Happy Atheist Forum

Before I went to the USA and got to be immersed in the culture (old yoghurt joke springs to mind) I must confess I sort of expected Yanks to be Brits with a funny accent. It took a while to spot the difference and obviously the Brit and Yank cultures are different. I have come to put this down to the emphasis on the individual in American culture. In the USA it appears to be very much 'Me first, society second' in the UK it's getting more like that but the world I grew up in from '65 to '80 I don't think that's the case. In those days it was more 'society first, me second.' I think this was in part caused by the needs brought about by WWII becoming the aspirations of those of the generation effected by it.

But none the less; Have you in the past or do you now consider Brits to be simply Yanks who speak in a funny accent?

Um, who are you calling a Yank?!?   :upset:    


 lol!)

B= reserved, uptight women who wear petticoats and white gloves; A= women proudly display tramp stamps, need I say more?

B= people who wish they were in the US (because everyone does, right?!?); A= people who know the US is the best at everything, period

B= royalty worship; A= star worship


Hmmmm...what am I forgetting?  I hope someone fills you in more.

Oh, one more thing, we are really the same, as evidenced by this video [spoiler:1l96tbze]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t62Y0Z56rI[/spoiler:1l96tbze]  

What's a Yank?

Quote from: "Cecilie"What's a Yank?

It's a slang term (historically a derogatory one) used by the British to refer to Americans.  It's short for "Yankee."  Here, inside the U.S., the term is also used by people living in the southern states to refer to those in the northern states, also a derogatory term.  

I don't think anyone really gets offended by the term, really, though.  It's become a playful insult.  A Yankee, in either sense, is someone who is incompetent and ignorant.

Interesting side note:  the British-composed song "Yankee Doodle" was written to make fun of American soldiers during the Revolutionary War.  But Americans liked the tune so well, some say they were so ignorant they failed to see the insult, that it's now the official state song of Connecticut.  

Quote from: "Businessocks"

Quote from: "Cecilie"What's a Yank?

It's a slang term (historically a derogatory one) used by the British to refer to Americans.  It's short for "Yankee."  Here, inside the U.S., the term is also used by people living in the southern states to refer to those in the northern states, also a derogatory term.  

I don't think anyone really gets offended by the term, really, though.  It's become a playful insult.  A Yankee, in either sense, is someone who is incompetent and ignorant.

Interesting side note:  the British-composed song "Yankee Doodle" was written to make fun of American soldiers during the Revolutionary War.  But Americans liked the tune so well, some say they were so ignorant they failed to see the insult, that it's now the official state song of Connecticut.   :)

Quote from: "Businessocks"Um, who are you calling a Yank?!?   :upset:    


 lol!)

B= reserved, uptight women who wear petticoats and white gloves; A= women proudly display tramp stamps, need I say more?

B= people who wish they were in the US (because everyone does, right?!?); A= people who know the US is the best at everything, period

B= royalty worship; A= star worship


Hmmmm...what am I forgetting?  I hope someone fills you in more.

Oh, one more thing, we are really the same, as evidenced by this video [spoiler:5ry1u1zm][youtube:5ry1u1zm]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t62Y0Z56rI[/youtube:5ry1u1zm][/spoiler:5ry1u1zm]  :D

I'm a bloody republican! Once QEII snuffs it I think a lot of people will suddenly lose interest in the big eared twat that is supposed to follow on!

To the original question, I don't think I ever saw Brits as Yanks with funny accents. I mean, yeah, you guys do have funny accents, but I see big cultural differences in our people. The U.S. really started parting ways with British culture when the first cowboy killed a cow, ground up the meat, and made a burger. It was all downhill from there!
 

I can name about 4/5 accents in Scotland, so I am unsure if it should be considered.

Stereotype alert!

Do Americans think a southern English accent is universal in the UK?

Quote from: "Dretlin"Stereotype alert!

Do Americans think a southern English accent is universal in the UK?

Nope, not at all.

Quote from: "Dretlin"I can name about 4/5 accents in Scotland, so I am unsure if it should be considered.

Stereotype alert!

Do Americans think a southern English accent is universal in the UK?

I don't.  I was a pretty dedicated stage actor when I was younger, though, and I studied accents.  

My wife is British. I ilved in England for four years and we're now planning to move back there. So...well, my answer is no.

For Yanks with funny accents visit Alabama.

The damnedest accent I ever heard was a kid in basic training from the North Carolina Appalachians.  It made a Scottish brogue sound pedestrian.

Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"The damnedest accent I ever heard was a kid in basic training from the North Carolina Appalachians.  It made a Scottish brogue sound pedestrian.

Have you even been to rural Louisiana, down on the Gulf? Some of those old Cajuns, I swear, it's a real job making out what they're saying. "Ah wohny goyin down the flah. Lousie? Ge mah huh ova duh wabbo." Anyway that's what it sounded like to me.

Quote from: "i_am_i"

Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"The damnedest accent I ever heard was a kid in basic training from the North Carolina Appalachians.  It made a Scottish brogue sound pedestrian.

Have you even been to rural Louisiana, down on the Gulf? Some of those old Cajuns, I swear, it's a real job making out what they're saying. "Ah wohny goyin down the flah. Lousie? Ge mah huh ova duh wabbo." Anyway that's what it sounded like to me.

Being from East Texas, I've run across a few Cajuns, they are a kick in the britches.

I consider Canadians to be Brits with funny accents and Americans to be Australians without a tan and the Irish to be intoxicated.

Personally, I prefer Australian dialect of English... So I guess I consider every English speaking person a variation of an Aussie with a funny accent.

Scottish is cool too.  

