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

[Sethzard]

It's a lot of quid-pro-quo, when americans stop doing it to us, we will return the favour.

Thinking about it, it is ironic that you are asking us all to stop, as it is generalising that we all think and do that.

 

[Boba Frag]

This wasn't in the middle of nowhere either, this was in Seattle.

OT: Speaking of people from Seattle, this type of regional stereotyping isn't exclusive to international conflicts. I'm from Indiana, and am currently attending college in Indiana, and it annoys me the way some of the students from about of State speak about this place. It's not perfect, and God knows I've insulted it plenty of times, but I tend to get irritated when a bunch of my friends just have a giant Indiana bashing session. Even worse is when they make fun of the populace here- occasionally they'll ask me to do my impersonation of a "redneck," as they consider it to be a spot on representation of people from the South/Midwest. The thing is, my "redneck" is one of the most exaggerated impressions I do.

I feel similar rage whenever somebody from outside my city or country talks negatively about/ insults it.
"It's *my* job to tear Ireland a new one, not yours!" is pretty much how I feel

Stereotypes exist because people don't want to think and admit the world is more varied and interesting than they'd like to admit.

 

[Kukakkau]

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.

Love thy neighbour indeed

And you could flip the forum topic around, can't assume all or only people from the UK lump you all together. Plus the ammount of times I get called English because apparently that's the only country in Britain.

 

[DividedUnity]

Ive got shit for being irish in america. I swear to god if someone asks me for my fucking lucky charms one more time im gonna strangle them. I swear to god people on xbox live were suprised I was irish because they "didnt think we had electricity in ireland" and they were being serious.

I only take the piss out of americans if they attempt to take the piss out of me. Though when it comes to my English and German friends we have so much fun making using each others stereotypes. (and no its not hurtful nazi comments that stuffs not funny)

People always say potato in that stupid leprechaun accent too. No one speaks like that here except maybe people in tullamore.

OT: I dont stereotype americans. I find they are as different as the rest of us so always have an open mind. I find people from New York to be quite friendly when they talk to me but the people Ive talked to from California are assholes but thats just personal experience with a few people. I doubt everyone in each of the states is the same

 

[Jenova65]

Actually, no, Americans use some different words for things but it is English and tbh English people are far more guilty of 'bastardising', the language than Americans do.
It is like saying that people in Yorkshire speak a different language to people in London, we all speak English but idiom is responsible for many of the differences.

The thing is though that people using slang or regional versions of english in yorkshire is expected. Evolution of language is a constant thing, all langauges change over time. If yorkshire people have enough people saying words that have accepted meanings it becomes part of English. The problem being that if an American person were to do that it wouldnt become part of english it would become part of the american language. I'm not saying we speak COMPLETELY different languages, but right now American and English are different languages that share 99% of the same words.

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

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I don't know, the only thing I can't stand about Americans is how they pronounce 'multi' ... it makes my ears hurt.

Mul'tie' .... mul'tie' .... grrrr <.< mull-TEE! It's MUL-'TEE'!!

Apart from their butchering of the most widespread of the Romance languages I have little against Americans. But on the otherhand, due to being graced with an aging perspective of life born from experience and the inherent wisdom that experience provides I no longer believe Americans speak or write in English anymore.

So I no longer hold their usage of verbal communication against them.

Written communication ... well that's a whole different can of beans I am hesitant to open and 'vent' about.

Apart from that though I don't expect anything from Americans I meet... apart from the way they talk and write things.

 

[Rafe]

Having never been to America I got that impression so thanks for opening my eyes. Its pretty cool of you to share this.

A bit off topic but why do you call 'herbs' 'erbs'?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Apart from their butchering of the most widespread of the Romance languages I have little against Americans.

What have the Americans done to Spanish now?

 

[Silva]

Too right, mate. Bloody true blue, fair dinkum. Streuth!

I see you've taken Introduction to Strine.

I went to a school that had less than 30 students. I know my Strine, even though I have a more cultivated/general family accent.

So if u track down english to the late 18th century the english by then was neither the same as present day british english, or american, australian, canadian, new zealander, south african, caribbean, indian, etc.

Australians speak Strine.

And cultivated, general, and the Western Australian style... But yes, a great many speak Strine. Even if none of them ever set foot in the cities where the majority of the population lives.

TV Tropes proves itself useful once again:
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AustralianAccent

 

[Jenova65]

Too right, mate. Bloody true blue, fair dinkum. Streuth!

