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1、Customs and Etiquettes in AmericaFacts and StatisticsLocation:North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and MexicoCapital:Washington, DCClimate:mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid (somewhat dry) in
2、the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest.Population:301,139,947 (July 2007 est.)Ethnic Make-up:white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.) Religions:Protestant 5
3、2%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)Government:Constitution-based federal republicLanguage in the USAThe United States does not have an official language, but English is spoken by about 82% of the population as a native language. The variety of Eng
4、lish spoken in the United States is known as American English; together with Canadian English it makes up the group of dialects known as North American English. Spanish is the second-most common language in the country, spoken by almost 30 million people (or 12% of the population).American Society a
5、nd CultureDiversityAmerica is ultimately a nation of immigrants and as a result is a cultural mish-mash in every sense of the word. Not only is the country populated by people from foreign countries but all Americans in one way or another trace their ancestry back to another culture, whether Irish,
6、German, Italian or Scottish. Looking around any major city one will notice the melting-pot that it is.Informal and FriendlyMost people who come to the United States may already know a few things about the people through TV. Although this is of course a skewed reality some of the stereotypes are true
7、, especially American friendliness and informality. People tend to not wait to be introduced, will begin to speak with strangers as they stand in a queue, sit next to each other at an event, etc. Visitors can often be surprised when people are so informal to the point of being very direct or even ru
8、de.Time is MoneyThe country that coined the phrase obviously lives the phrase. In America, time is a very important commodity. People save time and spend time as if it were money in the bank. Americans ascribe personality characteristics and values based on how people use time. For example, people w
9、ho are on-time are considered to be good people, reliable people who others can count on.The FamilyThe family unit is generally considered the nuclear family, and is typically small (with exceptions among certain ethnic groups). Extended family relatives live in their own homes, often at great dista
10、nces from their children.Individualism is prized, and this is reflected in the family unit. People are proud of their individual accomplishments, initiative and success, and may, or may not, share those sources of pride with their elders.Meeting and Greeting American greetings are generally quite in
11、formal. This is not intended to show lack of respect, but rather a manifestation of the American belief that everyone is equal. Although it is expected in business situations, some Americans do not shake hands at social events. Instead, they may greet you with a casual Hello or How are you? or even
12、just Hi. In larger groups, many may not greet you at all. In social situations, Americans rarely shake hands upon leaving. The only proper answers to the greetings How do you do? How are you? or How are you doing? are Fine, Great, or Very well, thank you. This is not a request for information about
13、your well-being; it is simply a pleasantry. See you later is just an expression. People say this even if they never plan to see you again. When saying good-bye, Americans may say Well have to get together or Lets do lunch. This is simply a friendly gesture. Unless your American colleague specifies a
14、 time and date, dont expect an invitation. If you want to have lunch, you should take the initiative to schedule it. Stand while being introduced. Only the elderly, the ill and physically unable persons remain seated while greeting or being introduced. It is good to include some information about a
15、person you are introducing. Example: Susan Olson, Id like you to meet John Harmon. He designed the brochure we are using for this campaign. Use professional titles when you are introducing people to each other. Example: Judge Susan Olson, meet Dr. John Harmon. If you are introducing yourself, do not
16、 use your professional title. Handshakes are usually brief. Light handshakes are considered distasteful. Use a firm grip. Eye contact is important when shaking someones hand. Body Language Keep your distance when conversing. If an American feels you are standing too close, he or she may step back without ev
