Hi Bolly, I love Americans and I know a great one on DS! ;-)
Thanks.
I'm sure there are Americans who meet the stereotype, but a good aspect of the US is that you can come from anywhere and succeed. There is no caste or class system holding you back, anyone can get a scholarship, and even hegemony doesn't always work ( think of the film industry).
I was recently looking at some photos from a French market and, except for old people who wore berets, I couldn't tell the French from Americans. Many were wearing tee shirts and were average weight, not slim.
That's nothing. Did you know people from Delaware have tails hidden under their clothes, and Washingtonians all have webbed feet?
Obviously posted with sarcastic intent, but there were approximately ten or twelve students each from Hiram and St Clouds. You could accurately place any of them instantly by their general dress and demeanour.
It must have been quite a culture shock for some of them, but they all seemed absolutely loaded with cash, which they seemed to like spending on lumps of black hash, sometimes about the size of a tobacco tin. It seems that resin rather than grass was a real novelty for them and they couldn't believe how cheap it seemed to be over here. We simply gawped at it in amazement.
Tens upon tens of millions of Americans are decent, kind hearted, loyal, hard working people. Their Governments, unfortunately, have backed every right wing crackpot on the face of the Earth since 1945.
We shall be on a cruise ship next month where we understand over 80% of the passengers will be American. So I suppose we shall get plenty of experience of what they are like.
We did a previous cruise where about 40% were American, and quite a few that we met were quite naïve and ignorant about other nationalities. It should be fun.....
But don't be fooled. As we say here 'appearances can be deceptive' and this bloke is a good example of that. He's a very very funny guy in his demeanour but extremely intelligent.
But don't be fooled. As we say here 'appearances can be deceptive' and this bloke is a good example of that. He's a very very funny guy in his demeanour but extremely intelligent.
Oh i'm no Tory and never have been.....but know for fact you don't get a place at Oxford University without a level of intelligence. And before you jump on the 'wealthy parents' thing, both my nephews went through Oxford Uni and my sister and her husband are far from wealthy!
I still stand by my original claim, however. Sit on any sidewalk, observing the passagata and you will see a never ending stream of bizzare and unflattering haircuts, awful shirts, inappropriate jackets, appalling jeans/shoe combinations etc, etc. Not to mention a plethora of over-the-stop spectacles. And that classic elderly-in-training-shoes (sneakers) look we have come to know and love from American tourists in Europe.
Then there is the noise. Americans are simply incapable of the "restaurant mumble". Voice levels are maintained at precisely the same level as the conversation on the busy street before entering the eatery. The larger the venue, the louder the noise. The runner up on my most recent trip was DBGBs in NYC at which it was impossible to hold a conversation with somebody sitting alongside. The ultimate prize, however, goes to Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco which was not only ridiculously loud but highly entertaining. The young guy on the next table was entertaining new girlfriend and mother (they were all American Oriental) and talked at max volume for 90 mins without pausing for breath, all about his previous relationship and how it broke down. We were transfixed. "It was a negative that morphed into a lateral negative" and "What started as a conflict ended as a choice dilemma" were our favourite lines.
Which reminds me of a third trait - the ability to talk completely meaningless jargon-bollocks whilst others pretend it's comprehensible English.
I hate Americans. However never met an American I didn't like. A bit like us Brits. However I meet more more Brits than American and so there are quite a few Brits I hate.
Got no problem with them really and would love to go there one day (the long flight puts me off though!) I'm quite friendly with a lady from Seattle on Twitter, a city I really would love to visit one day... Who knows if those 6 numbers come up!!
I do find the flags outside every building strange but nice, pity we don't do that more here
I still stand by my original claim, however. Sit on any sidewalk, observing the passagata and you will see a never ending stream of bizzare and unflattering haircuts, awful shirts, inappropriate jackets, appalling jeans/shoe combinations etc, etc. Not to mention a plethora of over-the-stop spectacles. And that classic elderly-in-training-shoes (sneakers) look we have come to know and love from American tourists in Europe.
