing how football gets the adrenalin going! For Italians meanwhile, touching is an essential part of communication and interaction, even with people youve only just met. So, while it was pleasant to have an attractive young woman gently caressing my arm, as she tried to find excuses to justify her poor level of English, it was deeply shocking to find myself escorted arm in arm in the middle of the street, by a man who claimed to be inviting me for dinner. My face totally changed colour, as I wondered where I was heading and what lay in store for me. In England, no two men would ever walk down the street arm in arm, even if they were the best of friends. Kissing is also a relatively rare occurrence in England, substituted by a handshake or a pat on the back. In Italy, any excuse is right for a kiss. Its usually two pecks on the cheek. Just walk around telling everyone its your birthday and see how many kisses you can accumulate in the course of a day. The physical distance between people is significantly different too. Italians stand a lot closer to each other than the English and in my early years in Rome, I often found myself moving backwards and away from people, as I needed my space. Nowadays, I hear English tourists wandering around saying sorry to almost anyone who comes within three metres of them. Hand Movements Italians use their hands a lot and not just for touching. When communicating, talking is not enough! They like to wave their hands around, as it gives emphasis to what they are saying. A friendly chat on the street may be construed by a foreigner as a full-scale argument. I discovered to my cost that even in a male toilet, if you decide to talk to someone, theyll need to use both of their hands, meaning that they might make a terrible mess! Just watch an Italian speaking on a mobile phone! Surely not, you ask? Yes, even in this instance, one hand will be going around like a Dutch windmill! Eating The traditional English way of eating, like crossing the road, is to make it as quick and simple as possible. The less time it takes to prepare and cook, the better. Everything once prepared, is put on one large plate. Hence, pasta, which in Italy is considered a starter or first dish, can in England be a full meal. The traditional Italian way of eating is, like crossing the road, to make it last as long as possible. Its often considered a social occasion, to be had with as many people as possible. There is

usually a starter, first dish, second dish, side dish, fruit, dessert and coffee. A traditional Italian meal can last up to three or four hours if you are not careful, and lets not mention Italian weddings! All these dishes are intermingled with conversations on a variety of topics, many of which, may seem to an outsider to be verbal arguments, as two or three people often speak at the same time. In many English homes, laying the table is considered an option and not an obligation. Children especially enjoy eating their dinner in front of the TV with the plate perilously balanced on their laps. Driving Driving styles vary considerably between the Italians and the English and is once again most evident in the use of body language. The English tend to drive with their eyes focused on what is happening in front of them and both their hands on the steering wheel. If I happen to be standing on the side of the street, there is little chance that they will see me. The Italians on the other hand, tend to drive with their eyes looking to the left or the right, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the leg of their partner. Nowadays, with the widespread use of the mobile phone, this has created a need for three hands, or alternatively for the driver to make a choice between the steering wheel or their partners leg. Newspapers The way in which newspapers are used on public transport in both London and in Rome demonstrates a great deal about the differences in culture between these two cities. During the rush hour in London, you can see 90% of the businessmen sitting in their seats, their entire faces covered by their paper. It might appear that they are all deeply engrossed in their silent reading, but should anyone dare to utter a word, those papers will move downwards very slowly and two frowning eyes will peer over the top. According to official statistics, the Romans read far less than their counterparts in London. That may be linked to sales figures of papers, but take a look at any train on the Roman underground or bus and you will see one person holding their paper, while several others are huddled around reading bits of it too. If the person reading their paper falls asleep, you might even find someone turning the pages for him/her. Credit Cards This may seem like a strange subject to select when analysing cultural differences, however, try shopping with one and youll see what I mean. In England, watch the sales assistant as you sign the receipt. He/She will hold the credit card carefully with both hands, yes, like the steering wheel mentioned before and scrutinise your signature to see if there is any chance that the credit card is not yours. In Italy, youll be lucky if the credit card is even handed back to you and not slung at you. Neither your receipt signature, nor the one on the credit card is looked at. In fact, you dont even need to sign the card. I spent hundreds of Euros on furniture over a period of months, before the absence of a signature on the card was noticed. Banks In England, you can just walk into a bank, join a queue, wait your turn, then eventually ask for the required information. In Italy, the first challenge is to get into the bank. There is often an armed guard waiting outside. Once youve dealt with him, there is usually a metal detector which will do its utmost to stop you getting in, short of obliging you to strip naked. The cost of a bank account in