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Boring? You people are anything but boring. The hilarious sense of humor, the sense of fun, always finding interesting things to do. If anyone is boring it's Americans.
And to the person who thinks Americans are LOUD. You probably ran into some kids (who are loud everywhere) or some New Yorkers. New Yorkers are known for being very loud. Even in Sept when I was going through customs in Dublin, there was a very loud woman screaming into the air--"SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO!" Everyone looked at her. She did have a NY accent.
I don't know really because I have seen alot of loud Americans who talk a lot louder than the English. I suppose it isn't fair to stereotype them all to be loud - let's say alot of Americans are loud.
Where I live now there are alot of American students and they make it clear who they are. The first thing they do that British people don't do is talk loudly in the queue - that draws massive attention to them. The next thing they do is talk loud on public transport when everyone else is quiet.
I am not quite sure why they haven't yet caught onto our cultural norms. You would think if everyone in the queue was being quiet that you'd shut up.
It does my head in to be honest. Sometimes it looks really arrogant, like they think they are something special and everyone should bow down to them, otherwise why would they think we give a crap about their conversation?
They can't seem to handle critism either.
Last edited by Rediculousaffairs; 12-13-2015 at 07:10 PM..
I don't know really because I have seen alot of loud Americans who talk a lot louder than the English. I suppose it isn't fair to stereotype them all to be loud - let's say alot of Americans are loud.
Where I live now there are alot of American students and they make it clear who they are. The first thing they do that British people don't do is talk loudly in the queue - that draws massive attention to them. The next thing they do is talk loud on public transport when everyone else is quiet.
I am not quite sure why they haven't yet caught onto our cultural norms. You would think if everyone in the queue was being quiet that you'd shut up.
It does my head in to be honest. Sometimes it looks really arrogant, like they think they are something special and everyone should bow down to them, otherwise why would they think we give a crap about their conversation?
They can't seem to handle critism either.
Just as I said before--KIDS. They are not adults. Your young people come over here and do stupid things too. I've mentioned it before but the two young British men who stayed in the same motel with us at Cape Cod--in Massachusetts one December. Asking me where the beaches were--and the girls. Well, in DECEMBER, the beaches are a bit unwelcoming (snow) and the GIRLS are probably far away, sitting in front of a warm fireplace. The entire country is NOT Florida or California.
I don't know really because I have seen alot of loud Americans who talk a lot louder than the English. I suppose it isn't fair to stereotype them all to be loud - let's say alot of Americans are loud.
Where I live now there are alot of American students and they make it clear who they are. The first thing they do that British people don't do is talk loudly in the queue - that draws massive attention to them. The next thing they do is talk loud on public transport when everyone else is quiet.
I am not quite sure why they haven't yet caught onto our cultural norms. You would think if everyone in the queue was being quiet that you'd shut up.
It does my head in to be honest. Sometimes it looks really arrogant, like they think they are something special and everyone should bow down to them, otherwise why would they think we give a crap about their conversation?
They can't seem to handle critism either.
The British form of criticism is very different from what is acceptable in the US and would be considered very rude here.
In the US, you're supposed to gently let people know what you think is wrong with their performance, often the criticism is masquerading as an outward praise. It is believed that criticism in a positive form leads to better acceptance by the individual being criticized, while the negative form makes them defensive and doesn't produce the desired result. Also, it's just a cultural thing - in most states, being rude to people is still a major social taboo.
The British criticism to me is very much like German - in your face, extremely direct, and unless you grew up in that culture, seems rather harsh and personal. Add to this the infamous English sarcasm - something that the Germans don't use as much - and the English criticism often comes across as a direct, poisonous insult. Even when you guys didn't intend it to be.
This is just another example of cultural difference - like being loud in a public place. I have a buddy who's very tall, very large, very talkative, very loud, very friendly, and extremely outgoing. When he's in a public place like a bar / line to a concert / game, he would constantly engage total strangers in our conversations. Some don't mind, others make a couple polite remarks and go back to their business. It's all in good fun, and most people don't mind at all, but I suspect in Britain he'd be seen as rude and perhaps even intimidating.
Another characteristic British trend that I find somewhat annoying is the propensity to poo-poo nearly everything and always assume that no matter what someone is trying to achieve, they are destined to fail unless they somehow cheat or play unfairly. Not everyone is like that, but I've met enough Brits to see that this was a fairly common mindset.
Last edited by Ummagumma; 12-14-2015 at 10:43 AM..
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