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It has been said that the English and the Americans are two greatpeople separated by one language．The differences for which languagegets blamed may not be due SO much to words as to communications onother levels．beginning with English intonation(which sounds affectedto many Americans)and continuing to ego—linked ways of handling time．space．and materials．If there ever were two cultures in whichdiffCrences of the proxemic details are marked it iS in the educated(public school、English and the middle—class Americans．One of thebasic reasons for this wide disparity iS that in the United States we usespace as a way of classifying people and activities,whereas in England it iS the socia!system that determines who you are．In the United States．your address is an important cue to status(this applies not only to one'Shome but to the business address as well)．The Joneses from Brooklynand Miami are not as"in"as the Joneses from Newport and PalmBeach．'Greenwich and Cape Cod are worlds apart from Newark and Miami.'Businesses located on Madison and Park avenues have moretone than those on Seventh and Eighth avenues．"A corner 0伍ce is moreprestigious than one next to the elevator or at the end of a long hall．TheEnglishman,however,is born and brought up in a social system．HeiS still Lord no matter where you find him．even if it iS behind the counter in a fishmonger'S stall．In addition to class distinctions．there arediffcrences between the English and ourselves in how space iS allotted．
The middle—class American growing up in the United Statesfeels he has a right to have his own room．or at least pan 0f a room．My American subj ects',when asked to draw an ideal room or oce invariably drew it for themselves and no one else．When asked to drawtheir present room or office,they drew only their own part of a shared room and then drew a line down the middle．Both male and femalesubj ects identified the kitchen and the master bedroom'as belongingto the mother or the wife．whereas Father'S territory was a study or aden．if one was available:otherwise,it was"the shop","the basement" or sometimes only a workbench or the garage．American womenwho want to be alone can Q0 to the bedroom and close the door．Theclosed door iS the sign meaning"DO not disturb"or"I'm angry．"AnAmerican iS available if his door iS open at home or at his O伍ce．Heis expected not to shut himself off but to maintain himself in a state ofconstant readiness to answer the demands of others．Closed doors arefor conferences,private conversations,and business,work that requiresconcentration,study,resting,sleeping,dressing,and sex．
The middle—and upper—class Englishman．on the other hand．iSbrought up in a nursery shared with brothers and sisters．The oldestoccupies a room by himself which he vacates when he leaves forboarding school,possibly even at the age of nine or ten．The differencebetween a room of one'S own and early conditioning to sharedspace,while seeming inconsequential,has an important effect on theEnglishman'S attitude toward his own space．He may never have apermanent"room of his own"and seldom expects one or feels he iSentitled to one．Even Members of Parliament'have no offices andoften conduct their business on the terrace overlooking the Thames"
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