Cultures on a Palette Erasmus project
Stereotypes, body language and social codes: about the intangible heritage of the 5 partner countries, Estonia, France, Greece, Spain and Turkey.

COMPENDIUM SOCIAL CODES, BODY LANGUAGE, CLICHES, STEREOTYPES

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Δεν ξέρω (Den xéro) — “I don’t know”

Baguette was invented by French bakers during the 18th century. Today, there are lots of different kinds of bread but people&nbsp; often eat baguette for&nbsp; breakfast, they make sandwiches with baguettes, they eat cheese, butter and jam with baguette… To eat baguette is a very common thing in France, not to say indispensable&nbsp;! It may be registered in the Unesco list as intangible heritage. baguettes, they eat cheese, butter and jam with baguette… To eat baguette is a very common thing in France, not to say indispensable&nbsp;! It may be registered in the Unesco list as intangible heritage.

Greeks are Mamma's boys and Daddy's girls.

Each and every Greek family owns at least one olive grove.

VOUS&nbsp;and TU&nbsp;are personal pronouns that you use to address a person. Both are translated “you” in ENglish &nbsp;There are codes to respect.You must use “VOUS” as a form of respect, you use it to show you respect the person you are talking to. For example a person who is older than you, a person you are not familiar with, a person who is higher than you in a hierarchy, etcFor example, when a young person speaks to an adult he/she doesn’t know very well (like a teacher) he must say “vous”.Until the end of the 18th century, French people would almost exclusively use the « vous » form in their daily communication. Children used to say “vous” to their parents, but this is not common nowadays.Today the use of “tu” is way more widespread, especially among younger generations. Using « tu » actually means the relationship is closer, more intimate,less formal. It is common for two persons who first meet to agree on using “tu” if they feel like it. You will often hear “On se dit “tu”?”&nbsp;In English “Shall we use “tu” ?” It is considered rude to use “tu” without asking for permission to speak to a person who is not part of your family or friends.

Estonians tend to have the traits of “tree huggers”

The disclaimer "The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.".

French people themselves recognize their tendency to be grumpy and to protest or complain. &nbsp;Some people hate being wrong so they prefer to grumble and not accept being wrong, or else, it is difficult for them to just enjoy what they have: they seem never to be satisfied. Generality or not? Difficult to say!

In large groups, the person who invites the other guests to dinner is usually the one who should pay for it. It is considered very awkward for everyone to calculate their fair share and pay individually.&nbsp; It is best not to protest someone paying for you, even out of politeness as arguing over the bill is seen as bad manners. The best thing to do is give them some money later on once you have left the restaurant, or pay for a drink or dessert. If you want to insist on paying the bill to make a good gesture, you can get up as if going to the restroom and ask the waiter privately for the bill, paying for it there.

Pointing at Someone with the Index Finger

Tapas are basically small plates of food. They're essentially bar snacks served alongside beer or wine. Traditionally they would have been free with each drink but times have changed.They&nbsp;are not a meal! For main meals, people might order a few raciones, which come as big portions to be shared between a group of friends.&nbsp;When you meet for tapas in Spain, it's usually around 1:30 to 3pm or 8:30 to 10:30pm.&nbsp;The origins come from those bites of food served to hide (tapar in Spanish means 'to cover, to hide') the effects of alcohol or the&nbsp;the tapa was used to cover the glass and prevent flies from jumping into the drink.

When working, punctuality is important.But when meeting friends or going out with them, It&nbsp;is not highly important in Spain. People can arrive half an hour late to a social function with no questions raised. If someone turns up late and apologizes, people are likely to respond with something like “no pasa nada” – meaning “It’s not that important”.

For French people,there is a stereotype about snails. A lot of people say that the French eat a lot of snails. So, is it true or false?&nbsp; So, it’s true that in France, we can eat snails, but now it’s not usual. This is present in French cuisine but not very commonly eaten by young people. In some families, it can be traditional to eat snails, but not at all. There are families where it’s very traditional, others where it’s just for the big meal, the big occasion. For example, there are a lot of families which eat snails at christmas. And for other families, nobody ever eats snails. But, today, in France, we find snails on the menu of a very refined restaurant because it’s not as common as before.

