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AutoexecBatman — 15 years ago(November 28, 2010 04:40 PM)
I have done a lot of traveling all over the world, you know what the first thing I got asked by nearly everyone I met the last time I was in the UK?
'How far do you live from the Statue of Liberty?' I live more than 3,000 miles away from New York, yet every person I met seemed to think that the US consisted of New York City and little else. -
monique79-1 — 15 years ago(December 03, 2010 10:03 PM)
The original poster comes across very arrogant. Visiting America a few times does not make one an expert on the culture or people of America.
I agree, many people I speak with whether from the UK, Australia, or other countries, I have to correct THEIR stereotypes as well as educate them on the geography of America. America has more than two cities meaning New York City and Los Angeles. -
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 05, 2011 08:53 AM)
I've seen "Texas-style" deep dish pizza at Tesco! Should I repeatedly complain to the company that it's Chicago known for their deep dish, not Texas, and there is no "Texas-style" pizza? No. It's pointless, as they don't care. The entire US is lumped into a single culture in the UK, although the 50 states are as diverse, or probably even more so, than the four countries of the UK.
If I were to complain to every British "American" or "Mexican" restaurant about their unauthentic menus, I'd be writing letters all day (vegetarian chilli con carne and chilli con queso without cheese are just two examples).
It's extremely common in the UK to encounter people that are utterly confused about the US (and other countries), too, yet you keep bringing up the prevalence American ignorance. You keep saying that you hate stereotypes, yet you keep referring to ignorant stereotypes regarding the apparently widespread stupidity of Americans. If you disliked stereotypes, you wouldn't repeatedly refer to your limited experience with Americans.
At least they didn't slap the Bandera de Mxico on the pizza and call it Mexican! Anyway, you are starting to split hairs here. Using ridiculous examples in an attempt to contradict mine. Vegetarian Chilli con Carne is for, ummm, let me see, oh that's it - people who are vegetarians! As for Chilli con Queso without cheese. Many people are not allowed cheese due to medication (such as my late Gran). And a lot more people are health conscious. They don't want to consume vast amounts of saturated fat. There is also a growing market for vegetarian black pudding and haggis. I do NOT have a problem with that. The same way I don't have any gripes with restaurants mixing food from other cultures. At least they don't lie about doing so. You were no doubt referring to my beef with Jungle Jim's. They are marketing Scottish as English!! Which is a great big lie!!
It's not just my "limited experience with Americans". Everybody I know and have spoken to say the same. It is England this, the English that. It is very seldom Britain or British. There are dozens of threads about this subject on numerous message boards. People target America more than other countries because it is more prevalent there than anywhere else. This is NOT stereotyping - it is (like it or not) FACT.
Maybe she should find smarter friends.
Finally - something we can agree on.
You haven't travelled much, have you? I'd say the countries I've been to in which the people are the most out of touch with the rest of the world would be Cambodia, Nepal and Mongolia, but I didn't call them stupid or ignorant, as you have done repeatedly, because I don't find them to be either.
They don't know any better because they have extremely poor (and sometimes non-existent) educational systems. Do tell me why, that with America having as many fine schools and universities (as you pointed out), that you will more often that not, hear England instead of Britain? You can say what you like, but based on the thousands of hours of television/films I have watched, and with my many months of travelling there, most Americans do NOT know the difference between Britain, the United Kingdom and England. Yes, I have travelled quite a bit actually. I could list all the countries I've been to, but you'll just have a go at me anyway.
Just using your policy of stereotyping entire nationalities, the British are notorious for refusing to leave their culture whilst travelling and refusing to mingle with the local people. They go on package holidays on planes full of Brits to beaches full of even more Brits, where they eat British food! How is that being knowledgeable about the world?
I am only criticizing the Americans for not being knowledgeable about the rest of the world because that is how they come across. You can say that television and film should not be a reference guide, but if writers (who have presumably gone through further education and extensive training for their chosen career) can not get things right, then what does that say about the education of the 'Average Joe'? However, I can also agree that some Brits are clueless on holiday. But, there is also a perfectly valid reason for eating British food. A friend would always take her own, but the one time she didn't (while in Turkey), she became extremely ill with E-coli. Almost died in fact. That was due to the country having (in general) poorer hygiene standards. Before you have a go at me for stereotyping Turkey, you should Google Turkey and E-coli. There are plenty of horror stories.
First of all, most Canadians (that aren't French Canadian) don't have accents. They sound the same as Americans. The ones with accents sound the same as someone from North Dakota or Minnesota. So, you want Shenae Grimes (Canadian) on 90210 to play a Canadian? How would that work into the storyline?
