Describing bad behavior

Status
Not open for further replies.

chriskwong

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2014
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
UK
How would we describe people who do something bad and show disregard of the others? And how do we describe that behavior? For instance taking pictures at an exhibition or talking loudly during a music concert? Thank you!
 

teechar

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
Iraq
Current Location
Iraq
ignorant, impertinent, inconsiderate, insolent
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
***** NOT A TEACHER *****

People who:

1. walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk.
2. sit in the aisle seat on the bus and leave the window seat empty.
3. talk loudly in the movie theater, concerts, etc.
4. throw litter on the street.
5. drive their cars without respect for other drivers or for pedestrians.
6. playing music loudly at night.



are

thoughtless

uncultured

arrogant

selfish

inconsiderate
 
Last edited:

Esredux

VIP Member
Joined
May 10, 2010
Member Type
Other
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
thoughtless

uncultured

arrogant

selfish

Probably they simply don't know any better?
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Probably they simply don't know any better?

"Ignorant" is used in this fashion in my dialect. People that do rude, uncultured things (who should, but do not know any better).
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
***** NOT A TEACHER *****

People who:

1. walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk.
2. sit in the aisle seat on the bus and leave the window seat empty.

James,

1. What is the wrong side of a sidewalk?
2. What is wrong with sitting in the seat one prefers?
 
Last edited:

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I always walk on the top side of the sidewalk.
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
:lol::lol::lol::lol:
 

SoothingDave

VIP Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I don't do mass transit, but I would sit where I want. I would also be aware of how full the bus was and be courteous. It is the latter that is the problem, not people sitting in the seat they want.
 

MikeNewYork

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I agree with you Dave. Some people take the aisle seat so that they can get out more easily. Also, I have never heard the "walk on the right side of the sidewalk rule". And I seriously doubt that most people observe that "rule".
 
Last edited:

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
'uncivilized.'

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Personally, I agree that word is very apt for those people.

BUT I must strongly suggest that it never be used in speech or in writing.

When one applies that word to someone, it means that s/he is a savage.

In English (as in other languages), there are some things that we can think but cannot say or write.
 

Matthew Wai

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Member Type
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
In English (as in other languages), there are some things that we can think but cannot say or write.
Language is for communication. What purpose will it serve if a word cannot be said or written?

Not a teacher.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
There is definitely no 'rule' in the UK for which side of the pavement we walk on. People trudge, dawdle, march, stride, wander and walk anywhere they like. We simply dodge people coming the other way!
 

TheParser

VIP Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
We simply dodge people coming the other way!


***** NOT A TEACHER *****

I am genuinely (!) shocked by this news.

When I was a teenager in the 1950s, I was SO impressed when I read that in England people would arrive at a corner and start a line (queue) to wait for the bus. (Here in the States, people just -- usually in a fairly orderly way -- mass around the bus door and enter as best as they can.)

I am a regular walker in my city. I can assure you that 90% of pedestrians "naturally" follow the "keep to the right" rule / custom. It helps to ensure orderliness. Wow! I had thought that all well-mannered people in every country did the same. As the young people say: My bad!



James
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
There is definitely no 'rule' in the UK for which side of the pavement we walk on. People trudge, dawdle, march, stride, wander and walk anywhere they like. We simply dodge people coming the other way!

But people in London get infuriated by people standing on the wrong side of the escalators in the Tube.
 

Matthew Wai

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2013
Member Type
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
China
I had thought that all well-mannered people in every country did the same.
I am a well-mannered guy in my country but I don't know the "keep to the right" rule / custom.

Not a teacher.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
When I was a teenager in the 1950s, I was SO impressed when I read that in England people would arrive at a corner and start a line (queue) to wait for the bus.

We're still pretty good at queuing, but we don't think of the pavement as having lanes.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Don't worry, The Parser, we still win the gold medal for queuing. And Tdol is absolutely right about the accepted and encouraged method of travelling on escalators on the Tube - if you want to stand still and allow the escalator to do all the work, you stand on the right. If you want to walk up the moving staircase, you do so on the left.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top