The Student Room Group

What do you Brits have against Americans?

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Original post by Kdm4life
Lol aluminium looks hideous. Thats probably why we got rid of the silent I.


No, you invented the silent I :tongue:

Original post by annabelisme
I would say most of it comes from American TV shows. Like in the simpsons, all the men are fat.


I love the simpsons though, cos the self-depricating humour is just like British comedy :biggrin:
Original post by Kdm4life
Im American, and I've always been fascinated by other cultures, particularly the British culture. Naturally, I started doing research, and came across numerous(at least a dozen that i actually watched, but there were plenty more) Youtube videos of British people bashing Americans. At first, I thought these were isolated incidents, then I discovered this site, and also discovered that arguably the majority of the people on this site also seem to have some sort of deep seated hatred of Americans. I didnt let it perturb me however, and decided to Study Abroad in London at KCL. I got there in a joyous mood, but that mood was soon changed when I realised that me and my friends were automatically being categorized as fat, dumb, and unaware of world events, purely because we were American(We are the opposite of all three). We were also criticized for not understanding British slang and for "not speaking proper English".

Can someone please explain to me where this is coming from. I dont like to make generalizations, but all of the experiences that I have had with British people have involved them making fun of the US in some way, shape, or form. Is it jealousy? I personally dont see what there is to be jealous about, but I cant really think of any other reason. I know that you all are not like this, but why do British people take the worst possible stereotypes of Americans and push them on all of us?


It comes from the Americans cheating in the war of independence
Original post by Kdm4life
Im American, and I've always been fascinated by other cultures, particularly the British culture. Naturally, I started doing research, and came across numerous(at least a dozen that i actually watched, but there were plenty more) Youtube videos of British people bashing Americans. At first, I thought these were isolated incidents, then I discovered this site, and also discovered that arguably the majority of the people on this site also seem to have some sort of deep seated hatred of Americans. I didnt let it perturb me however, and decided to Study Abroad in London at KCL. I got there in a joyous mood, but that mood was soon changed when I realised that me and my friends were automatically being categorized as fat, dumb, and unaware of world events, purely because we were American(We are the opposite of all three). We were also criticized for not understanding British slang and for "not speaking proper English".

Can someone please explain to me where this is coming from. I dont like to make generalizations, but all of the experiences that I have had with British people have involved them making fun of the US in some way, shape, or form. Is it jealousy? I personally dont see what there is to be jealous about, but I cant really think of any other reason. I know that you all are not like this, but why do British people take the worst possible stereotypes of Americans and push them on all of us?


I second the other users, I guess pretty much everything has been said. Except from....

Is this what you are talking about, OP? :tongue:

41589940.jpg
and add in the fact that many USAmericans seem to struggle with irony and sarcasm ,... it's no wonder that we are two nations divided by a common language ...

there is also a perception that the 'majority' of USAmericans have a parochial view of things and that hypocrisy is rife ( NORAID anyone ... ) in politics as well as 'moral' stuff ...
Did anyone else read this in an American accent?
Anyway they are just stereotypes. Don't take them seriously.
OP, this is really corny and its from Love Actually but Hugh Grant sums up why we dislike the 'political culture' of your country, not the people themselves...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJHYB51YVfs
Reply 86
Original post by Jimbo1234
British people are xenophobic and sexist. It is so deeply engrained most people do not even realise that it is there.
It has developed due to being insecure and being unable to admit that our country has flaws, therefore everyone has to attempt to make out that every other country is worse.


EDIT: The number of negs yet no counter arguments, show that I am yet again right.


i think that the problem that people have with Americans is the perception that many genuinely believe that they live in "the best country in the world" (which is often quoted at their highly expensive political rallies). I think many other nations find this paticularly annoying/arrogant/ignorant etc i.e. they do not recognise their own faults. I know this comment is slightly ironic as it is a massive generalisation however i do think it is justified as many americans i have met whilst travelling there and whom i read about in political magazines actually say things like this. i would like to add that i have met many americans who aren't like this at all (but i would say that they are the lesser proportion)

on the other hand, the british are far more reserved and they recognise their faults (many of which you have mentioned). this is why british comedy is said to be one of the best in the world as they are better able to make fun of their own society without audiences becoming offended. (if you watch american comedy you will find that although it is very funny, it rarely pushes the limit)
"Well I say, I don't have anything against the old boys across the pond. Now do excuse me, I've got a polo game coming up and I still haven't finished my tea. It would be such a spot of bother if I was to miss it...Coming Charles!"

Spoiler



Every country has stereotypes, just got to live with it and laugh at them.
(edited 11 years ago)
Well you've had Regan, Bush Senior & Bush Junior in office at various times over the past couple of decades - that's enough to mock you for, even before we get into you destroying our language with your little tweaks:

Aluminium, colour, grey, rubbish - not aluminum, color, gray, garbage. Of course, that you get so butt-hurt over a slight bit of ribbing just means we'll keep on mocking you.

