Ask an American "How you doing?", and you'll more often than not hear "Pretty good"

Ask a Brit "How's it going?", and you'll more often than not hear "Not bad..."


There's a whole glass-is-half-empty/half-full polar difference going on across the Atlantic.

Discuss.

Maybe American's are just more cheery than us Brits.

i blame the weather ... we brits are so fearful of getting rained on that we cant be properly optimistic ...

americans are just generally sunnier ...

True. Some of my happiest friends are American. Or Canadian. Which is the same thing. (Yes it is. Yes, it is. I'm not listening. Yes. It. Is.) Plus this is a rather gloomy little island somewhere towards the north, whereas they have a whacking great continent, right in the middle.

hmm.. i'm sorry, brits don't say that to each other, they say "Alright?" which used to startle me and make me stammer for a response (I'm an American who lives in the UK permentantly now ) and i'm pretty sure i've heard them say "pretty good" to an "alright?"

My personal favourite noncommital reply is 'Not dead yet'

Actually, I use that one in a fairly positive way. Usually when I'm about to disintegrate my internal organs with a serious night at the pub.

gah - im a scottish person living in scotland (shock horror general amazement ) and people say that to me and gah - i stammer too

its so confusing! i always end up sounding either really stupid or completely uppity cause i cant speak casually IRL ... i sound like i have an oxford dictionary up my bum

John Cleese, the brit, said (around about the Clinton/Lewinsky time) that the three main differences between brits and americans are:

1: we speak English
2. when we hold a world sport event, we invite other countries
3. when we meet the head of state, we only have to go down on ONE knee

any help?

I like using Kurt Cobain's traditional response to the same question.
"I hate myself and I want to die."
It's funny watching people's reactions.

to avoid my lack of speaking humiliation i know find it useful to gesture manically with my head keeping my mouth tightly closed and my arms up in front of my face ... and i twitch too ... they generally let me leave after that ...

Now, see. I don't understand about the whole depressed because it rains a lot thing. I live in a state in the US where it rains a fair amount and anyone using an umbrella or raincoat is looked at as if their crazy, no matter that it's pouring sheets and sheets. So I don't think that excuse flys. Also, I remember watching this show where they had an interview with some british actress and she was talking about learning how to talk like an american. She said that she had to open her mouth more inorder to get the accent right. Perhaps that might be why american's are so cheerfull, it's not like you really speak tight-liped (no offence incase someone might wanna take offence)



That's my longest post yet....YAY ME!!! heh Anyway, those are meh thoughts.

To be honest, the British way of complaining about the weather, the government or anything else they can think of complaining about is nonsense.

We get great temperate weather - with a bit of rain. No really cold weather, no really hot weather. I read in the news that England may have it's hottest day ever this week, if the temperature reaches 37 C (that's about 98 F). So what? I was Arizona last month - it was 110 F every day , and stays above 100 for most of the summer. And don't give me any of that "but it's a dry heat" crap - it's still ludicrously hot.

And as for rain? Woo-bloody hoo. Any monsoons? No. Hurricanes? Once every 50 years. Earthquakes? Yeah, up to 4 on the Richter - big wow. Volcanos? Ermm, no.

Basically, British weather is totally without extremes, yet we complain about it all the fricking time.
Now, Seattle weather is basically identical to British weather. But Seattlites love it. If it rains, it rains. Folk put on a waterproof coat, and get on with it.

Rant over.

"I live in a state in the US where it rains a fair amount and anyone using an umbrella or raincoat is looked at as if their crazy, no matter that it's pouring sheets and sheets."


Yes, Washington and Northwestern Oregon are pretty much the same when it comes to rain. And I get the same look in both states when it comes to protecting one's self in the rain. In fact, there's a commercial where it shows a graduation happening in the pouring rain and no one has any protection at all, and then they call up this one girl who happens to be using an umbrella and EVERYONE present gasps in shock. She, of course, looks embarrassed and puts up the umbrella, grabs her diploma and quickly walks away.




heh...Okay, I'll just...stop now....

you've never heard a commoner brit talk then, they use every bit of their mouths to talk lol *hides quickly*

in fact it's only uppity actors that are "tightlipped" and anyway, you have to speak through your nose to speak like an american usually. which is why i don't sound like a stereotypical american...

Eh, then blame the woman actress then. I was just repeating what she said. And as much as I'd hate to acctualy admit it, I probably speak though my nose too. I was raise in the south and if that's not speaking though your nose...I don know what is. lmao

eek yes, scary southern accents (hehe) I'm from the north east and my family badgered me into never picking up a new england accent/mannerisms so i ended up with a generic american accent with no regional inflections.

