Differences between UK and USA culture/living
Jul 8th 2007, 6:58 pm
#92
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
And that is one of the biggest differences between the cultures.
Brits can go between understatement and brutal honesty within a second. If there's a huge flood? "It's a bit damp here." But if you get an honest opinion prepare for it to be less gently worded.
Brits are far less likely to dance around a subject with a lot of pretty words; they are direct. It does help that they have a huge vocabulary of slang words especially for body parts, bodily fluids and sex.
Their views on sex are far more relaxed than the average American, and they like to meet up at pubs as a community gathering point, not because they are all alcoholics, though many of them can drink any American under the table. 
Something like 3% of Brits attend church every Sunday. Football (soccer) is for many like a religion and there are fierce loyalties and rivalries. Many think American baseball is the worst sport there is, but many also don't mind spending hours watching a cricket match with its complicated rules.
Anyhoo that's my experience though I think the main point is that Americans vastly overestimate how well they know the British culture.
Brits can go between understatement and brutal honesty within a second. If there's a huge flood? "It's a bit damp here." But if you get an honest opinion prepare for it to be less gently worded.
Brits are far less likely to dance around a subject with a lot of pretty words; they are direct. It does help that they have a huge vocabulary of slang words especially for body parts, bodily fluids and sex.
Their views on sex are far more relaxed than the average American, and they like to meet up at pubs as a community gathering point, not because they are all alcoholics, though many of them can drink any American under the table. Something like 3% of Brits attend church every Sunday. Football (soccer) is for many like a religion and there are fierce loyalties and rivalries. Many think American baseball is the worst sport there is, but many also don't mind spending hours watching a cricket match with its complicated rules.
Anyhoo that's my experience though I think the main point is that Americans vastly overestimate how well they know the British culture.
Jul 8th 2007, 7:00 pm
#93
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,179
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
And that is one of the biggest differences between the cultures.
Brits can go between understatement and brutal honesty within a second. If there's a huge flood? "It's a bit damp here." But if you get an honest opinion prepare for it to be less gently worded.
Brits are far less likely to dance around a subject with a lot of pretty words; they are direct. It does help that they have a huge vocabulary of slang words especially for body parts, bodily fluids and sex. Their views on sex are far more relaxed than the average American, and they like to meet up at pubs as a community gathering point, not because they are all alcoholics, though many of them can drink any American under the table.
Something like 3% of Brits attend church every Sunday. Football (soccer) is for many like a religion and there are fierce loyalties and rivalries. Many think American baseball is the worst sport there is, but many also don't mind spending hours watching a cricket match with its complicated rules.
Anyhoo that's my experience though I think the main point is that Americans vastly overestimate how well they know the British culture.
Brits can go between understatement and brutal honesty within a second. If there's a huge flood? "It's a bit damp here." But if you get an honest opinion prepare for it to be less gently worded.
Brits are far less likely to dance around a subject with a lot of pretty words; they are direct. It does help that they have a huge vocabulary of slang words especially for body parts, bodily fluids and sex.
Their views on sex are far more relaxed than the average American, and they like to meet up at pubs as a community gathering point, not because they are all alcoholics, though many of them can drink any American under the table. Something like 3% of Brits attend church every Sunday. Football (soccer) is for many like a religion and there are fierce loyalties and rivalries. Many think American baseball is the worst sport there is, but many also don't mind spending hours watching a cricket match with its complicated rules.
Anyhoo that's my experience though I think the main point is that Americans vastly overestimate how well they know the British culture.
Jul 8th 2007, 7:20 pm
#94
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
I always want to know more about the format of surveys like this - they never say if the places people are asked to find are labelled or not on the map they are using. If not, then it would be quite difficult for many people (not just Yanks), and if they are, then how long do they give people to find places? In that case surely anyone who can read could find Afghanistan or Iraq on a world map given five minutes or so.
Jul 8th 2007, 7:23 pm
#95
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
And that is one of the biggest differences between the cultures.
Brits can go between understatement and brutal honesty within a second. If there's a huge flood? "It's a bit damp here." But if you get an honest opinion prepare for it to be less gently worded.
Brits are far less likely to dance around a subject with a lot of pretty words; they are direct. It does help that they have a huge vocabulary of slang words especially for body parts, bodily fluids and sex. Their views on sex are far more relaxed than the average American, and they like to meet up at pubs as a community gathering point, not because they are all alcoholics, though many of them can drink any American under the table.
