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 Dreadwinter wrote:

Edit: Is Welsh really an accent? I thought it was some unintelligible language spoken by people whose vocal cords had not fully evolved.

I think Tom Jones and the rest of the world would disagree.

IIRC, chromedog is talking about the thing the Alamo is most famous for in the UK - Ozzy Osbourne getting arrested for peeing on it.


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 Dreadwinter wrote:
We pretty much love all of them. It is a novelty thing honestly. Also, the more slang you use, the better. Call something a bonnet and everybody around you is going to come over and be like "I'm sorry, did you just call that car hood a bonnet? Can I get a picture with you?" Then the next thing you know you will be the hot trending topic on somebodies social media account with the tag line "I met a real life Aussie today!"

From one of those "hints for ignorant Americans" emails that occasionally does the rounds; "if you meet someone who sounds British but acts like a Texan, he's Australian".

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Scrabb wrote:
Fahrenheit/Celsius. Happyface is having a bit of a laugh at not adjusting scales.

I adjusted the scales, 90F is about 30C which is absolutely boiling.

My bad.

Funny part is, I am genuinely surprised when people react to 90F that way.

 Dreadwinter wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:
Just as a side, what is it about the British accent that other countries seem to love so much? And is it just the middle class southerner accent or do you guys love Cockney, Northerner, Welsh, Scottish, etc.?

We pretty much love all of them. It is a novelty thing honestly. Also, the more slang you use, the better. Call something a bonnet and everybody around you is going to come over and be like "I'm sorry, did you just call that car hood a bonnet? Can I get a picture with you?" Then the next thing you know you will be the hot trending topic on somebodies social media account with the tag line "I met a real life Aussie today!"

Edit: Is Welsh really an accent? I thought it was some unintelligible language spoken by people whose vocal cords had not fully evolved.

I'm Welsh and yep it's a proper accent, except the gogs who live in north Wales, if you ain't from the valleys, you ain't Welsh!


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 mrhappyface wrote:

 Dreadwinter wrote:

Edit: Is Welsh really an accent? I thought it was some unintelligible language spoken by people whose vocal cords had not fully evolved.

I think Tom Jones and the rest of the world would disagree.

SIR Tom Jones


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Scrabb wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Scrabb wrote:
Fahrenheit/Celsius. Happyface is having a bit of a laugh at not adjusting scales.

I adjusted the scales, 90F is about 30C which is absolutely boiling.

My bad.

Funny part is, I am genuinely surprised when people react to 90F that way.

30*C is redders mate, I know some lizards who love for that kind of weather though.

 Formosa wrote:

 Dreadwinter wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:
Just as a side, what is it about the British accent that other countries seem to love so much? And is it just the middle class southerner accent or do you guys love Cockney, Northerner, Welsh, Scottish, etc.?

We pretty much love all of them. It is a novelty thing honestly. Also, the more slang you use, the better. Call something a bonnet and everybody around you is going to come over and be like "I'm sorry, did you just call that car hood a bonnet? Can I get a picture with you?" Then the next thing you know you will be the hot trending topic on somebodies social media account with the tag line "I met a real life Aussie today!"

Edit: Is Welsh really an accent? I thought it was some unintelligible language spoken by people whose vocal cords had not fully evolved.

I'm Welsh and yep it's a proper accent, except the gogs who live in north Wales, if you ain't from the valleys, you ain't Welsh!

Aye, those Anglesey posers don't have nearly enough canals to call themselves Welsh.


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 Formosa wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Dreadwinter wrote:

Edit: Is Welsh really an accent? I thought it was some unintelligible language spoken by people whose vocal cords had not fully evolved.

I think Tom Jones and the rest of the world would disagree.

SIR Tom Jones

My apologies, must always refer to a national treasure by their full title.

 AndrewGPaul wrote:
IIRC, chromedog is talking about the thing the Alamo is most famous for in the UK - Ozzy Osbourne getting arrested for peeing on it.

Nail. Head. On it.

Here's a culture question that might apply to all of the USA not just Texas - traffic jams. Do Americans really sit in long lines of traffic beeping the car horn the whole time even when nothing is moving?