Pab, Pab, Pab.

1. The English we speak ("we" being those with an accent similar to those in most American sitcoms) is closer to how English originally was. When the colonists came over here from England, there was of course little contact beyond letters between the two countries, so the languages evolved separately. British English has evolved much more than American English (well, except in places like the South and Boston and the like), for some reason. So the English that we speak is closer to being "correct" if you go by the way it originally was...

2. What sporting event do we have with "World" in the title where we don't invite other countries? Oh wait, World Series? Gah I just thought of that. Well okay, one then. So what? It's our national past-time, we're entitled. (Though I don't know why it's our national past-time, I hate the stupid game).

3. I'm not even going to touch that one.

The main difference between Americans and Brits, in my opinion, is that Brits can understand quite a bit of American slang. It's definitely not the same vice versa (I once had a 15 minute conversation trying to figure out why a friend was angry when he said he was "pissed," meanwhile trying to figure out why his typing was so incoherent).

The Canadians get to play... they're another country, aren't they?

Ohh do they? Well I never knew that. Never bothered to keep up on that stuff much, seeing as how watching the game puts me to sleep (I had to ask my husband if it was called the World Series, lol). Okay then, I can't think of any other sporting events we hold with "World" in the title where we don't invite other countries. But, I could always be wrong. I'm not much for watching any sports, really.

But they're hardly the world, now are they? Let's see - World Cup - yup, entire world. Rugby World Cup - yup, entire world. World Series - USA, Canada, (and maybe Japan?) = not the world.

Well we can hardly invite countries without professional baseball leagues, now can we?

I seem to recall not many places having them. Hmm. I'm not sure on that one though.

Being as I'm not American or British... I'm still gunna add anyway.

1.)Hockey. Americans are very protective of there favorite team. Where as Brits dont know that much about it, and look around to cheer for the team that is getting more cheers.

2.) Drinking, the brits we met at the pub managed to pretty much keep up with us...I think the americans either went home or passed out in the bathroom half way threw the game.

All of these findings are ofcourse scientifically based. ( based of facts from a couple pf groups we met watching a play off game between the Oilers and the Dallas Stars) Dang stars, we'll get them next...oh next year.

sorry to all my fellow english fellows and ladies,but i prefer america-i love it out there-everyones so much more friendly-u say Hi to someone in the American street,they say hi back and smile.Say it over here,u probably get stabbed or a [EDITY BY JONMAN - Naughty words]!!!!

i think we brits are rather rude-not all,just some-and we make tits of ourselevs at things like the world cup and end up getting banned-way to get us a good name guys!

I agree with you with everything but the point you were trying to make....
I do *not* complain about the weather, neither does anyone I know, it's just a stereotype that we do. I love it, I hate being too cold and I hate being too hot even more. The british climate is perfect.

<edit> spastic you're right about brits not being very friendly, most people seem to be so concerned about not drawing attention to themselves that they won't talk to a stranger, I like waving and saying hi to kids because they haven't picked this up yet and they'll usually say hi back.</edit>

good point alanity-we get a break from the scorching summer with a nice bit of rain,and if we're lucky,we get snow!!!!like we did at new years,dude that was sooooo cool!!!!!

I'm sure you don't. I tend not to complain about the weather. But it's a fact that the average British man in the street loves to complain. Sure it's a stereotype, but it's more true than not, in my experience.

And on the not very friendly front - nowhere is this more apparent than in London. Try starting a conversation with someone at a bus stop, on the tube, or in a pub. It's amazingly difficult.

Totally the opposite in the States. It's sometimes difficult to not get drawn into someone's conversation.

i think us brits know how lucky we are to have all that we do. hence, when we say not bad, its from a realisation that it could be a helluva lot worse. those damn yanks, however, think they're on top of the world (despite the simple geographical fact that that is somewhere near the north pole...) and are led to believe this further by their deceptive government and propaganda machines. hence we free people of the queens britain are aware of our place at the forefront of the world, but wary that we could be worse off, and the bloody yankees boast about something as an automatic response built into their systems over years of manipulation and falsehoods taught by their oppressive governing regime.

damn egomaniacs.

... Odd. I've never realized that... Hrmm... o_o;

What's the difference between Americans and Brits?

...

Oh, about five letters, really...(A,M,E,C,N)...



C'mon...you know someone had to say it!

The difference between Americans and Brits:

Americans complain about the French for no good reason.

Brits complain about Americans for NO GOOD REASON.

/end rant

We're calm and reserved, secure in the knowledge that we still own Canada and Australia and thus a sizeable percentage of the Earth's landmass.

