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Good list. I would probably put Caribbean countries like Aruba and The Bahamas ahead of NZ, Germany, and the U.K., however. Mexico is also similar to the U.S. in many ways, same for Brazil.
Canada, Austraila, New Zealand, England I totaly agree with. We all share the anglo saxon heritage, culture and language. Germany is different, not sure I would put that one there. I agree with the previous post, somewhere like the Bahamas that shares the English language belongs on that list.
Canada, Austraila, New Zealand, England I totaly agree with. We all share the anglo saxon heritage, culture and language. Germany is different, not sure I would put that one there. I agree with the previous post, somewhere like the Bahamas that shares the English language belongs on that list.
Germany IS culturally similar to the USA. German is the predominant ethnic heritage of most Americans, and that has obviously influenced our culture. English (British) is only fourth, behind German, Irish, and African. Just because they don't speak English, doesn't mean they aren't similar to us.
For example, French Canadians are far more culturally similar to us than the British, South Africans, or Irish, even though the latter speak English.
Germany IS culturally similar to the USA. German is the predominant ethnic heritage of most Americans, and that has obviously influenced our culture. English (British) is only fourth, behind German, Irish, and African. Just because they don't speak English, doesn't mean they aren't similar to us.
For example, French Canadians are far more culturally similar to us than the British, South Africans, or Irish, even though the latter speak English.
Im from Michigan so Im aware of how much influence Germans have had on the upper midwest. A trip to Frankenmuth Michigan will showcase that fact. However our culture is much more influenced by our founding culture, the British. Number of imigrants asside, it is English we speak, english style laws we adopted. We also have a great deal in common with with other nations of the anglo saxon family, Canada Austraila NZ. The Germans have contributed greatly to our culture, but we still have an anglo based culture in the end. I must say though I disagree completly with the idea we share much at all with French Canadians or the French in general. THe french language and culture is so much different from that of the Anglo based world. The French have a much stronger tie to thier Roman background, as the French language and laws were heavily influenced by classical Rome. In the anglo saxon world, roman influence was swept away by the invading anglo saxons, and later the normans. The british are a world apart from continental Europe for that reason. That is the british cultue that we sprang from.
Im from Michigan so Im aware of how much influence Germans have had on the upper midwest. A trip to Frankenmuth Michigan will showcase that fact. However our culture is much more influenced by our founding culture, the British. Number of imigrants asside, it is English we speak, english style laws we adopted. We also have a great deal in common with with other nations of the anglo saxon family, Canada Austraila NZ. The Germans have contributed greatly to our culture, but we still have an anglo based culture in the end. I must say though I disagree completly with the idea we share much at all with French Canadians or the French in general. THe french language and culture is so much different from that of the Anglo based world. The French have a much stronger tie to thier Roman background, as the French language and laws were heavily influenced by classical Rome. In the anglo saxon world, roman influence was swept away by the invading anglo saxons, and later the normans. The british are a world apart from continental Europe for that reason. That is the british cultue that we sprang from.
The Normans were French!
The Quebecois, and other French Canadians, have very, very little in common with France! Quebec could be Anytown, USA, except that the signs are in French. Quebecers eat burgers and french fries, drive SUVs, shop in malls, play football and hockey, dress in "American-style" clothes, live in sprawled-out suburbs, and spend their vacations in Maine, Michigan, and Florida.
The UK could easily pass for France, Sweden, Germany, or the Netherlands: it is thoroughly European in look and culture. The English drive little cars, live in dense cities, shop at boutiques, eat European-style food, play soccer and cricket, support socialism, and love European fashion.
Which one of these sound more "American?"
The British were not even the first Europeans to settle the United States, that honor belongs to the French and Dutch. I know the Brits founded the thirteen colonies, but that was more than 400 years ago. America also has many other significant cultural influences that the UK does not, including Native American, African, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, and Mexican, just to name a few. Both countries have grown apart from each other over the past four centuries, and while your statement may have been true in 1700, it isn't in 2010.
Last edited by northstar22; 02-17-2010 at 10:32 PM..
Reason: conciseness and clarity
I actually find little in common with the UK and the USA. Most people are, as someone else said, German, and yes Irish and English, but many are also of African descent, Italian,etc. Sure we speak the same language, but for all of the English speaking countries in the western world, UK and the USA seem to be distant. More like cousins as I have heard some say. And the culture is different too might I add. So many associate the USA with the UK and I completely understand why they do so, but I just personally view the two as completely different from each other.
New Zealand may outwardly look like America's slightly shabby cousin, and they do speak English, but if you stay any amount of time, you'll find that the cultures are actually really, really different.
America is dynamic, entrepreneurial, success-loving, future-oriented; New Zealand is staid, Tall-Poppy-chopping, inwardly focused, comfortable with the way things are. (Don't believe NZ's nation-branding campaign).
I actually find little in common with the UK and the USA. Most people are, as someone else said, German, and yes Irish and English, but many are also of African descent, Italian,etc. Sure we speak the same language, but for all of the English speaking countries in the western world, UK and the USA seem to be distant. More like cousins as I have heard some say. And the culture is different too might I add. So many associate the USA with the UK and I completely understand why they do so, but I just personally view the two as completely different from each other.
After living in London for a year, I have to agree that everyday life there is nothing like it is in the U.S. - night and day.
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