We are using first name in Sweden
When I first started working as a teacher here in the US it was really hard for me to get used to the students calling me Mrs. T. In Sweden, the students always called me by my first name, Pia.
The reason for this is something we call Du-reformen, a movement that started in the late 60s and led to us stopping using the earlier formal and somewhat complicated system of addressing people that weren’t in our closes family and friends group.
In today’s episode, I will give you some insight into how we lost titles as a way to address each other. I will also give you my personal thoughts on the two systems.
Informal or impolite
I have had visitors from other countries react to this informal way in many different ways back in Sweden, some have thought it to be impolite to be on a first-name basis with your bosses, something that is very common in Sweden while others have appreciated the informal tone.
I am not trying to put a value on one or the other, today I just want to describe the differences between the social norms in my two countries. I can’t say that one is better than the other, but I know for me personally, growing up in the more informal climate that exists in Sweden, I am more comfortable when I can use peoples first name, even if it is my boss, and I don’t feel less respect for anyone because I don’t use their titles.
Next week
I will continue talking about differences between Sweden and the US, but this time on a more practical level,
eating at a restaurant. The differences are many and in a way they say a lot about us as people.
I think that if you ever visit Sweden as an American or the other way around it can be very helpful to know these differences.
