To ask why Americans are so loud?

[MrsMattBomer]

We've got some American relatives and their friends visiting today. My god, they're loud. They've commented several times at how quiet and restrained British TV shows are and even when just having a conversation with us they sound sooo much louder.

My eardrums feel like they're going to burst!

In general I have observed Americans to take up a lot of space too.

American tourists where I live are spectacularly loud, and bellowing, space hogging and obnoxious. So much worse when they're in a herd.

It doesn't come across as confidence to me, just dickishness, and lack of awareness and care about everyone else in the world. They come across as very entitled and arrogant. Of course it's easy to stereotype people, but in general I have found this to be true.

Intelligent ones seem to know to turn the volume down, or even better to button it, keep their arms in, and walk closer together. I suppose that's why I like New York.

Haha yes also I find because the UK is so teeny compared to the US they think we must know everyone that lives here. We were in Florida and mentioned to an American couple that we live in Bedfordshire, their reply was "oh my God you probably know such and such, they live in Plymouth!!" 😂 everything is quaint and cosy too here too

Oh I don't dislike them, it's just a shock to the system when you're not used to it.

I've noticed the over-confidence thing as well. I don't like that I must admit. It seems very North Korea to me that they pledge to their flag every morning in school and they're brought up thinking they're the best country in the world. This in the face of being near the bottom in terms of education, literacy and healthcare etc.

Mind you, they couldn't get used to how 'small' our cars are (since when was a 4x4 small?!) and one described the M6 as a back road!

I worked for American firms for 15 years and this is definitely true. I love Americans but I wish they came with volume controls!

I know an American lady who is lovely. She isn't loud but her voice really carries - I think it's a different pitch to an English accent, so it's like English people's general conversation is like a load of guitars playing together, then her voice is like a flute.

There is an odd pitch to Australian woman "of a certain age" too that I noticed when I was there. Another one is Scouse men - high pitched.

Spanish people... if you want non-stop noise, try Latinos & Spanish folk especially. I'm saying that as an American!

MrsMattBomer - YES! I find it such a weird disconnect how the US is so anti socialism, communism, etc etc but then encourages such overt displays of patriotism, like the hand over the heart during anthem, saluting flag, reciting pledge of allegiance every day at the start of school, etc. Even making such a big deal out of the 4th of July - Republic of Ireland, just to give one example had a much more significant, long lasting, and bloody battle to gain independence but don't seem to feel the need to celebrate it so aggressively!

The absolute pasting some of their athletes got over the summer when they forgot to put their hands over their heart when signing the anthem (when they had just won a gold medal for their country!), and, around the same time, the outrage when some other athletes deliberately sat during it to protest Black Lives Matter was insane!

Seems like the sort of thing you'd read about NK and shake your head thinking 'What would you expect from a totalitarian dictatorship,' not from a county so fervent about free speech!

Oh I love Spanish men people. I do speak it though which probably helps. They do like to chatter, but it doesn't seem to be as loud if you know what I mean.

With our American friends it felt like they were shouting even though we were three feet away from them. I don't think they really have indoor voices as I imagine everyone talks loudly so they've just got used to doing it to compensate.

anotheronebitthedust

I feel the same. The amount of times America has invaded places to topple dictatorships but they are basically the same.

I really find the whole "USA! USA! USA!" thing insane. Not only that but the absolute worship of the military over there. You have to offer your seat up to soldiers, that kind of thing. I even saw people over fighting over who got to pay for a soldier's meal when I was in Florida. My DP is military and he said it would drive him insane.

When we moved to the States my mum said it was because of the size of their houses (she found she was always having to holler for my brother and I to do anything)!
DM and step-father (American) recently visited and the only noise issue we had was that they had to have the tv at an incredibly high volume probably because step dad is going deaf.

I'm also a singer, Strong, but not opera. I didn't know about the extra employability!

In general Americans are louder than Brits because their accent means most of the sound is produced in a more resonant part of the mouth. If you put on the accent you may be able to feel it.

"MrsMattBomer

anotheronebitthedust

I feel the same. The amount of times America has invaded places to topple dictatorships but they are basically the same."

I feel the need to tweak the sentence a little bit

"The amount of times America has invaded places to topple an elected government and then install ruthless and murderous dictatorships but they are basically the same."

My theory is that they have to do that whole pledge of allegiance thing to hold the country together. I mean, they're a nation of immigrants, if they didn't create an overtly over the top American culture, the country would just split into a load of different cultures and backgrounds.