Χαίρω πολύ! (Héro polí!) — “Nice to meet you!”

Clichés, Stereotypes, Body Language and social codes are part of our intangible culture. Let's explore them and find the similarities and differences!

<a href="bookcreator://page/y5WiBdpDT1S494_gWFKujg">Clichés and </a> <a href="bookcreator://page/y5WiBdpDT1S494_gWFKujg">stereotypes</a>

<a href="bookcreator://page/lj61CnFaQtmpEukajkj_jA">Body Language</a>

<a href="bookcreator://page/-HjVQa0ISXKmA9VRSNd5Kg">Social codes</a>

Estonians grow and eat a lot of potatoes

The offical language derives from Arabic.

In France, there are a lot of codes for the meal, especially with the cutlery but they are more historic and cultural than usual. Indeed, there are a lot of specific codes that almost nobody uses. These codes are really for the very big occasion with a very important person, but for everyday meals, you have just one fork, one knife, one spoon and one glass. But even if nobody uses these codes (have a look <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kYrUFDl8Ta4HqqMJd8QR9W0Soek3j7kw/view?usp=sharing">here</a>), they are in our culture. Here is a very common code that is respected : the fork is always on the left, the knife on the right and the spoon at the top; today it’s always like that. This is a tradition but when you lay the table, it’s a reflex . There is also another code, when you are a child there is a very famous sentence that all the parents say : “Ne met pas tes coudes sur la table!” which means : “ Don’t put your elbows on the table!”. And it’s a very important code in France.

Ευχαριστώ! (Efharistó!) — “Thank you!”

Μούτζα (Múja) - The outward hand(s)

The French have a reputation for being romantic and attractive. In the minds of many foreigners, the French language is a romantic language , and Paris&nbsp;the capital of love… Hard to say if it is true! But what is true is that there is “galanterie”, French men are (supposed to be) gentlemen and caring. There is a culture of seduction that is quite old but it is hard to say if this reputation is true!

&nbsp;One stereotype closely associated with Spain is the tradition of the siesta – a post-lunch afternoon nap that is relaxing and rejuvenating.&nbsp;This&nbsp;afternoon nap usually taken after lunch, lasts around 20 to 30 minutes. The nap was historically taken during the hottest hours of the day by people who worked in farming – until the mid-20th century many Spaniards worked in agricultural work where the siesta was common. Taking a post-lunch break was vital to avoiding the hot midday sun.The word “siesta” comes from the Latin hora sexta or “sixth hour” – when counted from sunrise, this roughly translates to a rest in the middle of the day.However, with the urbanization of Spain, the siesta became less and less a part of people’s daily routine. As people moved to the cities to find work, there was simply no time to come home from the office for a quick snooze.

A lot of things happen in a "café" or a bar . It’s a place with a lot of conviviality . You can meet friends there but you can also meet new people and make new friends. A group of people can stay in a café for quite a long moment. It is usual in France to scream loud "c'est ma tournée" (‘its my turn”) which means that you are paying for everyone’s drink.&nbsp;If you are in a group, maybe you won't "pay your turn" this time, but another time.

°paying for one's "round&nbsp;" °talk to stranger&nbsp; °meet new friend

Sometimes we could be said to be screaming when talking. We like laughing a lot and we can be very noisy

5- We’re very family-oriented. Whether it comes to enjoying a feast, going out to a party or even, if it just so happens, attending the Oscars-- family comes first.&nbsp;Family holds a special place within the Spanish values. It is a symbol of safety, integrity, recognition, and, above all, love. Despite the social changes that the family model has experienced within the last few years, Spaniards still turn to family as their first social reference. Within their family, people acquire the moral values which identify them for the rest of their lives and transform them into social and competent beings. The goal of this social institution is to provide a safety net so that we may develop and find ourselves in a favourable environment of coexistence.&nbsp;

&nbsp;3-&nbsp;We're very affectionate, even with new acquaintances. We like to give hugs. We kiss upon meeting new people, and when we say goodbye. Also, we always kiss each other from right to left.The Spaniards are friendly and kind. They like to meet friends for a drink, enjoy the good weather, good food, tapas and parties.&nbsp;

This chocolate glazed quark snack is very popular dessert, especially for children’s breakfast

Estonians are often called the “singing nation”

How do we, Estonians, do things, What do we like best? What do we look like, And what do we eat? What is surprising about us?

