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 think one of the things I find strange these days is how excess is perceived, what in the US is applauded as “abundance”, in Europe is seen as “wasteful, unnecessary or crass”

If you take a British self help book, most of the times the idea of having a better life is about having more free time, enjoying life more, spending more time doing what you like. The American ones are mostly about money and accumulating possessions.

@mathanxiety

Yeah ... figures that those committing more of the crime gets incarcerated more.

That's an ignorant assumption if you're talking about racial disparity in criminal justice in the US.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Sentencing_Act

There are white crimes and there are black crimes in the US.

Now do violent crime.

Or does the fact that 6% of the US population (black men, actually less than 6% since it’s mostly young men at that) commits over half of the murders sit uncomfortably with you? Well, it should.

Especially because they overwhelmingly kill other young black men.

My friend's nephew was busted for drugs and petty theft several times as a teenager, and the courts worked very hard to get him back to school and back on track. Which was a success, surprisingly. And he wasn't some rich suburban kid, he was fairly poor and Mexican American.

You would find many people in the UK would find your observation racist. I cannot imagine anyone here saying something like that. I have spent a long time in the UK, and feel shocked at the casual racism every time I’m back at the US.

Now, something that really gets my goat is the British obsession with cards, writing thank you cards, Christmas cards even Easter cards.

Apart of the Christmas cards, most other cultures just say thank or get you a gift when it applies without the need to add a piece of cardboard with some pre fab thoughts and a signature.

Having said that… I have come to find the American Christmas cards, with the cheesy photo of the family, a bit off these days.

@lilybunnyc

Another American - I don’t know anyone who says “hey, what are you doing?” as a greeting. I have picked up the British “you all right?” and my American friends and family look at me with great suspicion and get defensive because they think I’m implying something is wrong with them!

😂 I’m Canadian, and when I first moved to the Channel Islands everyone used the ‘You all right?’ greeting, and I was so confused and taken aback at first. I thought they were insinuating I looked ill 😂

@Blowingagale what is more shocking about those figures is that there are such huge proportions of minorities incarcerated when they are ^minorities”.

There is justice for the white Americans and justice for non white Americans/minorities. Same rules but applied differently.

I'm not American but I'm Australian and we are the same as Americans when it comes to driving. To get your driver's licence is considered a rite of passage, something you are expected to do, expected to want to do, like getting a job, paying your taxes, brushing your teeth. It's like, if you don't want to get your licence - what's wrong with you? Why not? And does that laziness/lack of initiative extend to getting and keeping a job. That's how the thought is around driving. It's just something that you want to do and are expected to do, and not wanting to is not an option unless there are medical reasons.
I do inwardly groan/roll my eyes when I read on here where neither parents drive. Imo if you have kids, you could have an emergency, it's irresponsible to have kids and not have your licence, unless you live in New York City or somewhere like that. But apart from that and medical reasons, if you have kids you should have your licence as it's just part (imo) of 'adulting'.

@Rummikub

Now I’m thinking I’ve been pairing opening communications incorrectly!

Hi Y’all right
I reply “yeah, you?”
(Is that correct ?)

That's fine Alternatives include:

Alright?
Aright, you?

An interesting difference is the use of the word please. Brits use please a lot as we see it as being polite; where as in the US it can be seen as being bossy/insistent. There is a TED talk that goes into it (prob better to look that up than me try to explain what I can remember from it…)

And why is that @UsedUpUsername ?
I hope you aren't implying that black men are inherently more violent?

@irresistibleoverwhelm
Thank you so much for your explanation - I love learning about this linguistic stuff

Some of us are quite literal and knowing that the first few exchanges of a conversation are not meant to be anything other than convention openers makes sense.

@GrandmasCat

My friend's nephew was busted for drugs and petty theft several times as a teenager, and the courts worked very hard to get him back to school and back on track. Which was a success, surprisingly. And he wasn't some rich suburban kid, he was fairly poor and Mexican American.

You would find many people in the UK would find your observation racist. I cannot imagine anyone here saying something like that. I have spent a long time in the UK, and feel shocked at the casual racism every time I’m back at the US.

I don’t understand. Where’s the racism in that comment? It’s important to note that the kid was of Hispanic decent due to the racism he might have experienced (but in this case didn’t) in the legal system.