I mean I see it all the time in films and whilst I'm aware a lot of things happen in films just because its a film not because of reality, but its made me curious to wonder if its really like that!

 Overread wrote:
Here's a culture question that might apply to all of the USA not just Texas - traffic jams. Do Americans really sit in long lines of traffic beeping the car horn the whole time even when nothing is moving?

I mean I see it all the time in films and whilst I'm aware a lot of things happen in films just because its a film not because of reality, but its made me curious to wonder if its really like that!

For the most part, no. Now, often people get frustrated/angry when stuck in traffic, so sometimes if the guy ahead of you isn’t paying attention when things move, might hit their horn. But I’ve never seen that constant beeping thing.

There is an old joke related to that though. “The definition of ‘instantaneous’ is the time between when the light turns green and the NY cabbie behind you hits his horn.”

It’s a big country though, it might be normal in other areas though.

 Overread wrote:
Here's a culture question that might apply to all of the USA not just Texas - traffic jams. Do Americans really sit in long lines of traffic beeping the car horn the whole time even when nothing is moving?

I mean I see it all the time in films and whilst I'm aware a lot of things happen in films just because its a film not because of reality, but its made me curious to wonder if its really like that!

I’ve had that experience many a time stuck on the M25 and A12, it’s far from a USA-only issue

 Overread wrote:
Here's a culture question that might apply to all of the USA not just Texas - traffic jams. Do Americans really sit in long lines of traffic beeping the car horn the whole time even when nothing is moving?

I mean I see it all the time in films and whilst I'm aware a lot of things happen in films just because its a film not because of reality, but its made me curious to wonder if its really like that!

Major American cities tend to have bad traffic issues due to a lack of public transportation, aging highways, and residential sprawl. In most major metro areas it tends to be worse around "rush hour" from about 7-9 am and 4-6 pm as people rush to get to, and away from, work. This tends to overload the infrastructure and it is very common for tired/distracted/impatient drivers to get into wrecks that cause further delay. Los Angeles and NYC tend to consistently top lists for top traffic with cities like Atlanta, Washington D.C., Miami, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, etc. filling out the top 10. Which is pretty consistent with their size and being huge centers of activity. As to honking, that varies by region but is generally considered rude if traffic isn't moving- no one can do anything about it and it just increases tension. If someone is sitting at a light with traffic backed behind them messing with their phone, trying to make an illegal turn etc., it is probably to be expected!

 Overread wrote:
Here's a culture question that might apply to all of the USA not just Texas - traffic jams. Do Americans really sit in long lines of traffic beeping the car horn the whole time even when nothing is moving?

I mean I see it all the time in films and whilst I'm aware a lot of things happen in films just because its a film not because of reality, but its made me curious to wonder if its really like that!

Consider I live around a huge Amish community honking at horse and buggy would probably not help.

 Overread wrote:
Here's a culture question that might apply to all of the USA not just Texas - traffic jams. Do Americans really sit in long lines of traffic beeping the car horn the whole time even when nothing is moving?

I mean I see it all the time in films and whilst I'm aware a lot of things happen in films just because its a film not because of reality, but its made me curious to wonder if its really like that!

Yes and no. The vast majority of areas that doesn't really happen barring a wreck or other unusual incident. That said, downtown New York is totally like it is in movies. And Los Angeles traffic is so legendary people on the east coast have heard about it (and yes, it's really that bad). What isn't really true is the beeping, that doesn't happen like in film. However there is so much background noise in such cases that the effect of constant intrusive sound isn't entirely dissimilar.

 daedalus wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

I don't understand how people can live in that climate, everyone basically strips and collapses if it reaches 20C here.

It's not natural, whatever it is. I'm states further north, and we'll still see it top out at 100-110 for about a week or so during the summer, with 90+ (and a good 70% humidity) being the norm through about the hottest 6 weeks or so. I'll STILL see lunatics out there wearing long sleeved shirts.

I wear long sleeve shirts when it is over 100. It's to keep the skin and mozzies off my pastey British skin.

T shirt and shorts are for spring, when the weather is cool, but not cold.

nareik wrote:

 daedalus wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

I don't understand how people can live in that climate, everyone basically strips and collapses if it reaches 20C here.

