SUBTEXTToday, the British businessperson moves far more swiftly than
he or she used to, and is quick to understand what you are trying
to say. At one time, you had to be a social equal, but that's
changing, although it still exists among the older crowd."
Ian pointed out that Great Britain is a country where the subtexts
of your speech, clothes, and manners are all of great importance.
"The British Broadcasting Company, the BBC, set the standard
for proper English speech, and so much revolves around how
you speak. Your speech will slot you into the proper social level
at once."
I asked Ian what the British thought of the different subtexts
of American speech, and he shook his head ruefully. "The Brits
have a terrible time differentiating among the American regional
accents. All people from the States sound alike to them. However,
they do read the subtexts of our clothes and schools. Did you go
to Yale, Harvard, Amherst? You're right up there. Do you wear
the right cut of suit, the right shirt and shoes? All of that is very
important to them in judging character. You see, they tend to
wear their characters on their sleeves: a proper school tie, a Savile
Row suit, to them the subtext is 'You are a success, you are in
an executive position.'"
Another point Ian made is the British liking for ceremony and
its subtext. "They like to eat at fancy restaurants. They don't go
in for the quick sandwich at their desk as the American businessper-
son will. In Britain, you wouldn't take a business associate around
the corner for a hamburger. Although the very long lunch is out,
the executive lunch still lasts from noon to two. There is no power
breakfast in Great Britain. They like to linger over breakfast in
their own home. If you do have breakfast with a Brit, it will be
a social occasion, not a business one.
"British businesspeople like to play their own game, dignified