It would ruin the story-line in many shows and wouldn't make sense if non-American actors with non-North American accents were -
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 08, 2011 07:52 AM)
Perhaps you're completely ignorant about the Spanish language - which most Americans are NOT. The carne in chilli con carne means MEAT and the queso in chilli con queso means CHEESE. Your little rant about vegetarianism and health consciousness makes zero sense. I thought you were worldly and knew everything about other countries? Most Americans who are presented with basic Spanish words, such as carne and queso, know exactly what they mean.
I know fine well what "carne" and "queso" mean. You were responding to my comments about Jungle Jim's marketing Irn Bru as English. You tried to say that British restaurants offering vegetarian and healthier options on their menus is inaccurate and akin to the situation with Jungle Jim's. They are completely different things! Your comparing of vegetarian chilli con carne and chilli con queso minus the cheese, to Irn Bru being sold as English makes no sense whatsoever. The reason I made reference to vegetarian haggis and black pudding is because those things are traditionally made with offal and blood. The same way as your examples are traditionally made with cheese and meat. You have issues with the ingredients (or lack thereof). I have issues with the fact that something Scottish is being passed off as English! Can you not see that? I can see the sense of there being vegetarian versions of meat dishes, but NOT with Irn Bru being sold in an "England" section. Also, did those restaurants have the proper dishes as well (with the meat and cheese included)?
Actually, no, that's not the case at all. There's a huge difference between Scottish and English accents. Once again, you're commenting on things you have absolutely no idea about. Yes, your sister's neighbours in Kentucky certainly sound different from Canadians, but you cannot tell the difference from my Northern/Midwest ("standard" American) accent and a standard Canadian accent. I've been asked by several Canadians where I'm from, because they weren't sure if I was Canadian or American. When I was in Cuba, every Canadian thought I was a Canadian. Why on earth would YOU be able to notice a difference between Canadian and American accents, but Canadians and Americans cannot? Unless you tell me you're a linguist that specialises in regional dialects of North America, I call BS.
I am not a linguist. Just someone who can differentiate between very subtle sounds. Such as knowing a CFM56 from an ALF 502R-5 turbofan engine. Thus, I can usually tell what type of aircraft is flying over the house without seeing it. Or when I worked at stables, I always knew which horses/ponies were whinnying without looking at them. So, picking up on accents is easy for me. As for there being a huge difference between Scottish and English. Why is that I am more often than not asked if I am English while in America. If most Americans (as like you say) know the difference, then why is this the rule and not the exception?
Who gives a flying beep if American shows have foreigners playing American characters? I don't. You're the only one that seems to care if an British actor puts on an American accent for a pay cheque. You must be torn over whether or not you can accept Sons of Anarchy as a credible show - the lead is a Geordie putting on an American accent, but another actor on the show is from Glasgow and is playing a character from Glasgow. You must be really pissed off at Outsourced, which has Canadian and British actors playing Indian characters with Indian accents.
Canadian television shows a great deal of American shows on their main stations during primetime. Their nightly line-up looks nearly identical to that in the US. Apparently Canadians enjoy American shows and aren't pissed off that their countrymen are living down south and playing Americans. But, for some reason, you are?
Because it would be exactly like shows made down south, hiring Scottish and Welsh actors only to have them play English characters. It used to happen a lot, but after thousands of complaints, English productions stopped doing it as often. Not all Canadians have such a high opinion of American series'. I most certainly am NOT alone in getting annoyed at American shows for Americanizing foreign actors. There are scores of people who think the same. A lot of actors think it too. They are only in America for the money. I know this to be true through my friend who is an actor and several other sources. And do some research on Google. There are numerous sites that discuss this subject. Never seen Outsourced, so can not comment on it. And thanks for the info on Sons of Anarchy. That is another American show that couldn't possibly have a regular foreign accent. -
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 05, 2011 09:04 AM)
You are NOT an expert on America simply because you've visited the US a few times, your sister lives in the backwoods of Kentucky and you've visited a few states. I was in Scotland for FAR longer than you were in the US, so I'm more of an expert on where you come from than you are on where I come from. Get off your high horse and accept the fact that although you claim to "hate" stereotypes, you're nothing more than a disgusting, ignorant fool who stereotypes entire nations of people! I've come across uneducated chavs in pubs that decide they need to insult the American and have made the same comments about Americans that you have made. What does that say about you?
You will NEVER know how much I know about your country. You also do not know where my sister lives in Kentucky, but you make the assumption that it is a place overrun by hillbillies. And you have been in pubs frequented by "uneducated chavs"? Oh, and at least I have not resorted to personal insults. What exactly does that say about you?