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I saw that some people said they would be offended if they were addressed by their first name. I feel that calling someone you are not very familiar with by their first name can be a little awkward. I never called any of my highschool teachers by their first name but here at college some professors allow their students to be on a first name basis with them. Even after a year and a half, I still fall into the habit of saying "Professor (insert last name) Is this similar in France? How do you feel about addressing a teacher this way?

En général, on vouvoie les enseignants à l'école, à la fac, etc. Mais il y a des exceptions : souvent dans des classes de FLE (français langue étrangère), le professeur et les étudiants / élèves se tutoient, le rapport entre l'enseignant et les élèves étrangers étant souvent très amical.

I think it's funny that some people would be offended if a bank teller called them their first name. Is it preferable to be called by your account number? Clearly the teller has to look at the check in order to be assured of its validity. The friendliness simply allows the transaction to be carried out fluidly, and lessens the awkwardness of handing a stranger your personal earnings. I think it would take a wink and an invitation to dinner at least before I would be weirded out.

Kelly I was really amused by that! Just for fun one day, maybe I'll say, Thanks for cashing my check, teller #6. ;p

Anyway, I don't think I would even notice if they used my first name. As long as they were nice about it, and not hitting on me! I don't usually go into the bank (I never remember bank hours! -->time to find an ATM!), so I don't see many tellers... so I guess I never thought about it.

I was one of the people who said they'd be a little put off. In my mind, as a customer of the bank, the employees are supposed to treat you with respect. Calling someone by their first name is a mark of familiarity, and I'd think it was much more normal for a bank teller to address a customer as Mr. or Ms. Whoever. Is this the case in France as well? Or is it more common to be addressed by your first name even by strangers?

I know me personally, coming from a small town, my bank teller knew who I was so it was really nothing special that she always called me by my first name... because if she called me anything else it would be awkward! I find it interesting that there are such mixed reactions to being called by your first name, although it is a sign of familiarity, is it not your name? Do we like to distance others from our money as much as we can, so this sign of "friendship"\ familiarity is taken as offensive?

Am I on the right track? What do you all think?

Moi je fais partie des "choquées" ^_^

Je trouve que la banque est un environnement très officiel et les employés se doivent d'être professionnels donc le vouvoiement est de rigueur... En plus c'est vrai que le banquier connait des choses personnelles à notre propos... J'aime autant qu'il fasse semblant de rien... Un peu comme le gynécologue quoi...

Je vois pas mon banquier me faire :

"Hé Eugénie, ça roule ma poule?

-euuuh.... ouais...? C'est pour déposer un chèque...

-quoi? Tout ça' Dis donc c'est noël, tu m'invites à diner? Allez, je passe te prendre chez toi au.... attends je regarde ma fiche... 22 rue des fleurs! 20h c'est OK?"

Au secours!!

hahaha c'est vrai que là ca fait scenario horreur!!!

Tu dis ça mais l'autre jour je sors du métro, le controleur avec sa tronche à la "viens là que je te fous un PV" me prend ma carte, l'osculte pendant une trentaine de seconde (rien que ça) et me le redonne avec un "bonne journée priscilla" et là un espèce de bruit entre rire et exaspération est sortie de ma bouche. Je savais pas quoi dire, j'ai rien dit et je suis partie.

Moi j'ai HORREUR de ça!!! et je crois que je réponds : "eh dis donc coco on a pas élevé les cochons ensemble".... non mais.

wow, I guess it is a really awkward situation, since people have such strong opinions one way or the other. In my experiences, with bank tellers or other such relations, names are usually not even used. You can say, "hello...how are today....thanks....have a great day!" without EVER actually addressing eachother by name. Since it is such a personal matter (some people care a lot, others not at all) I also find myself in the same awkward situation with the parents of my friends or boyfriends. To deal with this, I usually wait to see how they introduce me to their spouse, or friends....if I am lucky they will make it easy that way. Or, if this does not happen, I assume I should address them as MR. or MRS. or MS, unless they correct me.

I agree with Drew...I feel like it is polite to address someone in the more formal manner of Mr. Mrs. Ms., unless they give you permission to call them otherwise. It is always better to err on the side of caution than to risk upsetting or offending someone.

I think it depends on the situation. I think it would be very awkward to call...say your waitress...by her last name and vise-versa. That is a situation where familiarity is considered friendly and homey. I guess I am just a lot more casual than most people. I mean, just because someone calls you by your first name, doesnt mean they are trying to pick you up. They could just be trying to be nice, just like if someone smiles at you.

Yeah I really agree with Drew and Preethee. I feel really strongly about this whole thing....I think its because my parents taught me to always always address someone as Mr. or Ms. so-and-so, until directed otherwise. Or to say "what would you prefer I call you?" So when someone who doesn't know me (unless its someone my age, obviously, like someone I meet at a party or something) well, they really should be polite and not use my first name. My painting professor last semester was called by his first name by some of the students...but I still always called him Professor because I had never heard him say otherwise. I think it demonstrates a level of respect.

oui je suis d'accord avec ça, moi aussi je suis plutôt du genre à attendre ...surtout avec les beau-parents... :S En fait en France le problème c'est aussi le tutoiement et le vouvoiement..Je ne sais jamais quand je peux les utiliser quand je parle aux parents de mes amis par exemple ou avec les gens plus agés avec qui je travaille. Le "tu" peut être mal pris alors je vouvoie mais parfois j'ai du mal à passer au "vous" naturellement..c'est vrai pourquoi on direz "vous" et hop le lendemain on passe à "comment tu vas mon ami?" (!!!) sincerement j'ai un peu de mal...

Moi c'est pareil surtout que parfois ce sont les gens eux mêmes qui te disent de les tutoyer mais quand c'est mes beau-parents ou des parents d'amis, j'ai beau essayer j'arrive pas à les tutoyer . Le vouvoiement, c'est un véritable automatisme pour moi....

Moi aussi j'avais du mal à tutoyer mes beaux-parents. En fait, ils m'ont demandé de les tutoyer le tout premier jour où nous nous sommes rencontrés (!) mais je disais constamment "VOUS AVEZ...EUH...tu...EUH...as...EUH..." lol

et pour les parents de mes amis, même ceux qui sont très proches de moi, je n'arrive toujours pas à les tutoyer.

pour moi, c'est pareil, c'est un automatisme de tutoyer les gens que je ne connais pas. Même dans un milieu étudiant J'ai tendence de vouvoyer des personnes que je vois pour la première fois