Edit: Hey Missy, we complain about the French too y'know.
Especially me. They keep coming on to my girlfriend...

yes but we're bitter cause we're not powerful anymore ... and distressed cause our PM is an egomanic wierdo who wishes he was american ... and the tories are all pantsed so we're probaly stuck with him ...

God those British people.....!!!!

God those American people......!!!!

God those Gernams...!!

etc and so on.

I hope i made a good point...

Please, don't get me started on Blair. I, oh, urgh, he, that, grrr. My teeth gritted just typing his name.

erm... gotta pull ya up on this one, cand. If this were the case, then what about Australia? They dun spell colour without the "u" an they say "aluminium" instead of "aluminum", like you guys do. If ya speak closer English than we do, then how come the Aussies speak more like us?

Bear in mind that the US colonisation happened in the 17th century, when we all spoke "Ye Olde English", an in the 18th Century, when we got around to Australia, we spoke much the same then... A cursory glance at any Shakespeare will show ya what we all spoke like here back then (or at least a close approximation). So if yer nearer "True English" then why dun ya say "Verily, sire, I take exception to your assertion and will hitherforth set about rectifyinge this injustice".

Yes, I'm bein a little silly about this. The truth is, the English language has evolved everywhere. But true English is spoken in England, cos that's where it derives from! What you say is like sayin that only Brazilians speak true Portugese... it's nonsense!!

Anyway, that rant aside... Brits come over as less friendly due to the "British Reserve". It's not in our nature to be outgoin. In the US, it's the total opposite. I think there's a happy medium somewhere between the two...

Well, I'm gonna leave this be now... I dun really like this US v UK thing, it only ends in arguments...

damn french... dont get me started on that bunch of cowards...

/me turns his sarcasm machine even higher...

Americans are spoiled by the government at the expense of those who actually work. And BTW, I've disliked the French before the whole war in Iraq for one major reason: They're French.

Granted. But you ask almost any American if they trust the goverment and 75% of them will say no. No matter who's president or if we're "At War" with someone. That is what I have found. I did a poll on it for school once a long while ago.





One final thought: Does it really matter the differances. Such things is what makes the world interesting and I'd not have it any other way, thankyouverymuch.

Oh and..."I'm going to rule the world....if that's okay with you!"

MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

in actual fact i dont have much of an opinion on americans as individuals as of yet - i know so few of them and im usually very reluctant to pass judgement on anyone. my previous comment was intended as comic relief from a horrid, stupid negative viewpoint on americans that the rest of the world has.

i do, however, hold within me a great resentment at the american government. it is one of the most oppressive governments in the world. u say that 75% of u hate them too, so why are they in power? why did a second world country just get wiped off the map for their childish head's whims? didnt those 75% try to stop them? or is it a matter of them not being able to? i know our government, which is taking a very similar role to the american one as of late, ignored more than half of our people who said *in writing* that they didnt want any war. when tony blair came to make a party speech in glasgow 10,000 people came on short notice just to say no. both governments have a very nasty habit of playing to the people and then playing with them, and its a sad fact that the leaders of DEMOCRACY in this world have so much power to themselves. a democracy shouldnt even have a government who makes its decisions. thats the damn point of it. worse yet, britain isnt a democracy oddly enough in this day and age. its a monarchy, a system of ruling that is considered barbaric today. the queen has a poitical veto over all of her subjects to use at her whim.

all of the superpowers governments today are based around this damn thing known as the "american dream" which seems to be about owning as much as possible and not sharing it with anyone.

THATS why i have a negative view of america, the country. as i sed, though, most american people ive met have been fine human beings. its the damn system that i hate.

wow.... i ranted...

With ya, Tara. Without exception, I like every American I've spoken with. But the government I hate with a passion.

Because everyone is fooled by it. I did the same poll after the whole "bombing" and it went to 75% to.....30% UGH People can be SO blind. That and we're all too lazy to really go out and do anything about it. We just really keep to ourselves as far as living go. We're nice...mostly. I love America as a country but I refuse to support the goverment in things. Like it was said earlyer, we're kinda brainwashed from childhood in to believing the goverment knows best and by the time we find out, we're too busy with our own lives to care. Besides, what would we replace it with? I mean, part of the reasion people came over here was because they were tired of the whole "King/Queen" thing. So what'd be next?

I meant the accent, and the accent only. The vocabulary is of no consequence. All I was saying was that our accent is closer to the original way English sounded, and that's that.

The reason we don't spell it "colour" is due to a little guy named Webster (no, not the sitcom guy, the dictionary guy). He made his dictionary spell it that way and said it was a means to promote patriotism in the US, but the real reason was because that's how it sounds, and it's easier to spell that way!

