News:

Welcome to our site!

Main Menu

Do you find Americanisms irritating?

Started by St Truth, September 25, 2017, 11:04:33 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Hydra009

#45
Quote from: St Truth on October 02, 2017, 08:31:25 AMI know what you mean about Americans being irritating. It's their loudness. They have a different idea of what politeness is.
There's probably some truth to this.  But it's not because we're trying to piss you off - we're used to a certain amount of personal space (and therefore talking at further distances) and we're usually around a certain amount of background noise so we're accustomed to having to talk LOUDER to compensate.

https://matadornetwork.com/nights/heres-americans-loudest-travelers/

QuoteThe impression most Brits get is they are loud, self-centred and they think too highly of themselves.
Probable check, double check, check.

But there's some good stuff, too.  Friendly/welcoming/open, good music, good food (southern BBQ ftw!), etc.

And sure, there's bad stuff, too.  Racial tensions, militarism, mass incarceration, gun violence, crumbling infrastructure, religious fanaticism, etc.  But come on over, we have jazz and Hollywood!

Hydra009

Quote from: trdsf on October 02, 2017, 12:59:16 PM
With regard to the pop/soda/coke divide, here's a handy guide from Pop vs. Soda:


Jeez.  North Carolina is all over the place.

For the record, the correct answer is soda.  Pop is a dumb name and Coke implicitly dismisses non-Coke brands like Pepsi.  Pepsi, the superior flavor.  They didn't pay me to write that, I wrote it because it's the truth.  (Tenacious D: Pick of Destiny reference)

SGOS

Come to think of it, most of my friends don't refer to soft drinks in the generic.  If they offer you a coke they mean Coke, and it's usually specified as Coke, Diet Coke, or Coke Zero. At fast food joints, I ask for a medium drink, since all the girl does is hand me an empty cup.

SGOS

If you are at a movie theater in Texas, where the machine is behind the counter how do you ask for a Coke? 

"I'll have a Coke."  "What kind?"  "Just a regular Coke." "Yeah, but what flavor?"  "Coke."  "Oh, you mean a Coke."  "Yes, thank you."

Gawdzilla Sama

Having a different idea about politeness is the same as having a poor idea about politeness?
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

St Truth

Quote from: Hydra009 on October 02, 2017, 09:07:45 PM
There's probably some truth to this.  But it's not because we're trying to piss you off - we're used to a certain amount of personal space (and therefore talking at further distances) and we're usually around a certain amount of background noise so we're accustomed to having to talk LOUDER to compensate.

https://matadornetwork.com/nights/heres-americans-loudest-travelers/
Probable check, double check, check.

But there's some good stuff, too.  Friendly/welcoming/open, good music, good food (southern BBQ ftw!), etc.

And sure, there's bad stuff, too.  Racial tensions, militarism, mass incarceration, gun violence, crumbling infrastructure, religious fanaticism, etc.  But come on over, we have jazz and Hollywood!

America is beautiful. I've been there. And the best place in the whole of the US is Orlando. If you've been to Disney World, every other Disney property pales by comparison. I've also been to Anaheim and Paris Disney but they are nothing compared with Orlando. I've also been to Las Vegas. There are many rides you can take there. Speaking of Las Vegas, I really have to say this. What is wrong with Americans? Why must they insist on the right to bear arms? What must it take before the whole nation can finally wise up and decide to clamp down on guns? It's the only country on this planet that seems to be afflicted by this lunacy.

Mike Cl

Quote from: St Truth on October 03, 2017, 08:39:46 AM
America is beautiful. I've been there. And the best place in the whole of the US is Orlando. If you've been to Disney World, every other Disney property pales by comparison. I've also been to Anaheim and Paris Disney but they are nothing compared with Orlando. I've also been to Las Vegas. There are many rides you can take there. Speaking of Las Vegas, I really have to say this. What is wrong with Americans? Why must they insist on the right to bear arms? What must it take before the whole nation can finally wise up and decide to clamp down on guns? It's the only country on this planet that seems to be afflicted by this lunacy.
The full name of America is The United States of The Corporation.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: St Truth on October 03, 2017, 08:39:46 AM
Speaking of Las Vegas, I really have to say this. What is wrong with Americans? Why must they insist on the right to bear arms? What must it take before the whole nation can finally wise up and decide to clamp down on guns? It's the only country on this planet that seems to be afflicted by this lunacy.
Most Americans don't own guns. Most Americans who own guns own just one.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Mike Cl

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on October 03, 2017, 11:15:19 AM
Most Americans don't own guns. Most Americans who own guns own just one.
Yes, that is true.  But it is also true that half of the privately  owned guns of the world are owned by Americans.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

trdsf

Quote from: St Truth on October 02, 2017, 08:31:25 AM
I know what you mean about Americans being irritating. It's their loudness. They have a different idea of what politeness is. The impression most Brits get is they are loud, self-centred and they think too highly of themselves. But I think it's a different culture that they have. You can tell them apart in restaurants because they speak so loudly that most people think they want the whole world to listen to them. I used to have that impression too. But once, I heard an American woman talking about some illness she had and her voice was loud too. It couldn't be that she wanted everyone to hear what illness she had. I find their loudness irritating but that's just their different culture. Last year, I was dining at a restaurant in Northern Italy with my parents. Everyone was polite and spoke softly. My mum said that she was glad there were no Americans in that restaurant. And she is right. If there were Americans, they would have made sure the whole restaurant knew they were there. They were sure to exclaim loudly to attract attention.
Being a regular Radio 4 listener, I have to say I find the typical presentation of Americans eye... rather, ear-opening.  Loud and brash, certainly.  Sometimes violent. 

In the first decade of this century, 'ignorant' was added to the mix and the 'sometimes' was removed from 'violent'.  Also, overweight.  Americans are assumed to be large of size as well as of personality.  Which led to Graeme Garden's memorable counter to the Americanism "cheese-eating surrender monkey" for the French, describing Americans as "burger-eating invasion monkeys".

Alas, the stereotype of the 'Ugly American' is alive and well, and is only reinforced by the ugliest of them all having been foisted upon us by the Electoral College.

Trying to counter that impression meets with a curious reaction: I've been told by European friends online that they think of me as a misplaced Canadian rather than as an American...
"My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution." -- Barbara Jordan

Baruch

Quote from: St Truth on October 03, 2017, 08:39:46 AM
America is beautiful. I've been there. And the best place in the whole of the US is Orlando. If you've been to Disney World, every other Disney property pales by comparison. I've also been to Anaheim and Paris Disney but they are nothing compared with Orlando. I've also been to Las Vegas. There are many rides you can take there. Speaking of Las Vegas, I really have to say this. What is wrong with Americans? Why must they insist on the right to bear arms? What must it take before the whole nation can finally wise up and decide to clamp down on guns? It's the only country on this planet that seems to be afflicted by this lunacy.

We are still hunting for Redcoats that are asymmetrically making war on us ;-)
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

Quote from: Mike Cl on October 03, 2017, 12:33:10 PM
Yes, that is true.  But it is also true that half of the privately  owned guns of the world are owned by Americans.

Like Russia, or any other country ... on a globe, you are surrounded by enemies ;-)  Gee, if we were more like Spain, we could just send in the Federales to shut down any elections we don't like ...
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: Mike Cl on October 03, 2017, 12:33:10 PM
Yes, that is true.  But it is also true that half of the privately  owned guns of the world are owned by Americans.
I'll make that another line on the line.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Baruch

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on October 03, 2017, 03:56:49 PM
I'll make that another line on the line.

Why bother?  The commies want our guns.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!