To my UK friends: don't lump all us americans together.

[Dexiro]

England is full of dicks that make the nation as a whole look bad

Personally i know bugger all about America and might end up thinking stereotypes at first, but i'd never judge anyone before i know them. If anything i'd just be more interested to find out more about the culture over there.

 

[KimberlyGoreHound]

I get confused when, down in America, once they find out I'm Canadian, they mention my 'accent'.

They don't mention it until after they find out? Maybe you have an inverse psychosomatic accent - people don't perceive one until they realise that maybe there should be one and then project it onto you.

No idea. I say I'm Canadian, then they're like 'ohh, that's why you have that accent!'. It's not as if only the ones with a Southern accent or some such mention it, even the (majority) with no discernible accent seem to believe I've got one.

 

[Lyri]

Snip

Point 1: Who the hell did you hang around with, seriously?
It sounds like you've been around incredibly ignorant people, your whole rant is basically you doing the same as they did to you on us because of it.
Also the whole "everyone bases the image of the English on Londoners" thing really doesn't bother us, in the slightest.
We're all cut from that cloth at some point or another, so it's really no big deal to us.

Point 2: I find the point a little silly, tbh.

 

[savandicus]

Well then surely we both speak English with a 1% differential by that logic?

No, a English speaker speaks English which is 1% different from American, An American speaker speaks American which is 1% different from English. Its not atall uncommon for languages to share the same words and meanings.

Cafe for example is originally french but is now a french, american and english word, all with slightly different meanings in the respective languages. A cafe in france will be quite different to one in england.

(Quote from Wikipedia)
A café (pronounced /ˈkæfeɪ/ or /kæˈfeɪ/), also spelled cafe[a], may in the United States mean an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches,[1][2], while in most other countries it refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse.

The American language is different to the English one, its not a bad thing atall infact its to be expected. If i were to spill coffee on my pants in a cafe in america it wouldnt be very surprising, If i were to spill coffee on my pants in a cafe in England the other people in the cafe would be wondering why i was walking around in my underwear.

Edit - I should also point out that we English have 2 words for cafe, one is cafe the other is café. They are 2 different types of places you can go to.

 

[Shynobee]

Well, I've never really stereotyped Americans (apart from some good natured ribbing), so I guess I'm exempt. However, you can't deny that Americans do it to. The amount of shit I got in America for being Irish, every single person thought it was funny to mention wife-beating. I don't exactly know why, but for some reason, everyone I met in America who I didn't know seemed to be under the impression that all Irish were brain-dead, bigoted drunks, and treated me as such. This wasn't in the middle of nowhere either, this was in Seattle. So, Americans can't be completely absolved.

Head to the northeast coast of America, specifically, Western New York, (Buffalo, Niagara Falls) and you will get completely different reception. Since almost everyone in that region has Irish roots, they tend to know a bit more about Irish culture. There are also a crap-ton of Irish priests. Not Irish Americans, straight up Irish priests. Its crazy.

So, yeah, don't lump the west coast of the US with the east coast of the US, its just as bad as lumping the northerners and the southerners together.

The USA is made up of 300 million people spread across a vast geological area. The differences among regions, hell even between states, is just about equivalent to the differences between countries in Europe.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I love being asked if I'm English because of my accent, it gives me the chance to say "No, I'm not English. I just don't talk through my nose like you bogan fuckwits."

 

[SnipErlite]

FYI: I was snogging frequently with their oldest daughter who was a few years older than me. Win!

Ahaha, nice one *Gives hi-5 and nod of approval*

Anyway yeah OT: Stereotypes are almost always unpleasant when they're lumped on everyone, but that's what stereotypes are. The only thing most people hear about Americans and America is when things go wrong, or someone does something extraordinarily stupid. This obviously reinforces their classic American image so any they meet they draw on their (very) limited knowledge.

Unless someone is really really interested in a country or culture(s) then all they'll do is remember the bad stuff they hear.

Such is life.

 

[maninahat]

2nd point: While I mention accents.
I am sick and tired of being told that UK English (specifically British English) is ?correct?. Here?s the thing. English colonies in America were founded several hundred years ago. How close to the English that was spoken than do you think we Americans speak now? Not very. True enough.

Interestingly, (as Bill Bryson points out) American English is actually much closer to what the British spoke like in the 16th and 17th Century than modern UK English. It is the UK that has changed for more than the US (apparently the stereotypical hillbilly accent is spot on for certain 16th century UK accents).

But yes, you are perfectly right. Britain does not have an authority over English to dictate how Americans should pronounce or spell things. That smugness with which some English regard the US's tongue goes all the way back to the 16th and 17th Century as well. Dr. Johnson was a total dick for that kind of thing (though he hated pretty much everyone).

 

[Blitzkrieg8]

Personally I hate the use of the word "Yanks". Where the fuck is that supposed to come from? Yankees? Wow, calling all people from a country a name that originated from a single state is very productive.

Another thing that bothers me is that I live in Souther California where it is pretty much hispanic ethnicities, trust me we are VERY different than "white" Americans, but in a good way.

The British Called the America Solders Yankees to make fun of them for not being as well trained as them but then we embraced it, kick their ass and made the song Yankee doodle

 

[noodles loves you]

oh hey look someone's decided to fit into that OTHER stereotype I hate: people who so desperately claim to be different or more diverse than the basic generalisation we give them, ironically throwing themselves into the 'knob' category.

If you hate how you're perceived then stop giving a shit.

and yes i'm only saying this 6 pages in but shush i'm making a point.


