If I ever judged the UK by what I saw on TV when I lived in the US

[Tee2072]

Everyone in the UK would either speak with a Cockney or RP accent.

They would all either live in an over crowded terrace or a huge country estate.

All the schools would be crap.

The populace would spend their entire lives in pubs.

Now, I never believed any of that, being a relatively smart human being.

So am I being unreasonable to wonder how come I'm constantly battling US TV stereotypes here on MN?

It's a thread about many many many threads.

I'd love to go to America. My dad and stepmum are saving for a cross country road trip in a Winnebago. I'll have to fly out and meet them somewhere
.
Actually, I have a question. Is it preferable to say USA, US, The States or America. Is there a difference in the way there is a difference between Uk, great Britain etc.?

HighJinx Yes, I got told off for that when I was in Panama, and I said I was American. "We're all American, you don't have a monopoly on it."

Yikes.

Actually that question probably makes me a thick Brit.Sorry!

"I never met a circumcised penis until I came to live in Britain."

That made me lol a bit.

Never met a bald prick until you came to the UK.... now you know loads

I have a US step family. They loved my cute little home and could not believe how much it cost. It's a normal semi with a 130ft garden.

they were shocked by my maternity leave being in months and not weeks.

They think the food is awful. Food out, I can see where they are coming from. I think we made lovely food for them though.

They thought one bathroom was hilarious. They are right.

Katya No, quite a valid question really! I don't think anyone really has an opinion on which name you use. I think Americans like "The States" because it's quite English, I think I normally use the US or The States, but they're all the same place, so it won't cause any offense like it would here if you called something the wrong name!
The USA just conjures up images of bald eagles and waving flags... It's a bit too patriotic for me!

reggiebean How are you meant to refer to your nationality then? I know that the country can be called The States or The US etc. But how else do you refer to the people?

US citizen?

As in: "you can't do this to me arrest me for drugs possession I'm a US citizen"

As you know the US army will deploy against anyone who lays a finger on an american.
Unless it's the american army who's in danger, in which case they'll deploy a nutcase Rambo.

I'm not sure really, I suppose you're meant to say, "I'm from the US." as opposed to "I'm American."?

I think it's quite clear when someone tries to stutter out, "Yo soy Americano." that I'm probably not South American, so it would be a given, but who knows...

Thanks.

All American houses have staircases that sweep down into the living room. And they have sort of saloon doors into the kitchen from the living room.

Fact

Quangle, I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but my stairs sweep into the hall. The living room is entirely separate. The only time we (briefly) did live in a house like that, we moved out pretty quickly because the house was so bloody noisy all the time!

I actually never encounter 'You aren't American, you're from the US' until I moved to the UK. And I've spent extensive time in Mexico, although not the rest of S America and I've only been to Canada once.

I just call myself American. shrug

US, USA, The States all mean the same thing. The 50 States that form the United States of America, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico.

Oh and the time I've spent in Mexico has been with my Sister In Law's family. She's Mexican.

CoolStoryBro say it isn't so

All houses in the States are open plan aren't they We looked at an open plan house last year and were told it had 'an American floorplan' so it must be true

Tee I'm sure it's not all Mexicans who feel that way. I was curious though if it was something that was widely felt across the Americas however. This particular Mexican woman was lovely but very feisty.

I grew up in a non-open plan colonial style house. Delineated living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, study/mudroom thing that had no name!

That was in Connecticut. Which is next to New York.

Yeah and all the houses have a front door that opens straight into a large open plan living area with a sofa, sorry, couch, that faces away from everything else.

I remember the first time I brought my DP to my mom's house, he was amazed that it was just one story (it's a "rancher"). He was convinced that all houses in the states had at least two floors.

Come to think of it, the American Fridge is yet another InVerse Tardis. Huge on the outside and very badly organised inside so that it's quite hard to get much in it. I can squeeze nearly as much food into our under-counter fridge-freezer in UK as I can into my dad's giant American Fridge-freezer.

When my mother lived alone she had 2 huge fridge-freezers.

And the washing machines. OMG, Needed to wash 3-5 outfits for each of 6 people. Could not get the American washing machine even half full with all that. And then everyone thinks you're bizarre if you try to air dry rather than tumble. (sigh, and they wonder why they have an energy crisis).

To add to the gaiety of nations, I used to know an Australian who, when drunk, would rant about use of The States. "They aren't the only fucking country on the planet to have them you know. It's just arrogant to drop the America bit and keep 'the States' like they are the only ones..."

I agree about washing machines. My brother lived for a while in another country that goes in for top loaders. On my god, the damage that those blades do to your clothing.

On Modern Family I find it hard to believe that the Dunphys have that great big detatched house and support a SAHM and 3 kids on a realtor's salary, whereas Mitchell lives in a flat but is a lawyer.

its not real getorf

Hiking seems a really big deal in the us. My brother was always raving about hiking in the canyon on trails. If I suggested going for a walk on Exmoor when he lived in England though he would have told me to piss right off can only assume that walking is better in america!

Ooh shoofly tell me about tennessee

I thought I was pretty knowledgable about life, but only discovered that Puerto Rico was a US territory a few years ago

The "American" thing can be a bit difficult. When we drive to Canada, at the border when asked our nationality, we always say "US."

I am a Southerner. It is sadly true that congealed salad is a thing here in the South. I hate it. I also do not like grits. But fried okra, now that is the food of the gods.

Ooh, I LOVE grits... And giant washing machines.