About strange myths that permeate MN about other countries and cultures

[Wetsummers]

Does anyone else know what I mean - in particular about ‘Africa.’ I’m not claiming to be an expert on African culture or social norms but I’m pretty sure the ‘African tribes’ often referred to on here are a myth.

See also the insistence that we start children at school too early. Pretty sure most 4/5 year olds are in some form of education / kindergarten or whatever.

And you can’t open a thread on sleep without someone confidently stating the Japanese all co sleep.

That American healthcare system is so bad, that anytime anyone gets anything other than a cold, they must declare themselves bankrupt. No one can afford any hospital healthcare.

That Ireland is a backwater country with all women repressed by their men. There was actually a thread pulled on it recently, it got so bad with the huge and incorrect generalisations about Ireland.

It’s really hard to find anything on MN at the moment.

If you don’t believe it, it is absolutely fine - no one’s going to lose any sleep over it. but trust me, there are several threads relating to baby wearing, sleep training, etc. that hold up ‘African tribes’ as the perfect example of parenting.

Yeah, people who have 'unusual surnames' DO get many people getting it wrong.

I don't even have an unusual surname, it's quite common, and yet I have lost count of the amount of times people have got it wrong. eg; it's Johnston and people say Johnson and even Thompson. I have had letters and correspondence written regularly to Mrs Johnson, (instead of Johnston.) And when I say Mrs Johnston on the telephone, I regularly hear 'thank you Mrs Thompson' or 'thank you Mrs Johnson.' I have even had Honson, and Bunsen. FFS.

I also have an unusual forename/Christian name, and if I had a pound for every time someone has spelt or pronounced it incorrectly I would be a multi millionaire.

So although I would not call anyone a fibber, I find it very hard to believe that someone with an unusual/non-English name, never - or very rarely - has people getting it wrong.

Also @Wetsummers YANBU. There are a lot of vast assumptions about stuff on here, but some of them do have a grain of truth in them, (some MORE than a grain.)

Well my DH was last week in Glasgow. A guy told him that the Scottish word for the English was paedo. Not this first instance for DH by a long way and probably not the last either.

That's hilarious! The Irish women I know are very much NOT repressed by their men! They'd die laughing if you suggested that to them. The men would too!

I have spend my entire life spelling my name, it's true. Hardly traumatic but true.

All Aussie homes have air-con, are built for warm weather. Except they don't and they are not. It gets cold in winter (shock, horror it even snows).

It's NOT a myth than in quite a few countries reading doesn't start till 6 or 7.
Even in Wales now, early years is mainly through play.

"That anyone with a non English name will be utterly tormented by having to spell it for the rest of their lives Hmm."

True, in my experience.

"I've also seen so posters making assumptions on how to pronounce certain names (specifically Irish/Gaelic names) who obviously don't know how to pronounce them."

Same with Welsh names and if a Welsh speaker corrects them (someone called Mike used to do it a lot) they get offended and continue to argue back.

I know. Im Irish myself! I do find a lot of generalisations on here about Irish people though. Some funny some shocking.

It’s mainly play based in England too.

That England is foggy and cold

I have a completely standard English first and last name.
I always spell it anyway of someone is taking it down.
I tell them my name.
Then spell it.
Makes life easier for everyone.
How is this in any way a hardship?
Also, if I'm taking somebody's name, I always check the spelling, even on completely standard English names.

And yet DH and I (and the kids) have been to Inverness, Oban, Wick, and Edinburgh, a number of times... (around a dozen visits to Scotland over the past 17-18 years,) and we have received nothing but warmth and kindness from the Scottish, and have been made to feel very welcome. (We live in the North Midlands.)

We have even had several of them say 'there's a new development being built down in such-and-such area, why dontcha take a look, there are sweet homes being built that would suit a lovely family like you.' (So, suggesting we move there!!!)

We have NEVER had any hostility from the Scottish when we have been in Scotland. Just friendly, affable, pleasant people. Maybe we just met different people/mixed in different social circles.

Also, we have quite a few people in our area who moved from Scotland 10-20 years ago, and they said they have received no hostility from the English either - ever. Again, must depend who you mix with/what social circles you frequent.

@TrashyPanda

I have a fairly normal English name and always have to spell it, that wouldn't be anything to do with it being foreign

But in theory can't people keep their children home in the UK until 5 when it's compulsory?

Yes @Oobydo in Scotland. No Reception, kids stay in nursery at age 4. They start school in P1 when they are between 4.5 and 5.5 years depending on when birthday falls

@WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps are you actually comparing your holiday experiences to my DH's several decades of actually lLIVING in Scotland as an Englishman? Jesus wept.

And I'm Scottish and have observed anti English xenophobia many many times.

I'm 27 and have always had to spell my non-English name and it does get a bit tiring after a while

I’ve lived in Asia with kids and my Japanese neighbour was horrified that we ‘made’ our 3 year old sleep on his own. She was so upset about it. Love you Eri-san! Japanese people do co sleep until about age 10. And in Korea, I have lots of Korean friends and colleagues too, in more traditional areas, outside the cities people still co sleep in one room, men and women and children separated, on the floor, on sleeping mats. And they have underfloor heating in winter. Lovely.

You're kind of right but very distorted version. They play a lot more, it's all play based. Here they push you at 4-5 disgustingly wrong. I come from the country you claim is the same. Most Europeans countries know that children are mentally more prepared and ready to academic learning at around 6-7 anything before that is play based.

"How is this in any way a hardship?"

It's a huge inconvenience in life (I can go into detail if you really want), but for me it's the fact that people can't pronounce my name more than spelling, which is maybe not such a big problem.

I'm another one who has never seen African tribes referred to on threads🤷🏼‍♀️
I have FOMO, Can anyone link?

That “hardly anyone” speaks Welsh in Wales and when they do it’s just to be rude to English people.