I see you've taken Introduction to Strine.

I went to a school that had less than 30 students. I know my Strine, even though I have a more cultivated/general family accent.

So if u track down english to the late 18th century the english by then was neither the same as present day british english, or american, australian, canadian, new zealander, south african, caribbean, indian, etc.

Australians speak Strine.

And cultivated, general, and the Western Australian style... But yes, a great many speak Strine. Even if none of them ever set foot in the cities where the majority of the population lives.

TV Tropes proves itself useful once again:
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AustralianAccent

I really wish people would quit linking to TVtropes it takes forever to get out once you get in

 

[Cinnonym]

I was actually, pretty offended by them than presuming I was a hayseed bumpkin who was ignorant, conservative, bible-thumper who rode a horse to school and grew up near a swamp. They also assumed that I was ignorant with the ways of the world as a whole.

So, um, are you saying people with Texan accents ride horses to school? 'Cause...

It's totally true.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Apart from their butchering of the most widespread of the Romance languages I have little against Americans.

What have the Americans done to Spanish now?

Given that half of English (particularly the qualifier 'multi' fro mthe latin 'multus') is made of 'Sermo Vulgi' as termed by Cicero ....? Alot

Even words and concepts born from Classical Latin isn't safe ... like 'aluminium' ... I weep <.<

 

[Ildecia]

im SO glad the people in America don't stereotype Germans the way i KNOW they don't

... if your sarcasm alert didn't just explode then get a new one. People think since the ruling faction of Germany during the world wars were Nazis, then OBVIOUSLY all Germans are Nazis. Fuck each and every one of you that thinks this way, because My entire family has never been a part of the Nazi faction.

 

[Stephanos132]

Sorry matey but the English language has been evolving in England for about a thousand years or so, something that it is continuing to do today. That means that however it evolves in England is correct.

I'm not trying to be confrontational or arrogant but america wasn't our only colony, it's just the biggest and one of the youngest, the only one that won't accept second place for anything.

I respectfully disagree, I fail to see words like ''Innit' that as an 'evolution' ;-)

Evolution of language doesn't necessarily occur in a positive direction, particularly when ignorance and stupidity are the social norms of the day.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Too right, mate. Bloody true blue, fair dinkum. Streuth!

I see you've taken Introduction to Strine.

I went to a school that had less than 30 students. I know my Strine, even though I have a more cultivated/general family accent.

If you know your Strine then how come you can't spell strewth?


Most people have trouble picking my accent unless they know what an old school Northern Suburbs Adelaide accent sounds like. Back when it had a heavy British influence rather than the 'city strine' accent it has now.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Apart from their butchering of the most widespread of the Romance languages I have little against Americans.

What have the Americans done to Spanish now?

Given that half of English (particularly the qualifier 'multi' fro mthe latin 'multus') is made of 'Sermo Vulgi' as termed by Cicero ....? Alot

Even words and concepts born from Classical Latin isn't safe ... like 'aluminium' ... I weep <.<

Yes but English is still considered part of the Germanic language group.

 

[snide_cake]

Gross stereotyping of any national culture is a foot in the face of common (or uncommon) sense. It happens to every country too. Speaking as a New Zealand and Australian citizen I'm either someone with an unusual interest in sheep or a thong (flip-flop for the Americans) wearing, kangaroo-riding, crocodile-wrestling outback badass to whom Paul Hogan is God and God is someone to curse for the flies.

The thing is stereotypes can be hellishly amusing when used in comedy, because within that framework they can be viewed as a deliberate fiction rather than a true representation. Outside of it they're kind of silly.

Wait a tic... You mean not all Australians are like that?!

Dear God... the end is truly nigh.

Nope, we more often ride emu's to work actually. Kangaroos are a bit too bouncy and I don't fancy throwing up early in the morning.

 

[Matt King]

right 1) as i live in ENGLAND and speak ENGLISH surely my country as it is our language has right to say what is proper english and what isnt u americans say it is ur language too but no if u want to speak it how u want u prob shud have not bin lazy and nicked our language (im not racist im just saying) 2) i dont do any of that south is farmland thing people just get that from stuff like family guy but i do belive that americans could be a little less fat and less agrresive i went to america last year i belive only 6 people i spoke to didnt tell me to p*ss off

 

[Matt King]

and to all you people who say we shud stop claiming ownership for the english language its our language so we should decide how it should be properly said (i do admit that our spelling is stupid as hell)