Americanophobia
 

We don't know the rest of the world, but use it as a toilet.
We know they don't like us, but they do really.

They 'king DON'T.

[YOUTUBE]slKNd22GGaQ[/YOUTUBE]

[QUOTE=davieddy;304667]We don't know the rest of the world, but use it as a toilet.
We know they don't like us, but they do really.

They 'king DON'T.[/QUOTE]Tell me more

[QUOTE=davieddy;304667]We don't know the rest of the world, but use it as a toilet.
We know they don't like us, but they do really.

They 'king DON'T.[/QUOTE]

:orly owl:

(I've always wanted to use that smiley)

[QUOTE=davieddy;304667]We don't know the rest of the world, but use it as a toilet.
We know they don't like us, but they do really.

They 'king DON'T.[/QUOTE]POV-confusion: "We"? "us"? You're American?

[QUOTE=cheesehead;304687]POV-confusion: "We"? "us"? You're American?[/QUOTE]If I were I'd probably get the chair* for "unpatriotic" language.
I was attempting to convey a non-American's common perception of
the average American's thinking.

Nothing personal of course.

Christopher Mayer (Britain's US ambassador till 2001) summed it
up by noting that the "boss" nation is always despised.
(And we should know!)

D

* I mean electric rather than the comfy or professorial variety:)

[QUOTE=davieddy;304702]If I were I'd probably get the chair* for "unpatriotic" language. [/QUOTE]

Yeah, you really don't understand the US.

[QUOTE=CRGreathouse;304708]Yeah, you really don't understand the US.[/QUOTE]Nope. We hardly ever hear of it over here. Very little influence.

[QUOTE=davieddy;304702]I was attempting to convey a non-American's common perception of
the average American's thinking.

Nothing personal of course.[/QUOTE]People seem to say nothing personal exactly when something is taken personally. I protested lump generalization of Americans back when you did it while calling us Yanks.

This still isn't all in good fun to me. Your skill in common perceptions might understand that.

Whinging about TF is fine, off-context Russel Brandish posts not so much, but the occasional provocative generalization to Americans who have been here talking with you for years is not received well in my corner.

It's true that Americans as a whole are not that used to British bathroom humor. That is something discussed is in the director's audio track of the The Man Who Knew Too Much movie DVD. But there was no humor in your toilet reference.

I don't know what prompted this current poke at America -- no context. At least the Lockerbie trial time there was a context. Perhaps it was that Geitner ventured to offer advice on Libor. I think you might be bored; that was my take on your mention of Hitler in your recent post in my language hobby thread.

Poster's
lavatorial
opinging
now
killfiled.

And I never do that. Well I did once with a poster who was banned for making a threat involving asking where exactly someone lived; so not quite never.

Sorry David -- and I really am sorry.

Ross

[QUOTE=davieddy;304702]If I were I'd probably get the chair* for "unpatriotic" language. [/QUOTE]Only in a Republican administration

[quote]I was attempting to convey a non-American's common perception of
the average American's thinking.[/quote]Oh, so you were imagining that you were channeling ...

[quote]Nothing personal of course.[/quote]The standard I follow is that references to groups, with no second-person or other reference to the actual forum members, isn't intended personally.

[quote]Christopher Mayer (Britain's US ambassador till 2001) summed it
up by noting that the "boss" nation is always despised.
(And we should know!)[/quote]True.

The importance of being Ernest
 

[QUOTE=only_human;304719]People seem to say nothing personal exactly when something is taken personally.[/QUOTE]
"Whenever someone says "I wish to talk to you on a matter of some delicacy" I know it is sure to be distinctly indelicate"

Oscar

The Empire Strikes Back
 

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19670686[/url]

[QUOTE=xilman;312904][url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19670686[/url][/QUOTE]

Gingers are the brunt of many jokes -- I'm not sure I'd call it prejudice, but I definitely don't think of gingerbread (or anything warm/comforting) when I hear the word.

I sincerely hope that the Imperial measurement system doesn't become the world standard. It is already crazy enough to put up with seconds, minutes, hours and months without having to add in inches, feet, yards, chains, miles, furlongs, gallons, pounds, ounces etc. But I like the dollars, I will always accept more of those.

[QUOTE=retina;312906]I sincerely hope that the Imperial measurement system doesn't become the world standard. It is already crazy enough to put up with seconds, minutes, hours and months without having to add in inches, feet, yards, chains, miles, furlongs, gallons, pounds, ounces etc. But I like the dollars, I will always accept more of those.[/QUOTE]
How about Rods, Pole or Perches?

Make mine a pint:smile:

pottles, ells, nails, squares, gills, giggers....

[QUOTE=retina;312906]I sincerely hope that the Imperial measurement system doesn't become the world standard. It is already crazy enough to put up with seconds, minutes, hours and months without having to add in inches, feet, yards, chains, miles, furlongs, gallons, pounds, ounces etc. But I like the dollars, I will always accept more of those.[/QUOTE]

Makes cents to me.

And now the NYT picks up the theme.

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/11/fashion/americans-are-barmy-over-britishisms.html[/url]

[QUOTE=garo;314412]And now the NYT picks up the theme.

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/11/fashion/americans-are-barmy-over-britishisms.html[/url][/QUOTE]I didn't know "twee."

I disagree with the article about any US usage of "chat up" that varies from the British meaning of "flirting" except perhaps by conveying less serious intent. I suppose that someone might try using it for a meaning of butter up, but it would be odd. I never have heard it used for a meaning of simply "talk to."

[QUOTE=only_human;314413]
I disagree with the article about any US usage of "chat up" that varies from the British meaning of "flirting" except perhaps by conveying less serious intent.[/QUOTE]

I would say that "chatting up" implies some intention of "pulling" whereas "flirting" is just being friendly.

You'll have to ask the late Sir Jimmy Saville about it.

David

[QUOTE=xilman;312904][url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19670686[/url][/QUOTE]Some more: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19929249[/url]

Most of them fed back to the Beeb by Americans living in the US.

[QUOTE=xilman;314965]Some more: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19929249[/url]

Most of them fed back to the Beeb by Americans living in the US.[/QUOTE]
"pop over" I wouldn't really call a Britishism, though it is less popular than (e.g.) "swing by".