It's funny but when I was in Chicago if anybody guessed where I came from based just on my accent they said Australia! I had to go a little posh or a little cockney (somebody should have shot Dick Van Dyke). It's only after I sussed the posh element that I started having fun. I was near Chicago for nearly 3 months and got to visiting the local bar of an evening and soon got chatting to the locals on 'ladies night'. I mean what a tradition!  

Quote from: "Tank"But none the less; Have you in the past or do you now consider Brits to be simply Yanks who speak in a funny accent?

No.

That's like asking if Canadian's are yanks as well...eh?

Or Germans are yanks these days that don't speak English.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Americans barely consider Brits much at all.  

Quote from: "curiosityandthecat"I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Americans barely consider Brits much at all.  

No shit Sherlock!

UK is

The Queen
Monty Python
Soccer violence

Quote from: "Tank"

Quote from: "curiosityandthecat"I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Americans barely consider Brits much at all.  :P

Quote from: "teifuani"

Quote from: "Tank"

Quote from: "curiosityandthecat"I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Americans barely consider Brits much at all.  :P

Fish and chips.

Quote from: "Tank"It's funny but when I was in Chicago if anybody guessed where I came from based just on my accent they said Australia!

Really?
When I lived up that way we had a partner for the company I worked with that came in regularly from London.  He was pegged from London everywhere we took him too.  When the second partner came in from Wales though.... no one could figure him out.  The designers from Amsterdam were confused for Germans more often than not.

Quote from: "Tank"Have you in the past or do you now consider Brits to be simply Yanks who speak in a funny accent?

No. My British friends would likely be horrified at the thought. The culture and lifestyles are very different in some important ways.

The only characteristic Scottish culture and American culture has in common is a language (from what I have experienced). Even then Scottish slang is so thick I doubt a translator would be a bad idea. (And I have acted as such!)

I can not really speak for Welsh, Irish and English. Even though I have spent time in Northern Ireland.

Quote from: "Will"I consider Canadians to be Brits with funny accents and Americans to be Australians without a tan and the Irish to be intoxicated.

 

Quote from: "Tank"

Quote from: "curiosityandthecat"I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that Americans barely consider Brits much at all.  

No shit Sherlock!

UK is

The Queen
Monty Python
Soccer violence

... and a pint at the pub.

The UK is?

The Queen
Monty Python
Soccer violence
Dr Who
Fish & Chips
A pint at the pub!

Stiff upper lips
and
Pip pips

*chucklin*

Strawberries and cream
Crumpets and tea

The way I see it, we're all people. Just different based on how we were raised on our experiences.
Sure the traditions and sensibilities can differ, but we're all people.
Although, a thick British accent WILL make me giggle for a good ten seconds.

Put down all drinks and food and empty you mouth before watching.
[spoiler:3klwn4hf][youtube:3klwn4hf]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZlBUglE6Hc[/youtube:3klwn4hf][/spoiler:3klwn4hf]

I think historically speaking the question should be set the other way around, if you catch my drift  

And at the very least put the word 'accent' in plural!

Quote from: "Fennia"I think historically speaking the question should be set the other way around, if you catch my drift  

And at the very least put the word 'accent' in plural!

True about the way around it is as it should 'Are yanks just Brits with funny accents' However the intent of the OP was to illicit the feelings of how Yanks view Limies and visa versa.

Quote from: "Tank"True about the way around it is as it should 'Are yanks just Brits with funny accents' However the intent of the OP was to illicit the feelings of how Yanks view Limies and visa versa.

 :blush:

Quote from: "Fennia"

Quote from: "Tank"True about the way around it is as it should 'Are yanks just Brits with funny accents' However the intent of the OP was to illicit the feelings of how Yanks view Limies and visa versa.

 :blush:

British sailors used to eat Lime fruits to stop Skervy (Vitamin C deficiency). So 'Limy' is a derogatory term for a British sailor in terms of 'He looks like he's sucking a lime!' i.e. sour faced.

Apparently Yank is a slightly derogatory term for an American so I insulted both Americans and Brits by referring to Yanks and Limys  

Quote from: "Tank"

Quote from: "Fennia"

Quote from: "Tank"True about the way around it is as it should 'Are yanks just Brits with funny accents' However the intent of the OP was to illicit the feelings of how Yanks view Limies and visa versa.

 :blush:

British sailors used to eat Lime fruits to stop Skervy (Vitamin C deficiency). So 'Limy' is a derogatory term for a British sailor in terms of 'He looks like he's sucking a lime!' i.e. sour faced.

Apparently Yank is a slightly derogatory term for an American so I insulted both Americans and Brits by referring to Yanks and Limys  :hmm:

ah-haha!  lol

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I suppose that goes for accents as well. What sounds funny depends who you ask...

English is my second language, but I lived in Scotland for some years, and I get told a lot my accent is strange  

Quote from: "pinkocommie"Haha, my dad used to say Limey (jokingly) when referring to the British and frogs (less jokingly) when referring to the French.  Evidently for a time we Americans chose our derogatory terms based mainly on what the other group ate.  

Many nationalities do the same thing.  I've heard of garlic munchers and sausage eaters.
Ausises are often just called Ausises, based on our predilection for cannibalism.

Quote from: "pinkocommie"Haha, my dad used to say Limey (jokingly) when referring to the British and frogs (less jokingly) when referring to the French.  Evidently for a time we Americans chose our derogatory terms based mainly on what the other group ate.  

I guess I would've been labeled as "bacon cheeseburger" then.

Quote from: "Davin"

Quote from: "pinkocommie"Haha, my dad used to say Limey (jokingly) when referring to the British and frogs (less jokingly) when referring to the French.  Evidently for a time we Americans chose our derogatory terms based mainly on what the other group ate.  

I guess I would've been labeled as "bacon cheeseburger" then.

...and I'm a tub of Ben & Jerry's.

But...mmmmmm...bacon cheeseburger...