I too dislike the US vs. UK discussions, because they do always end in arguments. And in stereotypical nonsense being thrown about regarding both countries.

The stereotype that Americans are brainwashed to be lap dogs to the government is only a half-truth. The other half is the fact that not many Americans give a rats ass about foreign policy. If you ask your barber about economic trade policies with China and whether or not that relationship is worth risking at the expense to save Taiwan...well, chances are he or she isn't going to know or care. It doesn't concern them in their every day lives. I'm willing to go out on a limb here and say that for the most part foreign policy doesn't appeal to a huge majority of the people on the planet, everyone is busy living their lives and doing what they enjoy.



I'm not going to speak for the British government, cuz honestly I'm no expert on it, but in regards to the American side of things...it's the nature of government - here's the simple schematic of the Bush Administration's argument for war:
1) create the threat and make the people aware of it through mass media
2) define the threat as a threat to national security (easy after 9/11)
3) Create a 'rally around the flag' nationalist movement in order to sell the war
4) While building and preparing the armed forces, make a red-herring trip to the UN to present the case
5) Intro war

As to Tarantio's point about how a democracy ought to make it's decision making...there are technical and pragmatic reasons why pure democracy doesn't work on a federal level. Technically speaking, the amount of time and money it would take to hold votes on every single issue is too much. Pragmatically speaking - if democracy really is about everyone participating, then how can you put an end to debate? Do you only hear oh say, 25% of the population? Cutting off the rest of the population sends the message that as far as democracy goes - you'd better be the first in line to speak otherwise you're not going to be heard. And if everyone was in fact heard, you'd never get anything done because there'd be nothing but discussion.
So instead of pure democracy Americans have representatives that are given discretion.

I won't go too deep into it, but let's be honest - the only people that truly care enough to persuade government are the interest groups. They're organized, funded, have connections, and use professionals to get their agendas across. And interest groups typically go unchecked because not too many people care about what they do; how many people do you think take a deep and vested interest in the domestic affairs of the country? Of these handful of people you create more interest groups, and hopefully the side you're rooting for wins, if not you keep fighting...

alright where was I going with this...oh yeah, pure democracy is a farce unless it's on a very local level. Furthermore, while we lament that many people are led astray by government, most of the sheep don't really care that they are, because they don't see or hold any immediate interest or understanding of what's going on - they're too busy living every day life, which is *not* a crime I remind you.

Strangely, I agree with you on the majority of your points. Scary...

This is off topic, but anyone know where I can get a copy of Democracy: The God That Failed?

bah, what utter nonsense (i mean that in a nice way), American English has changed dramatically from what it used to be, american is spoken and spelt phonetically, lets use the example "Lieutenant", in England the corrext pronounciation is leftenant where in America is lootenant. Technically the english way would be the correct pronounciation, the american version is the phonetic version. A similar example being "through", now in both dialects its pronounced throo only in america it's spelt "thru" (note the english spelling is better for scrabble). In conclusion, American english branched of from the original english language, and quite frankly developed into a simpler (and probably slightly more logical) language.


as a side note i don't have the bill bryson book that explains it but the early american people had some wierd spellings, plus it was influenced a lot by foriegn languages, particularly german, irish and yiddish...though i don't have examples at this time.

and if someone say alright where i come from the general responce is alright....much in the same way ca va is used in french

I'm sure they don't spell it "thru"...

Yeah I think they do ya' know

The last American I met was v cool. He was staying in the UK with a friend of mine and 'experiencing' Britain (which he loves BTW). He said that out of all of her friends he understood me the most and 'got where I was coming from'. He understood "I'm the Leprechaun" quote from Waynes World and most of my jokes. When he found out I supported the Chicago Bears (however vaguely) he almost burst he was that excited He spent the rest of the night proving that we cannot drink Americans under the table! He's right!

He was lovely and has invited me over to Conneticut to stay with him but whether that will actually happen is anyones guess.

Americans and Brits are different and I'm glad of that. If we were all the same it'd be like the Village of the Damned and quite frankly way too scary!

Sam
x

It is NOT spelled "thru"! That's just a silly abbreviation, kinda like "lite" is for "light". We're perfectly aware of how the words are rightly spelled, thanks.

Blimey O-Reilly!

I wasn't trying to start a UK vs US thread at all, merely a discussion on the finer points of the cultural differences.

In my experience , there's just as many idiots, nutters, stupid folk, and morally corrupt people in both countries. It's just that the American ones have guns.

Yeah, and I don't like black people. Because they're black. And gays too, can't stand them - bunch of shirt-lifters. Them Jews are pretty terrible too.

*shakes head in disbelief*

Listent to yourself man.