Can someone explain the reasons behind these differences between Americans and Brits?

[kurstytemple]

I've noticed that Americans greet people often with, 'hey, what are you doing?' even when it's completely clear what the person is doing, ie, picking them up from the airport, bumping into them shopping. As opposed to the British greeting, 'hi how are you?'

Also Americans can say bye ONCE on the telephone yet us British folk seem to say bye about 1 million times repeatedly whilst hanging up the phone. For example, Americans - 'it was good speaking to you, bye'. Brits - 'it was good speaking to you, okay, you too, okay, bye, bye, bye, bye, byeeeee, bye, bu-bye, byeeeee'. What is that all about?

Additionally, I've been watching a lot of teen mom 2 and the court system over there just seems so much more straightforward and fair. Not sure if that's an accurate representation. But for instance, a person can go directly to the court for custody arrangements instead of all the faffing about before getting to that point, seems to be easier to get protection orders from someone and seems to be a bit more lenient with young people, making deals with them to ensure that certain convictions don't go on their record hence not making them unemployable. I still have to declare a breach of the peace I got at 18 pissed as a fart.

Anyway there's my ramblings. Anyone else noticed this or care to explain why the differences? Or point out any of their own for me to ponder

I have British friends who are lovely, as many posters on MN are also, but there is certainly a subset who have the belief that they are living in the only part of the world worth living in and can't wait to tell the rest of us.

I can say exactly the same but substituting American for British, @Mandalay246. I have a lot of American friends, all lovely, but a fair few of them think that the US is prefect and the UK quite pretty in parts, but otherwise insignificant. I have to bite my tongue when they put my country down every bit as much as you do, I suspect.

The main difference I've noticed, having lived for more than a decade in both UK and US, is that British people seem to care very much about how Americans live their lives, whereas Americans really don't give a shit how British people live their lives.

I don't think I've ever found a forum like this in the US where people compare themselves to the British.

The main reaction I get when people here my accent is how much they love it, and where am I from, and do I miss home.

TBF the UK really is quite insignificant, relatively.

@mathanxiety

However youtube seems to always direct me to an American screeching 'Whats up'. Infuriating

Example or it didn't happen....

American craft (knitting, quilting etc) videos on YouTube don't screech but always rabbit on too much about irrelevant stuff.

@ZZTopGuitarSolo oh dear, is someone feeling a little defensive?

She told me once that she was completely at a loss about the way the English often use the word "charming" in a way that means the complete opposite. I couldn't explain it, either, or how to tell which way it is meant

That’s just sarcasm though?

@LegoCaltrops, that's just one incident. There are thousands of judges in the US, maybe tens of thousands, hearing umpteen cases daily, without anything like that happening.

This was a most unusual incident. The Florida Supreme Court fired him for bringing the judicial system into disrepute and to prevent future incidents.

American craft (knitting, quilting etc) videos on YouTube don't screech but always rabbit on too much about irrelevant stuff.

Perhaps to establish rapport with the audience? To give a sense of the speaker's personality? Most of these people are amateurs hoping to become a 'presence' online, to turn their YouTube hobby into money, and sometimes they get the chit chat wrong, but you can always fast forward.

The cultural differences from US to UK are huge. Much more than between the UK and most other European countries, in terms of values, norms, lifestyles, etiquette etc. I think perhaps them using our language obscures that for many people so they believe Americans have a similar culture to us because it's more accessible to them than other European cultures, given the dominance of US programmes on TV and very poor language teaching in UK schools?

The comment about the greeting made me laugh. The UK version is also weird! "How are you?" yet said as almost a rhetorical question instead of "hello". What's wrong with "hello"? Almost everybody I know who has moved to the UK has been baffled by this, being asked a question that nobody wants an answer to as a greeting. It usually goes:

A: "How are you?"
B: Incoherent mumble "How are you"
A: So...

Then normal conversation. So odd. Most people unfamiliar with UK conventions initially think it is a genuine enquiry into their wellbeing and try to answer then get cut off! Also the constant apologising, whhhhyyy?

I can say exactly the same but substituting American for British, @Mandalay246. I have a lot of American friends, all lovely, but a fair few of them think that the US is prefect and the UK quite pretty in parts, but otherwise insignificant. I have to bite my tongue when they put my country down every bit as much as you do, I suspect.

I feel your pain @saraclara. I have several American friends also, but have not experienced that from them. Like my British friends they are all lovely. It is only on MN that I've noticed this superior attitude.

I thought this thread was about differences between the U.K. and the US? Why is it remotely relevant that you don’t live in a damp country? Good for you.

I was merely commenting on your ridiculous post about how difficult hanging washing out is! Incidentally I will be hanging mine out soon and it's still freezing outside. So sorry for daring to mention a country other than the wonderful UK. Chill out.

[quote kurstytemple]@ZZTopGuitarSolo oh dear, is someone feeling a little defensive? [/quote]
Just an observation. I’m British btw.