It's not natural, whatever it is. I'm states further north, and we'll still see it top out at 100-110 for about a week or so during the summer, with 90+ (and a good 70% humidity) being the norm through about the hottest 6 weeks or so. I'll STILL see lunatics out there wearing long sleeved shirts.

I wear long sleeve shirts when it is over 100. It's to keep the skin and mozzies off my pastey British skin.

T shirt and shorts are for spring, when the weather is cool, but not cold.

And a Pith Helmet.

Got to look the part, what?

A "see you Jimmy" hat and kilt, surely?

As for the beeping in cinematic depictions of car alarms, I imagine that's a device to add some sort of interest or "action" to the shot - it demonstrates the frustration of being stuck there, even with nothing really going on. Or it makes the context more obvious if you've only got an in-car shot.

 insaniak wrote:

 Big H wrote:
... Most Yanks...

On a side note, Americans may be confused and/or offended if you refer to them as 'Yanks' to their face...

Especially in the south. Southerners will absolutely react negatively to being called a Yank or a Yankee. Only northerners are Yankees.

To Southerners, the civil war was "The war of Northern aggression". They do not like northerners especially much, but will react agressively to being confused with one.

As a northener who used to live in Corpus Christi, I have quite a bit of experience with that.

 Hellfury wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Big H wrote:
... Most Yanks...

On a side note, Americans may be confused and/or offended if you refer to them as 'Yanks' to their face...

Especially in the south. Southerners will absolutely react negatively to being called a Yank or a Yankee. Only northerners are Yankees.

To Southerners, the civil war was "The war of Northern aggression". They do not like northerners especially much, but will react agressively to being confused with one.

As a northener who used to live in Corpus Christi, I have quite a bit of experience with that.

To note, there is also a very fuzzy line of where "the South" transitions to "the North" in the US. You can't really follow the mason-dixon line anymore. We have asshats in the North now, as well.

 Hellfury wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Big H wrote:
... Most Yanks...

On a side note, Americans may be confused and/or offended if you refer to them as 'Yanks' to their face...

Especially in the south. Southerners will absolutely react negatively to being called a Yank or a Yankee. Only northerners are Yankees.

To Southerners, the civil war was "The war of Northern aggression". They do not like northerners especially much, but will react agressively to being confused with one.

As a northener who used to live in Corpus Christi, I have quite a bit of experience with that.

I mean, maybe if you get out in the country, but I've never really seen this as anymore than a joke in the Urban areas of Texas.

 Dreadwinter wrote:

 Hellfury wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Big H wrote:
... Most Yanks...

On a side note, Americans may be confused and/or offended if you refer to them as 'Yanks' to their face...

Especially in the south. Southerners will absolutely react negatively to being called a Yank or a Yankee. Only northerners are Yankees.

To Southerners, the civil war was "The war of Northern aggression". They do not like northerners especially much, but will react agressively to being confused with one.

As a northener who used to live in Corpus Christi, I have quite a bit of experience with that.

To note, there is also a very fuzzy line of where "the South" transitions to "the North" in the US. You can't really follow the mason-dixon line anymore. We have asshats in the North now, as well.

Thats true, theres a TON. of "southern boys" here in Michigan and my state definitely cant be confused with a southern state. I think anymore its of an ideal or something rather than a physical line.


Though on the Yank comment I dont think most Northerners would really be offended by it. You might get a lot of "Im not a New York fan" with that comment though

In my day if you called a Texan a Yankee you would get hurt...bad.

 Frazzled wrote:
In my day if you called a Texan a Yankee you would get hurt...bad.

This is my experience as well.

Which brings me to my next point, there is never a valid reason to go to Texas unless:

* You have a cousin you want to marry.
* You're sick of success and need a rathole to die in.

Just avoid Texas, Grotsnik.
#1 They already don't want you there because: "Lookit dat *insert pejorative here* with the funny axscent. Hur Hur! What a *insert pejorative here*!"
#2 Nothing good can come from it. It will only end in tears.
#3 They don't want you there. You're not blood related to anyone who has lived there for at least 80 years, so you're not eligible for matrimony.

