Using data from the ESRC-funded project Pragmatics and Intercultural Communication (PIC), this paper applies contrastive qualitative and quantitative analysis to data derived from oral statements, logbooks and retrospective reports by language teaching assistants in France and England. It demonstrates that the incidence of 'indirect complaint' (Boxer, 1993) is significantly higher amongst English assistants than amongst their French counterparts and also that the 'severity' (Olshtain and Weinbach, 1993) is similarly greater. The study nevertheless shows that personality is a stronger determinant of cultural outlook and behaviour than nationality.