Britons are ruder than they were a decade ago, according to a survey on Monday that showed almost three-quarters of people think manners should be taught at school.
 
Britons are ruder than they were a decade ago, according to a survey on Monday that showed almost three-quarters of people think manners should be taught at school.

A third believe bad manners are the catalyst¹ for much of the anti-social behaviour in Britain, the ITV poll found.

Experts interviewed by the network blamed a lack of respect for authority.

More than 90 percent of respondents believe parents are failing to ensure their children learn proper manners and that bad behaviour of celebrities² and footballers are setting a poor example for impressionable youngsters.

Spitting and swearing were the most offensive behaviours, it found, while queue-jumping and not saying "please" or "thank you" were other main gripes.

Almost 75 percent of the 3,000 people surveyed believed manners should be taught at school.

The head of the Campaign for Courtesy, broadcaster Esther Rantzen, said a lack of discipline was also to blame.

"I think my generation has a lot to answer for because I think the youth culture in the 60s and early 70s threw out every rule book and thought it was really clever to use four letter words," she said.

"But I think things should go back, not to the old deference³, not to grovelling⁴, not to any of that but just to feeling respect, because I think that would make everyone's life more pleasant."

 
本周一公布的一项调查显示，如今的英国人可不像十年前那么彬彬有礼。近四分之三的受访者认为学校应加强礼仪教育。

这项由ITV网站开展的民调发现，三分之一的人认为行为不端是导致英国很多反社会行为的重要因素。

一些受访专家认为，现在的人们对权威不够尊重。

超过90%的受访者认为，家长没有尽到让孩子接受良好礼仪教育的责任，此外，一些名人和足球明星的不良行为也给易受影响的青少年们树立了不良榜样。

调查发现，随地吐痰和说脏话被认为是最无礼的行为；插队、不说“请”和“谢谢”等行为也被认为是没有礼貌的主要表现。

在三千名受访者中，近75%的人认为学校应开设礼仪课程。

“礼仪运动”的领导人、播音员埃瑟•兰泽恩说，缺乏规范也是“世风日下”的一个原因。

她说：“我觉得我们那一代人应该负主要责任，上世纪六十年代至七十年代初期的青年不学任何礼仪，并认为说脏话很酷。”

“但我认为我们还是要发扬传统，这并不是说要顺从恭敬或卑躬屈膝，只是要学会尊重别人，因为这会让生活更加美好。”

Vocabulary: 

have a lot to answer for: be responsible for（负主要责任）

four letter words: refers to a set of English words written with four letters which are considered profane⁵, including common popular or slang terms for excretory functions, sexual activity, and genitalia, such as shit, cock, fuck, damn, hell, cunt, piss, arse , and twat.（指脏话；粗话）