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October 12, 2008 10:18:28 AM CDT

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US Tourists Shed 'Archie Bunker' Rep

Posted Jul 7, 08 5:24 AM CDT in Arts & Living,  World 

(Newser) – The pushy American traveler has met his match in the snooty, uncompromising Frenchman. The voyageur français ranks as one of the world’s most tactless tourists, bested only by Chinese and Indian travelers. Judging by their politeness, openness to foreign languages, and adversity to complaining, Japanese tourists were rated the most cosmopolitan in a recent international study reported in Time. Americans finished in 11th place.

But Americans fared surprisingly well. They are the most willing to speak local languages, despite their often limited linguistic skills. Still, like the French, they “demand the same exceptional service they are used to at home, which is why they rank as the loudest, most inclined to complain, and among the least polite," Time reports.

Source Time

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Despite being notoriously language-limited, Americans top the list of tourists credited with trying to speak local languages the most.   (Index Stock)
French travelers landed 19th out of 21 nations worldwide, far behind the first-place Japanese, considered most polite, quiet and tidy.   (Index Stock)
The Japanese ranked as the world's best-behaved tourists, followed by the Germans, British and Canadians. Americans finished in 11th place alongside the Thais.   (Index Stock)
Americans are shedding their "Archie Bunker" image as the world's most obnoxious tourists.   (AP Photo)
French tourists rank among the world's most obnoxious travelers.   (Index Stock)
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