Thank you for your thoughts, FoLCs, and for the usual info on your cultures
This kind of formality didn't really exist in Greece until 1800 (I think that's about the date), when the Greek people living in the cities started being influenced by the other Europeans and picked up some of their most 'chic'-looking features, such as the 'courtesy plural' from French. (Even today, you hardly find courtesy plural in villages.) So this fact made me expect the 'formal' way of addressing people was the common one in other cultures.
On the other hand, other from LabRat (who hasn't spoken about her country's norm), I see no posts from Europeans. So maybe it's a Europe thing? (Not that I mind being wrong about this impression I had; I'm just curious.)
See ya,
AnnaBtG.
