British men are perceived as more polite than women, but the reason is largely due to their frequent use of the word 'mate', according to a linguistic analysis of 10.8 million words from nearly 700 British speakers. The study, published on 3 August 2025, found that men used 'mate' around 700 times per million words, compared to just 120 times for women.
Professor Jonathan Culpeper from Lancaster University explained that words like 'mate' express solidarity, making people feel approved of and strengthening social relationships. The research examined three types of politeness: solidarity (e.g., 'mate', 'pal'), deference (e.g., 'excuse me', 'sorry'), and tentativeness (e.g., 'please', 'could you'). Men scored higher overall due to their greater use of solidarity terms.
The study also revealed that people from rural areas are more polite than those from urban areas, using more deferential and tentative language. However, no north-south divide was found. Lead author Dr Isolde van Dorst noted that rural dwellers tend to use 'negative politeness', giving people space and avoiding imposition.
Interestingly, women were found to reduce their politeness at work, using less deferential language in the office compared to at home or in public. The authors suggest this may be because women risk being judged negatively for a 'powerless' style if they are too courteous in professional settings.
