ECSTRA/Disagreeing

Forms used or not used to express disagreement with someone else's opinion:

A. a direct "No"

B. never the word "No"

C. a phrase like "(No), I disagree", "(No), I have a different opinion"

D. a phrase like "I think you have to think about this again"

E. a phrase like "I think we have to think about this again"

F. a phrase like "Yes, I see what you mean, but I think that..."

G. a phrase like "Yes, I see what you mean, but wouldn't you also think that..."

H. people just say nothing at all and remain silent

I. people just shake their heads

J. people just smile

K. people just make a disapproving look

L. other means

(Please remember our guidelines.)

AT: Austria

• Vienna and Lower Austria: A, C (very frequent), D (sometimes), E, F (very frequent), G (very frequent), H, I (very frequent), K; J is rather uncommon; other means: you cross your arms (ECSTRA-Q)
• informand who has not indicated his region: B, F, G (ECSTRA-Q)

BE: Belgium

• Brussels: A (occasionally), C (informal), E, F (rather formal), G (rather formal) (ECSTRA-Q)

CH: Switzerland

• Lausanne (French): C (most frequent type), H (frequent), K (ECSTRA-Q)

CZ: Czech Republic

...

DE: Germany

• Bremen: C F G (ECSTRA-Q)
• Saxony: A (informal), C, D (informal), E, F, G, H (possibly), I (informal, among friends), J (formal) (ECSTRA-Q)
• south: A (informal formal), C, F, G, H, J, other means: Das sehe ich anders 'I see it differently' (ECSTRA-Q)

DK: Denmark

...

EE: Estonia

...

ES: Spain

• Andalusia: C, D, F, I, K (ECSTRA-Q)
• Castilla y León: A F G frequently; B E H rarely; C very frequently; D J K informally; I never (ECSTRA-Q)

FI: Finland

• Finnish-speaking part: A (quite often), C (often), D (seldom), E (very seldom), F (commonly), G (seldom), H (many people do so), I (rarely), K (sometimes) (ECSTRA-Q)
• West-Finland (Swedish-speaking): C (often), D (to children and close friends), E (often), F (often), G (often), I - K would be seen as condescending; A and H are practically never used (ECSTRA-Q)

FR: France

• Paris: A (if interlocutors know each other well, very frequent), C (frequently) (rather informal?), D (for some very frequent, for others rather infrequent), E (occasionally), F (informal?), G (for some rare, for some very frequent), H (for some of mid-, for others of high frequency), I (for some of mid-, for others of high frequency), J (for some of mid-, for others of high frequency), K (for some of mid-, for others of rather high frequency), other means: you talk about it at the table (mostly in a restaurant) (ECSTRA-Q)

HR: Croatia

...

HU: Hungary

C, F, G, K; H depends on interlocutor, I in informal situations (ECSTRA-Q)

IE: Irland

• Dublin: A D E J K rarely; C F G frequent; H never; other means: You can't be serious (ECSTRA-Q)

IT: Italy

• Lombardy: A (very frequent in informal situations), C non sono d'accordo (frequent), D ripensaci (rare), F e.g. si, capisco, ma penso... (frequent), G e.g. si, capisco, ma non pensi/credi che..., H rarely, I very frequently, K rarely (not very polite) -- never B, J (ECSTRA-Q)

LT: Lithuania

A, C, E (formal), F, I (rather informal), K (rather informal) (ECSTRA-Q)

LU: Luxemburg

A only with friends, C, F, G (very frequent), I, other strategy: Jo, ech weess ët awer nët! (Yes, but I don't (ECSTRA-Q; 1 female informand with mothertongue Luxemburgish)

LV: Latvia

...

MT: Malta

C (most frequent form), D-G (ECSTRA-Q)

NL: Netherlands

...

NO: Norway

...

PL: Poland

• A, C, F, G, other means: "I think differently about this", "I have different experiences" (ECSTRA-Q)
• Silesia: A, C, D, F, G, I, K (ECSTRA-Q)

PT: Portugal

• Alentejo: A very frequently, but informally; C F very frequently; J frequently; H I sometimes; D E rarely; G for some very frequently, for some rarely, K for some of mid-, for others of very high frequency (ECSTRA-Q)

SE: Sweden

A, C, F, G, H (ECSTRA-Q)

SI: Slovenia

...

SK: Slovakia

...

UK: United Kingdom

• Glasgow: A (occasionially), C (common), D (rare), F (common), H (very very common), I (common), J (common), K (rather rare) (ECSTRA-Q)
• Cambridgeshire: A (rarely and only if you know the person well), B in formal settings, C (frequent), D (rarely), E (quite rarely), F (frequently), G (frequently), H (very rarely), I (rarely, quite condescending), J (almost never), K (rarely) (ECSTRA-Q)

Non-European Nations

• Australia: B to K (ECSTRA-Q)
• Colombia: A C D K rarely; B very frequently; E H I J frequently; F G sometimes (ECSTRA-Q)
• Greece: A; B D E G H I rarely; C F J K frequently (ECSTRA-Q)
• Lebanon: A between very close friends and family; B; C D informally; E H rarely; F G very frequently; K frequently; I never; J yes when both think that there si no way the other person will be convinced otherwise (ECSTRA-Q)