What makes a person awkward?

[FilmGuy93]

Just not picking up on really basic differences between how someone would do something normally, versus what wouldn't be normal. More critically, "awkward" is not having the self awareness to understand WHY something is inappropriate or odd. These are not usually bad or malicious behaviors, it's usually just people habitually doing things in a way that doesn't line up with what others reasonably expect them to do. Awkward people usually also do these things in a way that creates unnecessary burden on others.

Normal is showing up to an intimate potluck dinner gathering at someone else's house with a small casserole dish of green beans or Shepherd's Pie. Awkward is showing up to that same potluck with a huge, 30-serving tray of Shepherd's Pie; even though the host has already prepared an entree and the gathering consists of 10 people.

See the difference? Bringing Shepherd's Pie was a very thoughtful thing to do in both cases, but there's just too much of it in the second one. Not only has my guest upstaged my entreé dish by bringing their own entreé, but they brought so much food that I now have to worry about leftovers for my food AND their food.

[BobbyC65]

causing difficulty; hard to do or deal with.
"some awkward questions"

causing or feeling embarrassment or inconvenience.
"you have put me in a very awkward position"

[tata1993]

Not knowing how to express feeling in a clear way and fearing you’ll be misunderstood or misjudged all the time

[TremorJay]

Not knowing your audience causes you to say things that are maybe disrespectful, confusing, or irrelevant

[ALoser]

Being autistic I can safely say autism plays a big role

[forthright]

When they don't behave in ways that don't align with whatever our perception of the norm is.

[InferiorElegy]

We are people outside the social norm and even hen we try to fit in we just always end up screw things up or are too weird and people who are normal start to feel awkward around us and that is why we are called awkward.

[standardguy]

I think that the way you use the term 'awkward' is sort of autism hating.

[EaterPeter]

The person who don't know when to back off.

[Jayplays900]

Their... awkard.. ness?

[LemiaOfChampions]

Soical axiety

[Wise4myage]

Shyness and insecurities.

[Iron_Man]

Lack of experience in a relationship

[siseñor]

anxiety

[DaviRon]

Disrespectful behaviour