Wow. Im pretty sure those facts are a bit exaggerated.

 KingCracker wrote:
Wow. Im pretty sure those facts are a bit exaggerated.

They are. You'd have to be in the deep country for someone to get "Hurt" for something as stupid as that today. Even then I doubt it.


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 Hellfury wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
In my day if you called a Texan a Yankee you would get hurt...bad.

This is my experience as well.

Which brings me to my next point, there is never a valid reason to go to Texas unless:

* You have a cousin you want to marry.
* You're sick of success and need a rathole to die in.

Just avoid Texas, Grotsnik.
#1 They already don't want you there because: "Lookit dat *insert pejorative here* with the funny axscent. Hur Hur! What a *insert pejorative here*!"
#2 Nothing good can come from it. It will only end in tears.
#3 They don't want you there. You're not blood related to anyone who has lived there for at least 80 years, so you're not eligible for matrimony.

What the hell are you on about? You are just making up offensive crap for no reason now. It's clear you have a grudge, as this is the furthest thing from reality. I'm sorry you may have had a negative experience at some point, but this is uncalled for, it's not true, and it is quite offensive.

It's actually meant as a joke. I already had my say up thread about Yankees and I stick by that remark.

But naturally somebody who lists "Texas the best state" as their location would have an even bigger bias than me and choose to become offended.

Thus proving my point.

Nothing is small in Texas. It always has to be a big deal even if it's a misunderstanding.

So after all this ( all the above) I went and asked my 210lbs, tattoo covered broken nosed Texan friend what he thought about me calling him a "yank feth"
He replied he'd buy me a JD and call me a "Brit feth"
We are now eating steak and gak faced.

Seems fair.

 Big H wrote:
So after all this ( all the above) I went and asked my 210lbs, tattoo covered broken nosed Texan friend what he thought about me calling him a "yank feth"
He replied he'd buy me a JD and call me a "Brit feth"
We are now eating steak and gak faced.

Seems fair.

Well you are already friends, so that is probably within acceptable limits. I wouldn't pick a random stranger and say it to them though.

 Grey Templar wrote:

 Big H wrote:
So after all this ( all the above) I went and asked my 210lbs, tattoo covered broken nosed Texan friend what he thought about me calling him a "yank feth"
He replied he'd buy me a JD and call me a "Brit feth"
We are now eating steak and gak faced.

Seems fair.

Well you are already friends, so that is probably within acceptable limits. I wouldn't pick a random stranger and say it to them though.

I can kinda see where you are coming from Grey Templar , and the others, but perhaps it would be more interesting to know what citizens of the United States of America are comfortable being called ?

My Guatemalan friends dislike with a passion the fact "Gringos" stole the name of the entire continent of the Americas, there words, not mine.

Also, citizens of North America have no problems coming up to me when they hear my accent and calling me a Brit, why is no offence assumed ?
The fact is, it doesn't offend me. There are nicknames for just about every country, some worse than others,
what would Yanks find least objectionable ?

American is a safe word to use. It’s generalist and doesn’t apply to a specific region, unlike Yanky.

 Big H wrote:
Also, citizens of North America have no problems coming up to me when they hear my accent and calling me a Brit, why is no offence assumed ?

How sheltered does one have to be to mistake an Austrian accent for an English one?

The fact is, it doesn't offend me. There are nicknames for just about every country, some worse than others,
what would Yanks find least objectionable ?

Many Americans like being called "Canadian" when travelling abroad

Grey Templar wrote:American is a safe word to use. It’s generalist and doesn’t apply to a specific region, unlike Yanky.

South American, Central American or North American ? It's a massive continent , I was meaning a nick name !

feeder wrote:

 Big H wrote:
Also, citizens of North America have no problems coming up to me when they hear my accent and calling me a Brit, why is no offence assumed ?

How sheltered does one have to be to mistake an Austrian accent for an English one?

The fact is, it doesn't offend me. There are nicknames for just about every country, some worse than others,
what would Yanks find least objectionable ?

Many Americans like being called "Canadian" when travelling abroad

Sorry dude, I'm a rancid Brit , just working in Austria ! I have been mistaken for Canadian by North Americans before !