Italy is enormous. It will vary from one account to another of course, but in general, you are expected to pay for all the services provided, a card to withdraw cash from a hole in the wall, a cheque book, standing orders and transfers. You may even pay a small tax for the privilege of having a statement sent to you telling you how bad the situation is. This tax is also applied when spending half the day queuing at a post office to pay a bill. In England, I pay absolutely nothing to hold my bank account, let alone to pay a bill. Until very recently, I could even get a mortgage without much trouble. However, after recent events, I doubt very much that that privilege will be retained. At least the Italian banking system wont be straining under the pressure of having lent huge sums of money out to customers who have absolutely no ability to pay it back. I was turned down for a mortgage by fifty-nine different Italian banks before finally being offered one and even then I consider myself lucky. Formality/Informality England is generally considered a classist society, with clear distinctions between the so-called

working and middle classes, not to mention the upper-classes. However, Italian society has more than enough examples of that. To start with, anyone who has a simple University degree is called a doctor, not in the medical sense of course. If you want to be taken seriously, it needs to be clearly indicated on your business card. I had the experience in one of those fifty-nine banks to find the manager hurrying me to leave, as he was about to take his lunch. When I gave him my card, the expression on his face changed completely and he invited me into his office to talk for an hour, thereby delaying his lunch even further. Many waiters in coffee bars address their clients according to their profession and if they dont know, theyll guess. Parties are a classic example of the difference in social cultures. In England, after all the formalities of office behaviour, people let their hair down once they get out, regularly going over the top with the consumption of alcohol. In a typical English party, everyone is at the same level, irrespective of their daily roles or incomes. At an Italian party, you see the reverse effect. After working informally for most of the day, theyll be dressed meticulously at the party, eyeing everyone up and finding out what job you do before deciding if they want to speak to you or not. Clubs and associations in Italy have the most bureaucratic rules imaginable. Its all written down on paper and anyone who is anyone is called a President. Condominium meetings are quite an experience. Lots of paper and discussions that go on long into the early hours of the morning, without any firm decision being made on anything. In England, the written down rules tend to be short and simple and decisions are made as and when they are needed. The English legal system reflects this in that there is no formal written constitution and decisions are often based on precedent. Flexibility/Inflexibility One of the biggest criticisms made of the English is that of their inflexibility. On one occasion, I turned up at a canteen just before it was due to close. There was no queue and I didnt want anything in the first part, so I skipped past, only to be reprimanded and t old to go back and start again. As if thats bad enough, wait until you start ordering. If you ask for the rice, you must have the goulash and if you dont want the goulash, then thats your bad luck. In a bar too, if you ask for anything thats not on the menu, you wont get it. In Italy, you can have your rice without goulash, even if it isnt on the menu. Italians are flexible about a lot of things, how you park your car, whether or not to stop at a red traffic light, if you want a smaller portion of something, even which queue youre in. At the airport, there is a queue for Euro citizens and non-Euro citizens. However, you are best advised to join the shorter one and to keep a straight face. Conclusion This is a witty, yet deeply serious analysis of some of the differences that I have observed in my many years studying and comparing the behaviour of English and Italian people, especially with regard to life in the two major cities, London and Rome. Some readers may have shared some of these experiences, while others might be quite surprised by what they read. Readers are welcome to mail me and share their experiences, if they wish. My aim is not to draw any conclusions or make any generalisations as such. It would be quite difficult in any case to make any definite judgements, as both cultures seem to be full of contradictions and paradoxes. The physical contact, newspapers and even eating section demonstrate that the English value their space, while the Italians like to do everything in groups, eating, driving and even reading newspapers. The Italians view the English as well organised and efficient, while the English consider the Italians as being extremely creative and sociable. This is true to some extent, but so is the opposite. The English like to rebel and try to be different when they can, while an Italians behaviour is often conditioned due to a fear of making a bad impression, something which forms an inherent part of their upbringing. Many of the old stereotypes are changing. The traditional Italian family with three generations all living in the same home, la mamma preparing the lunch from the time she wakes up and loads of kids running around is very much a rarity today in big cities, as is the much respected English queue. Globalisation, modernisation and the means of communication will ensure that the changes continue. I would conclude by saying that the Italians often take themselves too seriously and need to lighten up, while the English should perhaps consider sharpening up and taking themselves a bit more seriously.

