This article is based on the observations of an English teacher both in the USA and in the Middle East (where she was also learning Arabic as a second language). It points out a tendency of some language learners to view the speech and behaviour of native speakers as always appropriate, when not all native speakers speak and act in accordance with the politeness conventions of their own cultures. Such an assumption can be problematic if language learners imitate native speakers whose behaviour deliberately violates their own cultural norms with the intent to offend. Rudeness is defined and contrasted with differing conventions of politeness and unintentional pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic failure. Included are suggestions of approaches for language teachers/learners to distinguish native speaker rudeness from behaviour that stems from differing politeness conventions.