For Americans, there are real differences among these relations; a friendship may be superficial, casual, situational or deep and enduring.But a foreign visitor who comes to an American home can scarcely find any variations.For an outsider, who sees only behavior visible on the surface, the differences seem arbitrary if they find any.The mood is relaxed, and there is little ceremony.Most people, old and young, are called by first names and family and friends alike interact freely and speak in a relaxed, casual way.Comparatively, friendship in other countries seems more complicated.In France, as in many other European countries, friends generally are of the same sex.Many French people doubt the possibility of cross-gender friendships.For the French, friendship is a one-to-one relationship that demands a keen awareness of the other person's personality and specialized interests.The special relationship of friendship is based on what the French value most - on the mind, on compatibility of outlook,on a corresponding appreciation of artistic expression, on a love of fine foods, on philosophy, or on the enjoyment of sports.
对美国人而言，这些关系是有着真正的区别的；友谊可以是浅浅的、泛泛的、应景的，也可以是深厚而长久的。但是，一个到美国家庭做客的外国人几乎看不出其中的任何差别。对一个外来人而言，他们只看到表面的表现。即使他们发现其中有任何差别，他们也觉得这种差别似乎并非美国人有意为之。朋友之间气氛很轻松，也不太讲究礼数。不管老少，多数人都直呼其名。而且家人和朋友们都自由地交流，轻松随意地谈话。相比之下，在其他国家，友谊似乎更为复杂。在法国，如同在许多其他欧洲国家一样，朋友一般是同性的。许多法国人都对异性之间的友谊持怀疑态度。对法国人而言，友谊是一种一对一的关系，需要十分了解对方的个性和特殊兴趣。友谊作为一种特殊关系，是基于法国人最为重视的一些方面，即拥有共同的思想、一致的世界观、对艺术表现的共同欣赏、对美食的喜爱、相同的人生哲学或者对体育的喜爱。
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