We mock everyone, the Jerrys, France, Mexicans, Aussies, each other (porridge wogs, sassanachs etc.), get over yourselves.
Reply 89
Original post by cokeke2
i think that the problem that people have with Americans is the perception that many genuinely believe that they live in "the best country in the world" (which is often quoted at their highly expensive political rallies). I think many other nations find this paticularly annoying/arrogant/ignorant etc i.e. they do not recognise their own faults. I know this comment is slightly ironic as it is a massive generalisation however i do think it is justified as many americans i have met whilst travelling there and whom i read about in political magazines actually say things like this. i would like to add that i have met many americans who aren't like this at all (but i would say that they are the lesser proportion)

on the other hand, the british are far more reserved and they recognise their faults (many of which you have mentioned). this is why british comedy is said to be one of the best in the world as they are better able to make fun of their own society without audiences becoming offended. (if you watch american comedy you will find that although it is very funny, it rarely pushes the limit)


Whats wrong with that? I personally dont believe it, but why cant someone have national pride and believe their country is the best? I know there are plenty of people in the UK, and other countries around the world who believe their country is the best country in the world, whether it actually is or not.
Reply 90
I think the British accent is the most annoying thing I've heard in my life. And there are people mocking the American one.

And someone said British humour is regarded as the best in the world....

That was the only funny joke I've seen
Reply 91
British accents are truly revolting.
Reply 92
Does anyone else think that the Americans sound so monotone when they talk? Ahhhh my goodness.
Reply 93
They spit every time they say something. I'd never come into close proximity of them D:

And even though brits add those extra letters to words such as colour (or if you prefer, Brits prefer to keep the letters in words such as colour, whereas Americans are too lazy to write it all out and removed it), they don't pronounce half of the letters in the words.

And those mocking the American accent. LOL. There are so many types, and many which are quite different from the common one. Even though I know there are different dialects in England, they all are pretty similar imo
Reply 94
Original post by Kdm4life
Whats wrong with that? I personally dont believe it, but why cant someone have national pride and believe their country is the best? I know there are plenty of people in the UK, and other countries around the world who believe their country is the best country in the world, whether it actually is or not.


you're partly right in the sense that a bit of national pride is a good think. but the problem i find in america (that is a difficulty to find in other nations) is that their patriotism blinds them to the ills that engulf their society (leading to little change e.g. racism, the very right wing politcal system etc). this blindness also incourages ignorance of many foreign countries (i know that this is a generalisatin and i am sure that there are many americans that know their way around a map but there are disproportinately too many who do not, purely because in their eyes america is all that matters so the actions of america in other countries is a non issue). i know this can be said of british foreign policy (think iraq, afghanistan, falklands) but i think there is more public remorse/sense of guilt for these controversial wars in Britain. in saying this, i do not live in america so i cannot be 100% that this is the view of it citizens.
this is purely what i sense as an outsider looking in

apologies for my horrendous spelling and grammar....see why i didnt argue that americans don't use correct english
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 95
Original post by Bloodrazor
I think the British accent is the most annoying thing I've heard in my life.


This is the one that annoys me the most to be honest...

There is no "British accent", listen to someone from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and then tell me they sound the same...

By "British" you mean English, and even then the English accent varies a lot depending on where in the country you are... Listen to someone from Liverpool, then Newcastle then London, they are completely different...

When you say British accent you are thinking of the early 20th century "BBC News" accent, the really upper class, posh way of speaking. Trust me there are very few people in England who still speak like that.
Reply 96
A lot of Americans are ignorant, stupid, arrogant, lazy and fat. But hey, try to break the stereotype and set a good example for your country.

"Ooh, you're from Norway! The capital of Sweden!"
Reply 97
Original post by iCiaran
This is the one that annoys me the most to be honest...

There is no "British accent", listen to someone from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and then tell me they sound the same...

By "British" you mean English, and even then the English accent varies a lot depending on where in the country you are... Listen to someone from Liverpool, then Newcastle then London, they are completely different...

When you say British accent you are thinking of the early 20th century "BBC News" accent, the really upper class, posh way of speaking. Trust me there are very few people in England who still speak like that.


Yeah, English accent. Scottish and Irish accents don't sound as bad. And as I've said in a post before, regardless of the dialect, they're still pretty similar imo and they're all equally annoying.

I mean if you compare the redneck southern accent with the normal american accent....

lol
Reply 98
Original post by Muscovite
But British accents sound hugely different from each other - for insatnce Northern irish sounds different to Brummy or Scouse - wheras all American accents sound broadly the same?:confused:


yeah totally.

It's too difficult to distinguish between a Brooklyn accent and a southern accent.

And see my other post bro, I don't want to offend Scots and Irish people, their accents are pretty raw.
Original post by Bloodrazor
And those mocking the American accent. LOL. There are so many types, and many which are quite different from the common one. Even though I know there are different dialects in England, they all are pretty similar imo


I have the complete opposite opinion. All my foreign friends agree, Britain has more variety in accent and dialect, given its small size, than most countries. I'm sure there are many American accents that I can't recognise, but I assure you: there are a ridiculous number of individual accents within the UK.

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