@GeorgiaGirl52

I wonder why British people don't have the basics - central air conditioning, hot-air dryers and window screens? (Totally do not understand healthy able-bodied adults not driving!) In most subdivisions here it is against the rules to have an outdoor drying line, even in your own yard. It is considered trashy to hang your undies, etc. in public view. Screens provide privacy and protection. No cats, foxes, owls or bats flying in for a visit. With central air you close your windows and don't hear your neighbors all-night BBQ sing-a-long. Seems like even if you dislike America, you might want to adopt some of our conveniences?

Air conditioning - in the UK? 

And hot air dryers - plenty of people have them - we call them tumble dryers but yes plenty of people do also still line dry - it's significantly better for the environment and the UV exposure has the added benefit of deep-cleaning any residual bugs plus it means clothes smell lovely.

What are your practical arguments against that @GeorgiaGirl52 ? Don't you find it incredibly wasteful to use unnecessary every on drying clothes indoors when you can do the same outside for nothing and without the environmental impact?
Or do you faint at the sight of clean knickers?

I guess American Puritanism and consumerism is alive and well

@Mandalay246

I live in the US and the enthusiasm is genuine most of the time. They just get really excited about things and love to express it.

I would much more have the US enthusiasm tbh. Also, I don't understand why so many Brits think that people who say/do things differently from them are somehow in the wrong? I don't live in either the UK or the US and there are all kinds of greetings here - we don't feel the need to analyse or criticise them.

Has anyone criticised?

Never had a cat fox owl etc fly in for a visit so no screens needed here 😁.

Has anyone criticised?

Yes, some have - it's the old we are better than the US/Australia/any country you care to name theme coming through again.

Only been to America once but I was really amused by the fact that they can't seem to fathom accents? I'm from Surrey so I probably sound about as English as it's possible to but was asked if we were Australian several times and even German??

I came across "too easy" from an Australian the other day. I had to look it up afterwards.

Apparently it means no problem?!

American expat from the South. I have never heard "what are you doing" as a greeting.

Sociologist Kate Fox in Watching the English comments on the long, awkward leave-taking in the UK

The podcast Serial offers some really interesting insight into the US court system, especially season 3 which looks at "ordinary" cases in a single county. It highlights a lot of problems with the justice system

America is a very different country.

We share a language but culturally we are not the same.

Oh, and I love drying my laundry outdoors, but I did that in the US too. I'm perfectly happy to have my underwear on display to help the environment!

Usedupusername

Or it could be African Americans grow up in poorer economic circumstances, are targeted by the police more and don’t get decent legal defence. Read James O’Brien’s how not to be wrong or any book on racial injustice in the US or U.K. and it might help you understand the disparity in justice in both countries.

@GeorgiaGirl52

I wonder why British people don't have the basics - central air conditioning, hot-air dryers and window screens? (Totally do not understand healthy able-bodied adults not driving!) In most subdivisions here it is against the rules to have an outdoor drying line, even in your own yard. It is considered trashy to hang your undies, etc. in public view. Screens provide privacy and protection. No cats, foxes, owls or bats flying in for a visit. With central air you close your windows and don't hear your neighbors all-night BBQ sing-a-long. Seems like even if you dislike America, you might want to adopt some of our conveniences?

You are recommending “basics” that are specific to your part of the world. Try traveling.

I've never heard any Brits say "hi, how are you?" It's always "hi, you okay? Or "hi, you alright?" Which both imply (at least to foreigners) that something is wrong. It's quite off-putting. Maybe it's a regional thing.

It's a clothes dryer here in Australia. But we also still have the Hills Hoists in the backyard where we hang the washing.

The UK not having airconditioning really stumps me, too. The most common type of air conditioner is Split Cycle, meaning it's a heater in the winter and cooler in the summer. Hardly anyone has fireplaces in Australia. I've read on here about hospitals in the UK being so hot and not being climate controlled. In Australia, the health officials would have any hospital without air conditioning permanently closed down because not having a healthy regulated temperature in hospitals is a health hazard. I have never heard of a hospital not having air conditioning until I came to this forum. That would be dangerous for patients I would have thought. Even the really, really old buildings here have had mandatory air conditioning/climate control put into them. Same as fire alarms are mandatory in all homes.

But in some parts of the UK they only have their bins collected once a fortnight or once a month? Here, it is mandatory weekly. Even with a strike I believe the longest the bins can go without being emptied is 10 days. Even with once a week many people's wheelie bins are full to the top. Ours is collected every Friday morning, and this morning our bin was so full that the lid didn't shut. If we had to wait once a fortnight or once a month? Shudder.

So considering the lack of climate control in hospitals with sick people, and the bins not collected often, and I've read on here that some people in the UK only shower/bath every second day, I do think hygiene is laxer in the UK than Australia and the US.