UK Honours List - a bit OT

[CameronCat]

Which leads back to a question raised by an earlier post, but I was hesitant to ask. I'll preface this with an acknowledgment that things may be (are?) different on opposite sides of the Pond but...

Let us say that, in the U.S., I have a business acquaintance. I know him on a first-name basis on the phone, and see him two or three times a year at trade shows, seminars, etc. By dumb luck, I stumble on a press release identifying him as Dr. <Name>. The next time I talk to him, I say "I didn't know you had a doctorate. Where did you go to school and what is the degree in?" Over here, he'd probably say "Oh, I did grad work at XYZ Tech and the degree's in PDQ Engineering" or something similar.

My question, then, is that if I make a similar discovery for a UK business associate (again, first name basis & some regular contact), why is it considered poor form to say, "Gee, I didn't know you had appeared on the Honours List. What can you tell me about that?"

Even with due modesty, I would expect a reasonable answer..."Oh, it was for my work with XYZ Charity," or "raising funds for the opera house in Lower Begonia" or similar, and maybe the conversation would continue over a beer.

Or perhaps not. Would I just be a rude Yank for asking a reasonable question?

Opinions?

[Downunder Kilt]

I would say that if you just said " I see you got the nod, Congratulations" that would be a elegant sufficency.

[Jock Scot]

I would say that if you just said " I see you got the nod, Congratulations" that would be a elegant sufficency.

If you know the person well and you have read the "Times/ Telegraph" with the Honours listed then yes, if you bump into him/her within a week or two then the above is just fine.

If you don't know the form and why should an American know, then he will be forgiven for asking a "dumb question". I don't wish to be rude here, but here in the UK since international travel is so easy these days we in the UK are quite used to Americans asking "dumb questions",even if we are quite embarrassed by them! Any one expecting a direct and sensible answer will probably be sorely disappointed particularly if the question was asked in front of others.

We are rather more reserved over here and whilst many from abroad might not understand it, we do not like direct personal questions and our national speciality is understatement in all its forms, but on the whole we are quite a tolerant nation!

This is precisely why the inappropriateness of some of your(U S)versions of Highland attire to the occasion grates with some of us so much! The "cringe factor" hits us deeply.

[piperdbh]

Would I just be a rude Yank for asking a reasonable question?

Opinions?

It appears that Americans are more open and free with personal information and relationships, whereas our European cousins are more reserved. What would seem to you (and me) a "reasonable question" could, to the gentleman you mentioned, be seen as asking too personal a question.