Italian cultural differences between Eng. speaking countries The distance between Italian people in conversation is closer than in English-speaking countries. Italians (and Hispanics) are demonstratice people and are given to do a lot of touching while talking. This is the norm. Many English-speaking peopleust don't get this because this is not the norm for them. A hug and a kiss on the cheek when meeting even between men is common. It's one of those cultural differences between Eng. speaking coutnries and Italy. Seeing two women walking down the street arm and arm or holding hands is the the norm in Italy. Compare this to Eng. speaking countries. An experiment was done one time to prove this point using people from different countries. They had two people from different countries talk to each other. They found that the French touched each other 20 times while talking for ten minutes. The Spanish touched each other 25 times while talking. Cubans 28 times. People from Argentina 30 times. The Italians 30 times. The 2 English men touched each other one time by accident while talking. LOL! Last edited 25 Dec 2008, 21:03 Reply | Report Dorota ... 26 Dec 2008, 20:36 cultural differences Yes, I also noticed that..It is something surprising if you are for the first time in Italy. It is said that people have their "private area" and it depends on the person - it is something as the distance that you need while talking to another person. And it is sometimes 20 cm or it can be 1 m as well.. And if you touch a person, it is really by accident usually Italian people have their "private area" not so big as people from northern countries. They are much closer while talking, that is true.. My first visit in Italy was quite stressful because of that I have to say I didn't feel safely, it sounds amazingly, but I really felt so. But.. The more I know Italian people, the more I like them and that behaviour, they are open and after a while of talking they seem to be as old friends..Amazing too There are several differences between Italy and most Anglo-Saxon countries such as the UK, USA, Australia. There are many sources on this subject, your best bet is to read up ahead of time. We wont get into the all detail, but will limit ourselves to a few observations made in the course of our stay in Italy. First of all, not all Italy is the same there are significant differences between the Italy of the different regions from the more reserved Piemontese to the more vivacious Neapolitans, one of the key issues to keep in mind is that people will tend to reflect characteristics of their local area. Another thing to note is that relative to other European countries, the level of English knowledge in Italy is very low. So unlike in more northern European countries, where it seems like so many people speak at least a bit of English, in Italy these people will tend to be fewer and further in between. It may be less evident in the expat community or in popular tourist areas, but you will still be confronted with it, say, when the bathroom is leaking and you are trying to call a plumber. So it cannot hurt to get the basics of Italian. Not only this will be much more appreciated than in certain other countries northwest of Italy, where if you dont speak their language perfectly you are considered a barbarian. Lining up. What can I say, Italians don't! It has gotten better in recent years though so all hope is not lost. If you arrive someplace (the doctor's office is a good example) you need to ask who is the last in line (chi l'ultimo?) and then you will know that you are after the person that responds. Dropping in. Italians show up unannounced quite often. Don't be surprised by this. If your house is normally in a state of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) then at least make sure that your entryway is nice and tidy.