Something like 3% of Brits attend church every Sunday. Football (soccer) is for many like a religion and there are fierce loyalties and rivalries. Many think American baseball is the worst sport there is, but many also don't mind spending hours watching a cricket match with its complicated rules.
Anyhoo that's my experience though I think the main point is that Americans vastly overestimate how well they know the British culture.
Brits can go between understatement and brutal honesty within a second. If there's a huge flood? "It's a bit damp here." But if you get an honest opinion prepare for it to be less gently worded.
Brits are far less likely to dance around a subject with a lot of pretty words; they are direct. It does help that they have a huge vocabulary of slang words especially for body parts, bodily fluids and sex.
Their views on sex are far more relaxed than the average American, and they like to meet up at pubs as a community gathering point, not because they are all alcoholics, though many of them can drink any American under the table. Something like 3% of Brits attend church every Sunday. Football (soccer) is for many like a religion and there are fierce loyalties and rivalries. Many think American baseball is the worst sport there is, but many also don't mind spending hours watching a cricket match with its complicated rules.
Anyhoo that's my experience though I think the main point is that Americans vastly overestimate how well they know the British culture.
Jul 8th 2007, 7:25 pm
#96
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,179
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
Jul 8th 2007, 9:27 pm
#97
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Pike National Forest
Posts: 585
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
When I first moved here I was a bit put off by the lack of pretense of Americans..Communication is a bit more sophisticated back home..The rough nature of the yanks was to say the least was intimidating at first...But I've gotten used to the brutal honestly and blunt nature of Americans and have even been accepted into some circles here..It justs takes time..You need to have thick skin to live in this society..
Jul 8th 2007, 9:35 pm
#98
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Pike National Forest
Posts: 585
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
And the girls are a bit more fit and tan here..And their teeth are straight and white..It's a healthy lot-Thats the good part- As soon as I beef up a bit, and loose the accent I hope to shag one..Lol
Only been in the states a few years
Only been in the states a few years
Jul 8th 2007, 9:38 pm
#99
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
no shag's in a few year's, poor Lamb.
Jul 8th 2007, 9:50 pm
#100
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Pike National Forest
Posts: 585
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
Not since my wife ran off with the garbage man last December.
Jul 8th 2007, 10:36 pm
#101
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
I'm curious about your comment regarding the brutal honesty and blunt nature of Americans. Would you mind explaining what you mean? That's not the norm where I live (the midwest) - are you by any chance living on one of the coasts? Just curious as a previous poster pointed out that British communication was likely to be much more direct, which is what it sounds like you're saying about American communication ... unless I misunderstood you which is entirely possible.
Meauxna and Elvira - thank you for the tip. I've read some interesting discussions this afternoon.
Jul 8th 2007, 10:55 pm
#102
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
When I first moved here I was a bit put off by the lack of pretense of Americans..Communication is a bit more sophisticated back home..The rough nature of the yanks was to say the least was intimidating at first...But I've gotten used to the brutal honestly and blunt nature of Americans and have even been accepted into some circles here..It justs takes time..You need to have thick skin to live in this society..
"Americans lack of pretense" ".......Brutal honesty and blunt nature of Americans".....Where? Id move there tomorrow!!
Jul 8th 2007, 10:59 pm
#104
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 22,220
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living
Ah see that would be your mistake. The accent is the key to your shag! Take the advice of an American woman and trust me on this - a British accent is considered pretty sexy.
I'm curious about your comment regarding the brutal honesty and blunt nature of Americans. Would you mind explaining what you mean? That's not the norm where I live (the midwest) - are you by any chance living on one of the coasts? Just curious as a previous poster pointed out that British communication was likely to be much more direct, which is what it sounds like you're saying about American communication ... unless I misunderstood you which is entirely possible.
Meauxna and Elvira - thank you for the tip. I've read some interesting discussions this afternoon.
I'm curious about your comment regarding the brutal honesty and blunt nature of Americans. Would you mind explaining what you mean? That's not the norm where I live (the midwest) - are you by any chance living on one of the coasts? Just curious as a previous poster pointed out that British communication was likely to be much more direct, which is what it sounds like you're saying about American communication ... unless I misunderstood you which is entirely possible.
Meauxna and Elvira - thank you for the tip. I've read some interesting discussions this afternoon.
Jul 8th 2007, 11:01 pm
#105
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Differences between UK and USA culture/living