Etiquette in Europe

Etiquette in Europe is not uniform. Even within the regions of Europe, etiquette may not be uniform: within a single country there may be differences in customs, especially where there are different linguistic groups, as in Switzerland where there are French, German and Italian speakers.

Despite this heterogeneity, many points of etiquette have spread through Europe and many features are shared. The ancient Roman Empire is a historical source, and the cosmopolitan royalty and also nobility were effective in spreading etiquette throughout Europe. For example, in the Palace of Versailles, where French nobility was concentrated, a complicated etiquette was developed.

It is never acceptable to write an anonymous letter or one that purports to be signed by somebody other than the writer (but does not make that clear).

Many languages use different 2nd person pronouns to denote formality or familiarity when addressing people (the T–V distinction). This also applies in common phrases such as "How are you?". The use of an inappropriately familiar form may be seen as derogatory, insulting or even aggressive. Conversely, forms that are inappropriately formal may be seen as impolitely snobbish or distant.

The way politeness is expressed varies greatly with language and region. For example, addressing a person with an honorific or title may be expected in some languages, but seen as intrusive or too formal in others.

In many parts of Europe, using someone's first name also denotes a certain level of friendship. In social interactions with strangers, the last name and/or more formal mode of address is used, usually until the people involved agree to move to an informal level. However, this may not apply among young people, among members of particular groups (e.g. students) or in informal settings. Also among countries that border each other vast differences can be noticed in the use of titles, first names and pronounces, as is the case in the Netherlands compared with Belgium and Germany.

In some countries, such as in Italy, chrysanthemums are given only at funerals. In France, red roses are given to the beloved person when the giver is in love. In Finland, the same applies except that school leavers are often given red roses on passing their matriculation examination (abitur).

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Wikipedia