Делаем все, что нравится, не мешая другим...

[furrry]

C тактичностью на этом шарике все очень и очень плохо. Независимо от гражданства, национальности и страны проживания собеседники в наши дни считают нормальным спросить сначала "а дети есть?", а затем - получив отрицательный ответ, удивленно поинтересоваться "а что ж так?". Ну я-то ладно, я чистую правду говорю - не хочу и некогда. Но меня не оставляет ощущение, что вопрос сам по себе крайне неприличен, поскольку вероятность наступить на очень больную мозоль малознакомого человека - переходит все границы.
И с некоторых пор я перестала отпускать шуточки в адрес людей, которые позволяют себе роскошь езды со второго на первый этаж на лифте.

Comments

[wrest.livejournal.com]

НУ и в догонку...
отсюда: http://www1.doshisha.ac.jp/~kkitao/library/handout/tokushima4.htm

Making Friends with Americans
[...]

There are also some topics and questions that you should
avoid, especially when you first meet people. One potentially
sensitive topic is money. While an American might tell you
how much they paid for something, it is usually not polite to
ask such a question. It is also not polite to ask what another
person's salary is. Another potentially sensitive topic is age.
It is not polite to ask, "How old are you?" to an adult, though it
is a common question to ask children. Also, most people do
not discuss religion in an initial encounter. "What is your
religion?" is considered a rather personal question.
Compliments about physical appearance, such as, "Your hair
looks nice," or "That's a nice blouse," are often acceptable.
However, some comments about physical appearance are
considered impolite. You should not, for example, comment
on a person's weight.

Some questions about children and marital status are
considered too personal for an initial encounter (and may even
remain sensitive between people who know each other well).
It is, as mentioned above, common to ask whether the other
person is married or has children, but some other questions
are inappropriate. If the other person does not have children,
you should not ask, "When are you going to have children?" or
"Why don't you have children?" Similarly, if the other person
is not married, you should not ask why they are not married
or when they are going to get married. Last, politics is a
potentially sensitive subject, though Americans vary in their
willingness to discuss politics. However, it is probably better
to avoid the subject of politics in an initial encounter unless
the other person brings up the subject.
[...]

[furry.livejournal.com]

О! Ну т.е. не только мне так кажется...Хотя тут коллега штатовский как-то потряс меня вопросом "к какой церкви ты принадлежишь?"