The comment about the greeting made me laugh. The UK version is also weird! "How are you?" yet said as almost a rhetorical question instead of "hello". What's wrong with "hello"? grin Almost everybody I know who has moved to the UK has been baffled by this, being asked a question that nobody wants an answer to as a greeting

And yet it's fairly widespread. Look, for instance at the French "Ca va?", the Spanish "Como vas?" and the German "Wie Geht's?"

Some British language is quite hyperbolic to American ears, for example
ordinary things are called "brilliant" all the time, and how
people are "gutted" over having someone not text them back in five minutes flat. Or people calling everyone cunts, including their own babies. It's hard to hear how everyday expressions used in your part of the world can sound extreme to people who live somewhere else.

Some British language is quite hyperbolic to American ears, for example
ordinary things are called "brilliant" all the time

Not sure how that's more hyperbolic than the American habit of calling everything 'awesome' tbh. I mean... inspiring awe sounds like quite a big deal.

And yet it's fairly widespread. Look, for instance at the French "Ca va?", the Spanish "Como vas?" and the German "Wie Geht's?"

And the American “What’s up?”

Where I am (SE England) ‘How are you?’ Is used as a follow up to Hello/Hi/All right? It’s not rhetorical- we actually answer it, but the convention is to keep the answer brief and positive.

Eg

‘Hi, how are you?’
‘Fine thanks, how are you?’
‘Fine thanks. Did you watch the match last night?’

Yes, asking how people are is normal across multiple countries.

Just as toasting to someone’s health is normal and not an accusation that they are ill.

I'm American but I've lived in Britain most of my adult life.

My aunt came to visit a few years ago and was gobsmacked by lots of little things: pegging the washing out, children aged
8 walking to school alone (no school buses??) The tiny windy roads, the lack of safety rails to keep children from falling off castle walls, the fact that I make a picnic all the time instead of just buying pizza when we get there (no pizza at the castle, oddly) the tiny cars, the benefits system, using a fireplace for actual heat and not just atmosphere, the size of our house (again, tiny) and the general lack of convenience.

Americans do value convenience more than British people in my opinion.

School buses are actually pretty terrific, though! It's not as if all British school children are walking--the school run is a big deal for a lot of parents. (American children walking depends both on distance and on local attitudes. In my neighbourhood, the kids who live too close for the bus walk unless there's a major road to cross.)

In my experience Americans are bad at distinguishing British accents unless they watch lots of British TV, but the British aren't very good at distinguishing American ones either except very thick southern or NYC. It goes both ways. Unfamiliarity. So much is just that. My American raised children are horrified by the idea of school uniform for example because they've never had to wear one. My eldest dyed her hair purple and is appalled that she wouldn't be allowed to wear it to school. My husband can't get his head round the idea of 12 weeks summer holiday and meanwhile the kids feel bad that English children only get 6.

Lazylinguist--I agree with you. I was responding to someone upthread who thought that Americans were uniquely hyperbolic. In my opinion, once words like brilliant and awesome become commonplace, they become invisible to the people who hear them every day, but may strike outsiders as overly dramatic.

We only have buses around here for special ed students. It's a densely populated suburb and nobody is so far away that they couldn't get to any school by some means. There's even relatively good public transport.

@waterlego

Where I am (SE England) ‘How are you?’ Is used as a follow up to Hello/Hi/All right? It’s not rhetorical- we actually answer it, but the convention is to keep the answer brief and positive.

Eg

‘Hi, how are you?’
‘Fine thanks, how are you?’
‘Fine thanks. Did you watch the match last night?’

The thing is, my experience in England is that the first word is "Alright?" No hi or any other intro. I get it now but it really threw me. In Canada asking someone if they are alright is checking they are even though something not so good has happened.

One thing. Drying laundry outdoors in good weather is something I would love to do, but I can't. We only have a balcony and the rules don't allow drying out there.

But in the winter I am not the slightest bit interested in spreading wet laundry around my apartment. A modern tumble dryer is energy efficient and practical. No virtue in drying on clothes horses here.

@DukeofEarlGrey

I’m British and do the trailing goodbye myself. I think it has to do with the usual meandering, slightly apologetic British style. We are a very indirect people.

My late grandmother was a lovely, sensitive person but her German upbringing meant she would just end a phone call by putting the phone down when she thought the conversation was finished. More than once I caught my mother holding the phone and looking slightly bewildered. I thought it was hilarious.

My grandmother did this and I too witnessed my mother looking bewildering at the phone mouthpiece.

I found it strange to sit down in a US diner or restaurant and be asked 'How are you guys doing today?' and be expected to reply in a similar fashion. As a Brit, I'm always polite to waiting staff but I don't want to be one of 'you guys' or engage in this sort of back and forth. I like watching Real Housewives and the initial verbal exchanges with the Housewives and those in customer service comes over as really insincere.