I find the tube often full of loud Americans in the summer, but when I'm in America find their volume fine - must attune the ear perhaps.

Getting a bit uncomfortable with all this. If we posted "all Greeks/Ugandans/Scots/Whatever are [insert notion]" we'd be accused of prejudice. Especially when this then veers off into some criticism of the way they talk about their country. Is it Ok to insult them specifically because they are Americans or can we have a go at everyone who is "other"?

I think a lot of it is when you are unaccustomed to an accent or intonation, it can sound different to your ears. I am Irish and a lot of english people speaking in public will sound very loud and almost braying to me, depending on the accent (don't find this with Scottish people- maybe the accent/intonation is more similar to my own). I find chinese people speaking to each other in Mandarin often sound as if they are angry or giving out - but it is just their intonation and tone is unfamiliar to me.

There is another thread on here today from an american wondering was it ok to join the site if not British and she got lots of warm welcomes. I did mean to pop on that thread and post that she would be very welcome but would need to develop a thick skin because it is considered perfectly ok by many posters to post things like this about americans:

American tourists where I live are spectacularly loud, and bellowing, space hogging and obnoxious. So much worse when they're in a herd.
It doesn't come across as confidence to me, just dickishness, and lack of awareness and care about everyone else in the world. They come across as very entitled and arrogant. Of course it's easy to stereotype people, but in general I have found this to be true.

I think (some) Brits are quiet. Of course if you are sat in a restaurant next to some braying hee-haws then it doesn't seem so!

I was racing up the road today to get away from an extremely loud Essex gewl and her Geordie friend who were howling their conversation at each other. They were next to me on the tube, got off at the same stop, same lift... I swear they were following me! I'm a bit deaf but have never heard such a loud conversation that wasn't a fight!

Agree Pallisers. The stuff on this thread from singers is interesting. A lot of the rest feels a bit like Yank-baiting. Prejudice ain't nice.

My dh is American and he says about ten words a day or so it seems and very quietly too. I can't get the man to talk..much of his family are similar.
America is a big place, what some Americans are like has nothing to do with what others are like.

Spaniards all taking together I find absolute agony on the ear. I have lots of Spanish friends and dd1 is fluent in Spanish but I do find it painful to listen to ( and I used to be a language teacher!).

BdumBdummer

We're not insulting anyone. These are my relatives and friends - I think they're brilliant people. DP works regularly with Americans.

It's just that we find them a bit loud.

I don't think it's insulting to say we find their whole patriotism thing a bit weird - I'm sure they find plenty about us weird too.

Is it confidence or just arrogance? They are constantly brainwashed into thinking they are the greatest county on earth. Many have never even travelled outside the USA so their experience of other countries and cultures is limited. Only a very low percentage of the population actually have passports.

Many have never even travelled outside the USA so their experience of other countries and cultures is limited. Only a very low percentage of the population actually have passports.

Have you taken a look at the size of America? Many of the population don't need to travel to Europe - there is an entire large country for them to vacation in. Many english people take a trip to NYC or Florida and think they have seen "America" - which is the definition of a "limited" experience of America. How many English people use their passport to go to spain or France and never set foot in Asia or Africa etc - do you really think having a passport to spend 2 weeks in Magaluf or a month in the Dordonge confers some sort of automatic broad-mindedness?

I don't know why I post on these threads. People think it is perfectly ok to stereotype an entire country in a way they'd be up in arms about if someone did it to them.

It's because we're all half-deaf from firing off our guns an hour every day.

Or not.

Actually, I don't know, I wonder it myself. Not all Americans are loud, but in general we're probably louder than some cultures.

Dh is British and he speaks like Brian fucking Blessed.

I really find the whole "USA! USA! USA!" thing insane. Not only that but the absolute worship of the military over there. You have to offer your seat up to soldiers, that kind of thing. I even saw people over fighting over who got to pay for a soldier's meal when I was in Florida. My DP is military and he said it would drive him insane.

That's not universal. There's a general respect for the military, but it's somewhat new (see below). The "worship" is quite limited, though. You said you were in Florida; there's quite a few military bases there, and you may have been near one.

Hell, for decades around and after the Vietnam War, men (and women) wouldn't even tell anyone they were war vets because they didn't want the scorn. Then Desert Storm in the early 90's happened, and acceptance started to shift, and after 9/11, it really became OK to be a soldier again.

And AFAIK, you're not expected (let alone obligated) to offer up your seat to soldiers. I've never heard that one before.