Hi All,

Can anyone tell me the importance (if any) that tone and intonation play when speaking politely in German? If tone etc are used to change meaning, are they used in the same way as in English? I have noticed that it's quite common for many people to use the "Sie" form with what an English speaker could interpret as a somewhat "naff off and bother someone else" tone.

Also, body language - the humble smile... is it just me or is this used very sparingly, if at all?