Then there is the noise. Americans are simply incapable of the "restaurant mumble". Voice levels are maintained at precisely the same level as the conversation on the busy street before entering the eatery. The larger the venue, the louder the noise. The runner up on my most recent trip was DBGBs in NYC at which it was impossible to hold a conversation with somebody sitting alongside. The ultimate prize, however, goes to Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco which was not only ridiculously loud but highly entertaining. The young guy on the next table was entertaining new girlfriend and mother (they were all American Oriental) and talked at max volume for 90 mins without pausing for breath, all about his previous relationship and how it broke down. We were transfixed. "It was a negative that morphed into a lateral negative" and "What started as a conflict ended as a choice dilemma" were our favourite lines.
Which reminds me of a third trait - the ability to talk completely meaningless jargon-bollocks whilst others pretend it's comprehensible English.
I take the stance on America and the Americans that Jeremy Clarkson takes on the French.
He was asked by a French man in France why he [Jeremy] hated France, when it was such a beautiful country. Jeremy answered back, oh I agree it is beautiful, unfortunately it is full of the French.
If this country was full of c*nts like Jeremy Clarkson I'd hate Britain.
Fortunately he's a relic of a bygone era, an unfunny xenophobic tosser with no redeeming features.
Comments
My favourite ever American comedy show. So clever too.:D
Thanks.
I'm sure there are Americans who meet the stereotype, but a good aspect of the US is that you can come from anywhere and succeed. There is no caste or class system holding you back, anyone can get a scholarship, and even hegemony doesn't always work ( think of the film industry).
I was recently looking at some photos from a French market and, except for old people who wore berets, I couldn't tell the French from Americans. Many were wearing tee shirts and were average weight, not slim.
They're OK. No problems with individual Americans at all.
It must have been quite a culture shock for some of them, but they all seemed absolutely loaded with cash, which they seemed to like spending on lumps of black hash, sometimes about the size of a tobacco tin. It seems that resin rather than grass was a real novelty for them and they couldn't believe how cheap it seemed to be over here. We simply gawped at it in amazement.
Shakespeare was a very prolific noun-verber.
I find cries of "americanism" tend to be just british people who have forgotten their roots.
http://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences4/accents
That's nice.
But as we don't use the word prat, we don't even have the sense to be offended.
Exhibit A: Donald Trump's haircut.
Eh? You mean the Taj Ma-helmet? http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/26/top-five-jokes-on-donald-trumps-taj-ma-helmet-hair/
We did a previous cruise where about 40% were American, and quite a few that we met were quite naïve and ignorant about other nationalities. It should be fun.....
Exhibit B?
Hey Brooklyn Boy, how's the Big Apple?
But don't be fooled. As we say here 'appearances can be deceptive' and this bloke is a good example of that. He's a very very funny guy in his demeanour but extremely intelligent.
Fair point.
I still stand by my original claim, however. Sit on any sidewalk, observing the passagata and you will see a never ending stream of bizzare and unflattering haircuts, awful shirts, inappropriate jackets, appalling jeans/shoe combinations etc, etc. Not to mention a plethora of over-the-stop spectacles. And that classic elderly-in-training-shoes (sneakers) look we have come to know and love from American tourists in Europe.
Then there is the noise. Americans are simply incapable of the "restaurant mumble". Voice levels are maintained at precisely the same level as the conversation on the busy street before entering the eatery. The larger the venue, the louder the noise. The runner up on my most recent trip was DBGBs in NYC at which it was impossible to hold a conversation with somebody sitting alongside. The ultimate prize, however, goes to Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco which was not only ridiculously loud but highly entertaining. The young guy on the next table was entertaining new girlfriend and mother (they were all American Oriental) and talked at max volume for 90 mins without pausing for breath, all about his previous relationship and how it broke down. We were transfixed. "It was a negative that morphed into a lateral negative" and "What started as a conflict ended as a choice dilemma" were our favourite lines.
Which reminds me of a third trait - the ability to talk completely meaningless jargon-bollocks whilst others pretend it's comprehensible English.
I do love 'em though.
...then they ought to put the bastard in the electric chair. Put it on pay per view, they'd make a fortune.
I do find the flags outside every building strange but nice, pity we don't do that more here
What is American Oriental?
If this country was full of c*nts like Jeremy Clarkson I'd hate Britain.
Fortunately he's a relic of a bygone era, an unfunny xenophobic tosser with no redeeming features.
I'm not a fan.