Perfect! You have to do it

Originally the sailor suit is a working shirt for fishermen and was created in Britanny . It is said it was created to be able to see the fisherman better in case they fell into the water. Today it is sometimes worn as a piece of clothing and fashion like any other.&nbsp;However Jean Paul Gauthier, the famous stylist, made it appreciated again in his collection. It is true that&nbsp;berets were worn until the fifties and later on by old people, but they are more a fashion item today, so you can see some&nbsp;trendy women or men or old men with one.

Estonians love black rye bread

This stereotype is potentially true !&nbsp;Cheese is always present is an important part of the typical French meal that you have between the main course and the dessert. An assortment of cheese is usually proposed on a large plate («&nbsp;un plateau&nbsp;»)There are lots of types of cheese (hundreds) some are mild… and some of them are very smelly&nbsp;!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Being exactly on time is not considered something very important in daily life; you are not criticized if you are&nbsp; 10 minutes late at a meeting with friends for example. You are supposed to warn the person if you think you will be later than 15 minutes after the time. However&nbsp; people are &nbsp; on time in the context of work,&nbsp; for a health appointment. When you are invited somewhere, you don’t have to arrive at the exact time but you should not be too late either.

I don't believe you! Stop pulling my leg!

Estonians cannot imagine life without sauna at all

Clichés, stereotypes, body language and social codes compendium

Do not leave immediately after a meal is finished. It is expected that guests will stay for ‘la sobremesa’. This is the time spent after the meal that involves relaxed, fun conversations over coffee or alcoholic drinks. •In many cases, the sobremesa is the main point of the visit, extending far into the afternoon.

Politeness words are very important in France, it is something essential, it is a mark of respect, for example, it is important to greet the teachers, and also to smile at people you meet and make eye contact with. Saying hello to persons who are near you and with whom you make eye contact. It will be considered very rude for example if you go into a shop and don’t say hello and goodbye to the employee if you make eye contact with them. Formulas like please and thank you are very important.

The most advanced digital society in the world!

We like to think of Estonia as the most advanced digital society in the world.

We have electronic ID-cards, e-school, e-health and e-prescription systems, 99% of our governmental services are online and there are lots of other e-solutions in every field of life. We are proud of the success stories of Skype and Wise and others where the Estonians have played leading roles as creators or inventors.&nbsp;

In Spain, people greet each other and say goodbye with a kiss on each cheek.&nbsp;In fact, these aren’t really proper kisses at all. People usually touch their right cheeks together and make a kissing sound, then repeat the process on the left side. People don’t do this every morning when they come into work, but if you meet a friend for drinks or are introduced to someone new, the double cheek kiss is given to say hello and goodbye. Women are always greeted this way, but two men shake hands with each other unless they are relatives.

Stop bothering me! Zip it!

4- We are on a different schedule from much of the rest of Europe. We start the day as most Europeans but then, we eat lunch late, we eat dinner&nbsp; late, and we go to bed later than the rest of European countries. When the rest of Europe has already been asleep for two hours, in Spain we’re still watching films or a soccer match.On March 16th 1940, the clocks jumped from 23:00h to 00:00h to display the same time as Nazi Germany. This was an entirely politically motivated move to show support to the fascist government of Germany and showed no consideration for the natural cycle of the sun in Spain.&nbsp;Many in Spain believed that the clocks would eventually return to GMT when the war was over, yet this never happened. However, while the time may have changed, the pace at which Spaniards went about their daily life did not. As a result, if Spaniards once had their lunch at 1pm they continued to eat at the same time of day, though the clock now said 2pm.

Greeks are hospitable, friendly and welcoming.

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