Italy v England: 30 Cultural Differences Between Italy & England It's an Anglo-Italian super-battle in the Champions League last 16 as Juventus take on Chelsea, Roma meet Arsenal and Inter play Manchester United. It is often said that the two countries and leagues are poles apart, so here are 30 comical cultural differences between Italy and England Feb 23, 2009 5:00:26 PM On The Pitch 1) In Italy on Sundays, it's church, match, home for supporters. In England, its pub, match, pub. 2) In Italy, pasta and meatballs with a glass of red wine is the pre-match meal. In England, kebab and chips with a pint of beer on the way to the stadium does the trick. 3) In Italy, the police will allow you to throw oranges at a team bus. In England you'd go to jail. 4) Italian fans behave when going abroad, but go berserk at home. English fans behave at home, but go stark-raving mad when in Europe. 5) In England, fans sit on the stadium seats. In Italy they use them as weapons. 6) In England, the stadium stewards watch the crowd. In Italy, the stewards watch the match or, as in the case at Catania, are actually club Ultras. 7) In England, if you want something to eat at a game you have to go and buy it from the stadium snack bar. In Italy, you just shout 'A Bibitaro' at the guy selling snacks 20 metres away, and then push your money along the row of fans as he passes a cornetto back. 8) In England, if you are fast, strong and powerful, and can run nonstop for 90 minutes you are a great player, even if you have the touch and skills of a donkey. In Italy, if you are tactically and technically excellent, you are a good player, even if you have the speed and mobility of a snail. 9) In England, if SKY Sports says that Peter Crouch is the best player in the world, the whole country believes and preaches it. In Italy, if SKY Italia says that Simone Loria is the best defender on the planet, the whole nation cancels their satellite subscription. 10) In Italy, the end justifies the means, and shirt-pulling, diving, cynical fouls and fooling the referee are seen as important parts of the game. In England, these things are seen as cheating, and the philosophy that the means justifies the end is followed, with fair play more important than winning at all costs. 11) In Italy, defending is an art. In England, defending is anti-football. 12) In Italy, if a team is 3-0 down, the players all give up, while the fans abuse the team, smash up the worst players car, and invade training the next morning. In England, if a team is losing 8 -0, the players continue to fight and chase every ball until the last minute even though the cause is lost, while the supporters continue to sing and cheer on their heroes. 13) In England, a bad referee is incompetent. In Italy, a bad referee is corrupt. 14) In England post-weekend football shows are 99% highlights and 1% analysis. In Italy shows are 1% highlights, and 99% analysis (or slow-motion replays). 15) In England, you rarely hear from chairmen, who often mind their own business and stay out of the press. In Italy, the presidents are utterly insane at times, regularly making controversial remarks, with Palermos Maurizio Zamparini the most infamous.

Off The Pitch 16) In Italy, bribery and corruption is a part of life. In England, a backhander is a tennis shot. 17) In England, you are innocent until proven guilty. In Italy, you are guilty until proven innocent. 18) In Italy, children are first given alcohol when they are nine months old, and learn how to respect and enjoy liquor. In England, children are banned from drinking alcohol until they are 18, and then proceed to massacre the stuff. 19) In Italy, sons are cradled by their mothers until they are 40. In England, sons have their own house and are looking after themselves at the age of 16. 20) Italian men are already shaving before they are 11-years-old, and need to use a razor every day to stay smooth. English men dont start shaving until they are 18, and then have to wait five years just to grow a little bit of stubble on the end of their chin. 21) In England, punctuality and timekeeping is extremely important. In Italy, being on time is arriving 30 minutes late. 22) In Italy, no one who travels by train buys a ticket. In England, everyone buys a ticket, even though the prices are a scandalous rip-off and it would be cheaper to take a taxi. 23) In England, breaking the law is something you usually keep to yourself. In Italy, breaking petty rules is a source of amusement and something worth boasting about. 24) Italians who go on holiday blend into the surroundings and will turn brown in the sun. The English, who spend most their holidays recovering from sunburn, have tourist written all over them as they trudge onto the beach with Hawaiian shirts, and socks and sandles. 25) In Italy the idea of wearing head-to-toe sporting clothing is considered unfashionable. In England wearing anything other than head-to-toe sports clothing is considered feminine. 26) In Italy, no one queues up, instead pushing in at the last minute after pretending they know someone at the front. In England, people queue up for hours, and then when they are still turned away at the end, they leave without a fuss. 27) In Italy, politics is a matter of life and death depending on which side of the fence you are on. In England it is not as important as 'Big Brother', a show where a bunch of talentless nobodies do nothing all day. 28) In Italy, it is normal for two people of the same sex to greet each other with a hug and kiss on both cheeks. In England, you are not heterosexual if you do this. 29) In Italy, if you go to a dinner party, you are guaranteed a six course meal, a doggy bag, and you have to refuse even more food at least 10 times before the host finally accepts no for an answer. Are you sure, you dont want some more?Yes, I am bloody sure! In England, you are asked to bring a bottle with you, the sausage rolls and Quavers run out after 10 minutes, and you have to make a stop at the McDonalds drive-thru on the way back home because you are still hungry. 30) In Italy, TV babes include Juliana Moreira, Ilary Blasi, Christina Chiabotto, Ilaria DAmico and Michelle Hunziker, to name just a handful. In England it's Jordan or Jody Marsh.