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Do you hate Americans?

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Bismarck

No you're dispicable for being so petty and for judging people based on how they talk and not what they say.

Social mobility is the ability of individuals to move up the socioeconomic ladder if they possess the necessary skills and put in the necessary amount of effort. If having the skills and motivation does not allow a person to rise to the top, then social mobility is lacking.

I would say talking in phrases from a foreign culture or different region of the country thats not where someone is from, or living at the time is usually pretentious, eg unnecessary French phrases...
I agree with the second part, but i'm debating how its measured, and if there's any figures to indicate there's more mobility in the US.

Reply 2681

Bismarck

naivesincerity

Most people wouldn't understand the French/Latin phrases; as you yourself admit, you do understand the American ones. Once again, why do you care more about form than substance?

Reply 2682

naivesincerity

Bismarck

Most people wouldn't understand the French/Latin phrases; as you yourself admit, you do understand the American ones. Once again, why do you care more about form than substance?

I don't care about form if it comes from somebody who's actually from/lives in America.
But if i went around saying, for example, 'yer man there's after spilling my pint, the big gob*****' or 'just for the craic' when i'm not from Ireland, it would be pretentious....

Reply 2683

psychic_satori

naivesincerity

I don't care about form if it comes from somebody who's actually from/lives in America.
But if i went around saying, for example, 'yer man there's after spilling my pint, the big gob*****' when i'm not from Ireland, it would be very pretentious....

Really? No one just has fun with accents with their friends just to be silly? Are my friends and I really that strange? :frown:

Reply 2684

naivesincerity

psychic_satori

Really? No one just has fun with accents with their friends just to be silly? Are my friends and I really that strange? :frown:

No...
For fun, yeah, but not as part of one's real persona...

Reply 2685

psychic_satori

naivesincerity

No...
For fun, yeah, but not as part of one's real persona...

But if you do it frequently enough it become part of one's persona...for instance, I tend to say certain words like a Canadian just from putting on a Canadian accent so often.

Reply 2686

naivesincerity

psychic_satori

But if you do it frequently enough it become part of one's persona...for instance, I tend to say certain words like a Canadian just from putting on a Canadian accent so often.

You're making me feel guilty... :smile:

Maybe it's different within the US and Canada

I'm tempted to say it would be a 'faux-pas' :smile:

Reply 2687

dave

psychic_satori

Really? No one just has fun with accents with their friends just to be silly? Are my friends and I really that strange? :frown:

No, just normal.

Reply 2688

psychic_satori

naivesincerity

You're making me feel guilty... :smile:

Maybe it's different within the US and Canada

The thing is, incorporating a few words here and there shouldn't be seen as treachery. It's just language. English wouldn't even exist if our ancestors weren't open to creativity and borrowing words from other languages. :smile:

Reply 2689

djchak

There is no way I know of to measure "social mobility", but certain influences on it like unemployment, per capita earnings, tax rates would factor in...at least if we are talking about the economic part.

The more intresting part for me is the actual social/interpersonal angle that the US has, and the UK has. How they handle it differently.

For example , take a south asian immigrating to the UK, or the US ....even though the economic mobility would be the same, what would the actual SOCIAL differences be? We his kids keep more of thier culture in the UK, then in the US?

Reply 2690

dave

naivesincerity

I think that for most people, an extended stay anywhere in the world would see them talking the local vernacular. And it would still be with you upon coming home for a period of time. Anyone who would then make a comment on your speech habits, would, imho, be a little sad.

Reply 2691

naivesincerity

djchak

There is no way I know of to measure "social mobility",

Best way i can think of is to record the percentage of the countries earners earning less than a person, and to compare that percentage to the corresponding figures for their parents.

Reply 2692

naivesincerity

bodhisattva

Yes but i'm not talking about those people. I'm talking about people who don't have that accent even, and have NO ties with the country whatsoever...

Reply 2693

Bismarck

naivesincerity

Best way i can think of is to record the percentage of the countries earners earning less than a person, and to compare that percentage to the corresponding figures for their parents.

That would measure results, not opportunity. Social mobility is the possibility of advancement if other conditions are met, not everyone advancing whether they meet those conditions or not.

Reply 2694

dave

naivesincerity

Yes but i'm not talking about those people. I'm talking about people who don't have that accent even, and have NO ties with the country whatsoever...

Fair enough. You mean people who actually go around permanently imitating a different accent and vernacular for whatever reason? e.g. to impress?

Reply 2695

naivesincerity

bodhisattva

Fair enough. You mean people who actually go around permanently imitating a different accent and vernacular for whatever reason? e.g. to impress?

I mean...oh *******s, i'm tired of this :smile:

I mean pretentious sounding use of foreign vernacular from a person with no link to that country/region...i don't wan't to talk about it any more :frown:

Sometimes i get the impression it's regarded as anti-american to believe that the entire world's culture shouldn't be americanised. :confused:

Reply 2696

naivesincerity

Bismarck

That would measure results, not opportunity. Social mobility is the possibility of advancement if other conditions are met, not everyone advancing whether they meet those conditions or not.

What kind of conditions?

Reply 2697

dave

naivesincerity

Pretty much yes

Can't say I know anybody like that. I'd find it strange to say the least, if the reason were purely to attempt to impress others, I'd find that a little sad. Ok as psychic_satori mentioned - we've all done it at some time or other in fun - but to integrate it as part of one's life?