Are Americans just naturally loud?

[Bloominglovely]

I’m sitting in a crowded and very large coffee shop and there are two Americans sitting nearby. Theirs is the ONLY conversation where every word they are saying is clearly audible to everyone else. Here and there, a few words float from other tables but generally there is a ‘hum’ from other tables. Their table is practically shouting in comparison.

But the thing is they are NOT shouting, they are speaking in what seems their normal voices, whether they are talking about their aspirations for their futures or the nanny they had as kids. Their entire story is being shouted out in quite an incredible way. People are looking over, they seem oblivious.

My family is American but the first time we all went out for dinner here we could barely hear ourselves. We were totally drowned out by a table of Brits!

I also live in Texas and have a British acquaintance. I can hear his voice cut through a room full of chatter, it's mostly that his accent cuts through as it's different than the rest. I know a lot of loud Americans but also a lot of quiet ones. I myself am intentionally quiet.

That being said, a lot of Americans are self-involved idiots who have no idea how to behave in public. Probably true in any country, but I haven't traveled much!

I’m Dutch and I always find other Dutch people incredibly loud too. Perhaps it’s because I’m tuned into what they’re saying too.
Definitely agree about Americans being loud and also sounding quite whiny. My brother is American and would agree 😉

Sitting in an LA cinema and hearing three different (American) men answer their mobiles and have conversations in the course of the film was a cultural eye-opener.

I think this is where prejudice can start to get a hold and becomes racism etc. One or two cases create a false impression that taints the reality. We've got to realise that only a few Americans are loud - just like with any nationality - some 'people' are just loud.