# Most polite answer in this situation **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340 "2012-01-31T21:09:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/1 "2012-01-31T21:09:06Z")
Say you went to France for vacation, and after coming back, a coworker asks “So, how was Italy?” (makes an honest mistake, not deliberate) What’s the most polite answer? See poll. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/2 "2012-01-31T21:16:38Z")
It is a perfectly honest and understandable mistake. At least the coworker picked another European country. I picked 'France was great" and I would also have added “thank you” at the end with a smile. I can’t imagine that would offend anyone. Imagine if you had not subtly corrected the coworker and she found out later from others that you went to France and not Italy. She may well be offended then because she would have been exposed to multiple people’s hilarity. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/3 "2012-01-31T21:17:54Z")
“It was strangely French”. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/4 "2012-01-31T21:54:42Z")
I would swap the language. Your enthusiastic response should come first, then a gentle correction: "The trip was great, had a fabulous time, thanks for asking! But it was France, actually. I’ve got pics if you’d like to see them. " ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/5 "2012-01-31T23:25:31Z")
**NinetyWt** : Very good! Very diplomatic. It puts the spoonful of sugar ahead of the medicine (so to speak.) Also, putting another good thing after it sort of encapsulates it. Positive, negative, then positive again. Sort of like putting it in parentheses… ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/6 "2012-01-31T23:48:34Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > **NinetyWt** : Very good! Very diplomatic. It puts the spoonful of sugar ahead of the medicine (so to speak.) Also, putting another good thing after it sort of encapsulates it. Positive, negative, then positive again. Sort of like putting it in parentheses… There’s a phrase for this verbal technology: a compliment sandwich! It’s overused in the business world (especially since the compliments are often insincere). But if you can deliver it naturally and really mean the compliments, it’s a nice way to correct somebody. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/7 "2012-02-01T00:06:21Z")
“It was horrible; every place was overrun by French people. And they even brought the Eiffel Tower with them. I have pictures to prove it!” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/8 "2012-02-01T00:09:43Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I would swap the language. Your enthusiastic response should come first, then a gentle correction: > > "The trip was great, had a fabulous time, thanks for asking! But it was France, actually. I’ve got pics if you’d like to see them. " I don’t think I could phrase this better. I’d probably throw a joke in, too, but people who know me would expect that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/9 "2012-02-01T00:41:10Z")
“France, it was great! I did this, I saw that. Loved it”. In other words, I’d throw the correction in immediately and then continue to answer the question as I would have if he’d said France in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/10 "2012-02-01T01:48:41Z")
“How the hell would I know?” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/11 "2012-02-01T04:28:01Z")
Back in the 80’s, having made my first journey to SE Asia, I returned and went to visit my Mom and Gran, living in a very small town. Mom, not really knowing where Singapore, for instance, was, I was surprised to have an entire town asking me how I enjoyed ‘China’.:smack: It was a whole town of most old Aunties, what was I to do? I set my Mom straight, and left it at that. What the hell, I don’t live there, let them think I went to China! ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/12 "2012-02-01T04:29:42Z")
“Today’s Tuesday. It was Belgium.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/13 "2012-02-01T04:32:21Z")
“No fucking clue.” ---
**Author:** ![Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@Pine\_Fresh\_Scent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pine_Fresh_Scent)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/14 "2012-02-01T04:42:33Z")
[Dwight Schrute]“It was France, idiot.” [/Dwight Schrute] Then look directly at the camera and slowly shake your head. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/15 "2012-02-01T05:01:26Z")
i accidentally made an early left turn and ended up in France. it was great. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-polite-answer-in-this-situation/611340/16 "2012-02-01T05:05:07Z")
“Could not find the leaning tower of Pisa.”