"The English are polite by telling lies. The Americans are polite by telling the truth"

This quote by Malcolm Bradbury is an intriguing observation on the distinctions between English and American culture. Bradbury suggests that the English are courteous by informing lies, while the Americans are courteous by informing the truth. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the different techniques to politeness in the 2 cultures. In England, politeness is often seen as a method of avoiding conflict and preserving social consistency, which could describe why the English are more likely to inform depend on order to be respectful. In contrast, the American technique to politeness is more direct and truthful, which might explain why they are most likely to tell the fact. Eventually, this quote highlights the different techniques to politeness in the 2 cultures, and recommends that the English and Americans have different methods of expressing politeness.