Originally Posted by amideislas

I've said no such thing. You have chosen to interpret my views that way, and be offended by it (eerily consistent with the common stereotype).

What I did say is that the cultures are far more similar than different (which is demonstrably true). But because that's not what you want to hear, it's not my fault. Sorry. I can't resolve that for you.



I can see how you would interpret it that way, but it's not exactly a secret. In our village of mostly native locals, there are also a few Germans, Scandinavians, French - but we are the sole 'token' Brits (we don't live in one of those 'British' communities where the vast majority of British expats choose to live).
Thusly, in social gatherings, we are often subject to light-hearted ribbing about how we can possibly stand all these 'foreigners' in the village (the joke being the common stereotype that Brits see themselves as the 'standard' by which all things should be compared - everything and everybody else is the 'foreigner'). Naturally, I'll respond to our German friends with something like "Wie können Sie in einem Haus leben, das nicht quadrat?" (How can you live in a house that's not square/level) - the joke being that few buildings here are built square or level, and referring to the common stereotype that Germans cannot bear anything 'imperfect'. But it's all lighthearted, no offence taken, because frankly, there's some truth in it, and we all know that.



It's not a criticism - it's an observation. And yes, it is a common stereotype. Like all stereotypes of course, not all Brits are that way, but there is a certain amount of truth to those stereotypes, as even you have unwittingly exhibited here.

Originally Posted by Editha

'....das nicht quadrat ist?'

How I envy Amideislas's social life. How pleasant it must be, exchanging mildly racist witticisms with the neighbours in broken German. She must be as popular in her village as she is on this site.

Originally Posted by Editha

'....das nicht quadrat ist?'

How I envy Amideislas's social life. How pleasant it must be, exchanging mildly racist pleasantries with the neighbours in broken German. She must be as popular in her village as she is on this site.

Originally Posted by amideislas

I've said no such thing. You have chosen to interpret my views that way, and be offended by it (eerily consistent with the common stereotype).

What I did say is that the cultures are far more similar than different (which is demonstrably true). But because that's not what you want to hear, it's not my fault. Sorry. I can't resolve that for you.



I can see how you would interpret it that way, but it's not exactly a secret. In our village of mostly native locals, there are also a few Germans, Scandinavians, French - but we are the sole 'token' Brits (we don't live in one of those 'British' communities where the vast majority of British expats choose to live).

Thusly, in social gatherings, we are often subject to light-hearted ribbing about how we can possibly stand all these 'foreigners' in the village (the joke being the common stereotype that Brits see themselves as the 'standard' by which all things should be compared - everything and everybody else is the 'foreigner'). Naturally, I'll respond to our German friends with something like "Wie können Sie in einem Haus leben, das nicht quadrat?" (How can you live in a house that's not square/level) - the joke being that few buildings here are built square or level, and referring to the common stereotype that Germans cannot bear anything 'imperfect'. But it's all lighthearted, no offence taken, because frankly, there's some truth in it, and we all know that.



It's not a criticism - it's an observation. And yes, it is a common stereotype. Like all stereotypes of course, not all Brits are that way, but there is a certain amount of truth to those stereotypes, as even you have unwittingly exhibited here.

Originally Posted by amideislas

The subject was cultural differences. One contributor suggested that shopping and consumerism is the same everywhere, and cited Germany as an example of that.

Well, I lived in Germany for about 2 decades, and I can assure you, it's far from it, and in that context, I used Wal-Mart's miserable failure there as a testament to that. Wal-Mart failed because it was about 180 degrees contrary to the shopping culture. The shopping culture in Germany (and virtually all of continental Europe) is indeed radically different from both Britain and the US/Canada. Like I said, particularly for Germans, the general mindset is that food is at the food shop. bikes are at the bike shop, clothes are at the clothes shop, tyres are at the tyre shop... Having it all in one place is a very foreign concept, and in Wal-Mart's case, it just didn't work.

It's a 'specialist' mindset, which, in the case of the example cited (Germany) is blatantly evident through across all aspects of life there: work, play, housing, education driving, finance, rubbish collection, etc.. - all very organised and 'specialised'. That's just German culture. But it's still radically different from British or American culture.

Originally Posted by Editha

Actually, I do have some German, and my husband is fluent. He doesn't think the ist would ever be left out either, and he says the distinction is between grammatical german and ungrammatical, not Hochdeutch and colloquial. (I presume that google translate did not tell you to capitalise nouns).

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

Fab, so we've established that you do know what you're talking about with regards to German culture and it's difference from UK culture. But it would be appreciated if you'd stop telling those that have lived in the US/Canada that you know and understand the culture better than us when you've simply taken a few holidays there.

I've holidayed in Mallorca, but I wouldn't claim to understand the culture, or know how it might affect me if I moved there.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

But it would be appreciated if you'd stop telling those that have lived in the US/Canada that you know and understand the culture better than us when you've simply taken a few holidays there.

Originally Posted by Editha

Well what would I know? The last time I visited Lidl they were selling laminators. I guess I just don't know what is edible and what isn't.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

Fab, so we've established that you do know what you're talking about with regards to German culture and it's difference from UK culture. But it would be appreciated if you'd stop telling those that have lived in the US/Canada that you know and understand the culture better than us when you've simply taken a few holidays there.

I've holidayed in Mallorca, but I wouldn't claim to understand the culture, or know how it might affect me if I moved there.

Originally Posted by amideislas

I have made no such assertion, I have only illustrated that in a broader view, there are far more similarities than differences.

Originally Posted by aries

I bought a wall clock in a German Lidl store . . . costing only 5 Euros!