Why do urban English teens copy Americans??

Lmao, these damn urban yoofs.

I'm of the opinion that any skullduggery and anti-social behavior should be clamped down on. These far fetched American trends will only lead to one outcome, trouble, and the sooner this is tackled the better. Bloody teenagers.

I highly doubt they're doing it to be American.
I live in London myself and to be honest I think 'the youth' are actually quite individual.

I agree, its very un-English, but they seem to never admit it.

Ive noticed many urban youngsters in London especially, copying the way Americans dress and talk; for example, 'blood, im wavey, word', is are all American slang terms, why do urban London youngsters decide to use these and claim they didn't copy? They wear Chicago Bulls caps, Jordans etc copying Americans, these are all of the urban American culture. Many Americans feel outraged that said youngsters 'beg' the American culture. Im just curios as Im an American now living in London, and these are not the only slang terms copied, literally everything new they see by Americans is copied, its like they have no identity. Do they do this because they want to be American? Ive noticed it is only the urban ones who do this too.

A significant portion of our TV and clothes stores come from America.

Edit: And I hope you're not criticising them. You did, after all, copy our entire language.

Its way to hard to get a green card duuuuuuuude.

Serious answer it's probably the exposure to your culture, we watch your TV, Films, listen to your music, even in computer games America is always the good guys :L


I don't try to be american or dress like one but i would kill for even a 0.001% of a chance of getting a greencard.

I live in London and have about three friends from America and it doesn't seem to bother them, in fact they're proud if someone embraces "American culture" idk what you're on about.

Ive noticed many urban youngsters in London especially, copying the way Americans dress and talk; for example, 'blood, im wavey, word', is are all American slang terms, why do urban London youngsters decide to use these and claim they didn't copy? They wear Chicago Bulls caps, Jordans etc copying Americans, these are all of the urban American culture. Many Americans feel outraged that said youngsters 'beg' the American culture. Im just curios as Im an American now living in London, and these are not the only slang terms copied, literally everything new they see by Americans is copied, its like they have no identity. Do they do this because they want to be American? Ive noticed it is only the urban ones who do this too.

Just a heads up - British "youths" have been saying "blud" (blood) since the 90s. Americans calling each other "blood" didn't really come about until the 00s, thanks to hip-hop culture.

"word" ? I think that was in the 90's . "blud (blood)" isn't American its Jamaican. Typcially and historicaly british youth has always copied american- or more specifically black American - youth slang of their music scene. the phrases 'cool, wicked' etc are all from the black American jazz scene of the 1930s&40s so probably most peoples granddads were imitiating them back then too. It usually starts in London then all other regions copy.

In America, Blood has been used since the 50s, as a term of address, usually among the African American community.

That doesn't explain why they use our slang, I mean you have a choice, you don't have to say 'blood, wavey, yall, word, trippin' etc.

Im not, im just deeply perplexed as I see other non urban but English youngsters not engaging in any of this copycat activity.

We did not copy 'your language' as it is not 'yours'. English is a Germanic language that was brought from what is now known as the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark by Anglo Saxon settlers, but the Romans were already here - you can guess what happened after. The native language spoken was a Celtic language called Bythronic - it was not created by 'English' people (which are Germanic anyway), therefore it is not 'your' language. The language belongs to Anglo Saxons which are obviously not English.