I'm tired of people taking the P about Americans

[utepoot]

America is a great country. Yes, it has its flaws but most of that is down to the government, not the people. I happen to be from the USA, I have emigrated to the UK, which I dearly love and embrace all the UK's customs, slang and differences. It peeves me when people say that America "spells words incorrectly". No, we don't. American English is different than British English. There are many, many terms that are different: ie. boot=trunk, bonnet=hood and so on, so why is the American way wrong? It's just a different variation. People who think the "American way" is wrong must also think that all of the EU's way is wrong too, because they all speak a different language! And for that matter, the whole world that doesn't conform to the British way must be wrong too? Why pick on "The Americans"

[jno]

probably not really racist, just nationalist, bednobs. A lot of people can't really understand that other people do things differently. Has he seen much of the world? Travel does broaden the mind.

[bednobs]

Ha! i would love for us to go and see my sister but NO

[jno]

what a shame. The USA's a lovely place and Americans are the kindest people on earth (whereabouts is she?). I hope you get there some day, even if it's on your own.

[bednobs]

ive been before - many times :) she is in Florida - who wouldn't want to go? i would love to do an alaska cruise but NO!

[jno]

cruises are fine - he doesn't have to get off the boat, just sit and watch the glaciers calving. You could do it out of Canada, if that helps... or does he say Canadians are Americans too?

[utepoot]

Wow, I never expected so many responses! Thank you all for your opinions, information and sharing stories about your experiences. I've never had derogatory comments about Americans to my face, luckily, only seen things posted online. Most people I meet in person are just curious about where I'm from,(Connecticut) how I came to move here, and usually say they want to move over to the USA! Some people really have no idea about what it's like in America, when I first came over here my mother-in-law thought all Americans had horses! But I was similarly uninformed about lots of things too, she nearly wet herself when I referred to "those cows with the long red hair" after visiting Scotland.

[pastafreak]

Hi ute....pardon my curiosity,but how long have you been here? The first year was magic for me,as all was new....then I knew I was settled when I started whinging about politics....lol

[utepoot]

Hi pastafreak, I've been here ten years now. When I first got here I remember feeling a bit culture- shocked, but at least I had done some reading up on british words and slang (I found a good book online before I moved here called "British English A to Zed" which really helped me.) I was a bit timid using the money, stunned at how fast the speed limits are, and amused at how so many things are so much smaller than US sized items!

[EDDIE51]

My favorite language mix up story was told to me by a young English lady.
She was staying in a Hotel in Chicago and needed to be up to catch an early flight home. She went to the hotel desk and said the the male receptionist
''I need to get the early flight so can you knock me up at 6am ?''
when the receptionist nearly choked she realised what she had said.

[notasyoungasiwas]

utepoot - WHO is that lovely dog on your avatar ??

[utepoot]

Hi notasyoungasiwas, he's our Utonagan. Fantastic dog.

[notasyoungasiwas]

Is that his name or breed?! Excuse my ignorance !
He's a lovely boy.

[pastafreak]

Hi again,ute. So-you are not a 'noobie' here...it must feel like a second home by now-it did for me quite quickly. 20 years ago,money was scary and the supermarkets seemed woefully short of so much I was used to. But it fast becomes home. ;-)