... one that throws myself into the 'arsehole' category of generalised things but whatever.

 

[Obrien Xp]

Just to throw my 2 cents in here, I'm also sick of people grouping Canadians in with Americans. I know not everybody does this but I can't stand it when it happens. We're very different.

 

[maninahat]

Just to throw my 2 cents in here, I'm also sick of people grouping Canadians in with Americans. I know not everybody does this but I can't stand it when it happens. We're very different.

Technically, Canadians are Americans. At least in the same sense that the British are European (not that many British believe that).

 

[Evil the White]

Still, it's basic human nature. If there's a country, thousands of miles away from you, unless you're very interested, you aren't going to know much about their country except for a few basic archetypes. When this becomes a problem, is when you start treating people differently because of it.

Its a neighbourly thing too, the English rib on Scots/welsh and Irish, the Yanks (ho ho, generalisation!) rib the Canadians and in France its a legal requirement to take the piss out of the Belgiums.

Don't forget that the English do it to the English too. The amount of times I hear jokes about Dudley and Wolverhampton are ridiculous.

 

[William Dickbringer]

huh my sister said that some Europeans views U.S. as cowboys and indians that's what I really found weird because that stereo-type is a few centuries old
btw is it true the french hates the U.S.

 

[Xanadu84]

(Quote from Wikipedia)
A café (pronounced /ˈkæfeɪ/ or /kæˈfeɪ/), also spelled cafe[a], may in the United States mean an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches,[1][2], while in most other countries it refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse.

Alright, I live in Vermont, and this bugs me. My hometown is the central location for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, so we know our coffee, and have plenty of places which serve it. These places are Cafe's. That wikipedia definition is not the definition of Cafe here. That's a Diner. A Cafe here is most definitely, certainly, a place that serves coffee, and ive never seen the other definition be used. The only explanation I can imagine is that some places which specialize primarily in coffee will, for the sake of increased profits, also put out a few baked goods, and maybe even a few ready made sandwiches. But it's still primarily a place you go for coffee. Coffeehouse may be a synonym, maybe even a slightly more informal term, but the main word is Cafe.

Also, yeah, don't Stereotype all of us Americans! Keep those stereotypes in the South where they belong! I'm kidding, of course. Yeah...kidding...

 

[Red Right Hand]

Hey, hey, hey! Don't lump the rest of the UK in with the English. The Scots are clearly better in every single way!

 

[Jenova65]

Well then surely we both speak English with a 1% differential by that logic?

No, a English speaker speaks English which is 1% different from American, An American speaker speaks American which is 1% different from English. Its not atall uncommon for languages to share the same words and meanings.

Cafe for example is originally french but is now a french, american and english word, all with slightly different meanings in the respective languages. A cafe in france will be quite different to one in england.

(Quote from Wikipedia)
A café (pronounced /ˈkæfeɪ/ or /kæˈfeɪ/), also spelled cafe[a], may in the United States mean an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches,[1][2], while in most other countries it refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse.

The American language is different to the English one, its not a bad thing atall infact its to be expected. If i were to spill coffee on my pants in a cafe in america it wouldnt be very surprising, If i were to spill coffee on my pants in a cafe in England the other people in the cafe would be wondering why i was walking around in my underwear.

Edit - I should also point out that we English have 2 words for cafe, one is cafe the other is café. They are 2 different types of places you can go to.

I think you say potayto I say Potahto ;-) we will have to accept that neither of us is going to concede this point I believe that Americans speak English in an American way, you think Americans speak American. Either way both modern English and American speakers get by without need of a translator so it's all good!

 

[Camembert]

No, a English speaker speaks English which is 1% different from American, An American speaker speaks American which is 1% different from English. Its not atall uncommon for languages to share the same words and meanings.

Cafe for example is originally french but is now a french, american and english word, all with slightly different meanings in the respective languages. A cafe in france will be quite different to one in england.

(Quote from Wikipedia)
A café (pronounced /ˈkæfeɪ/ or /kæˈfeɪ/), also spelled cafe[a], may in the United States mean an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches,[1][2], while in most other countries it refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse.

The American language is different to the English one, its not a bad thing atall infact its to be expected. If i were to spill coffee on my pants in a cafe in america it wouldnt be very surprising, If i were to spill coffee on my pants in a cafe in England the other people in the cafe would be wondering why i was walking around in my underwear.

Edit - I should also point out that we English have 2 words for cafe, one is cafe the other is café. They are 2 different types of places you can go to.

Are they? First I've heard of it. As far as I knew 'caff' was just short for 'cafe'. In fact I don't even believe what you are saying is correct.

Also, American and English are not even nearly two different languages. Both = English. A dialect only becomes a language in its own right when mutual intelligibility ceases. I can't see that happening ever.

I think you say potayto I say Potahto ;-) we will have to accept that neither of us is going to concede this point I believe that Americans speak English in an American way, you think Americans speak American. Either way both modern English and American speakers get by without need of a translator so it's all good!

No he isn't saying 'potayto', he's saying 'eodfborufbdgvoisnfpiew', which any linguist will tell you is just wrong.

 

[Jenova65]

Hey, hey, hey! Don't lump the rest of the UK in with the English. The Scots are clearly better in every single way!

Having lived there, I beg to differ ;-)

 

[Red Right Hand]

Hey, hey, hey! Don't lump the rest of the UK in with the English. The Scots are clearly better in every single way!

Having lived there, I beg to differ ;-)

Where abouts did you stay?