"I want to learn the ways of the U.K. and be a nutter like my father"

You'll have to wait for a while for the answer as our friendly neighbourhood Joe (F16 WarBird) is currently banned

He'll be back in a couple of days hopefully

 

"Why do Americans hate Canada? They always seem to poke fun at them in shows?"

Well, to answer that question, you have to think of it in an analogy. Canada is to America, as Wales is to England, or New Zealand is to Australia.

I've thought about this, and thought as them, the latter countries as the wannabe countries.

You have America, England, and Australia as the main country. The popular country. Everyone knows them, they have their own way of doing things, their own culture, etc...and then you have Canada, Wales, and New Zealand, who are pretty much the same, but not as popular. They have the same way of thinking as their counterparts, but they're like, "But we're as cool as America/England/Australia", vying for your attention, and everyone is like, "Huh? No you're not. **** off, no one wants to know about you!" It's not to say that they don't have cool stuff. Canada is cool, New Zealand is cool, but they are just under-recognised in the eyes of the world.

It's like Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The two are virtually the same, just a little bit different.

Then again, it happens WITHIN the States...I want to know why they all rag on New Jersey!

It just pisses me off how everyone is like "I want to move to New Zealand, it looks great on Lord of the Rings!" -- It's pretty as hell, but there isn't anything to do there!

 

^^^^^^^^can't say i agree with that

 

He has a point
The only annoying with Canadians & Americans as with Aussie & Kiwis is you can't tell them apart from their accent


But they seem to be able to tell each other apart.....most strange

 

Canadians say "aboot" and "Eh?"

 

"The only annoying with Canadians & Americans as with Aussie & Kiwis is you can't tell them apart from their accent


But they seem to be able to tell each other apart.....most strange"

We can tell each other apart, simply because we know what to listen for in an accent. If I were to listen to Zac, I could probably tell in an instant (depending on how strong his accent is) if he was from New Zealand, just as he could probably tell from me, that I am from Australia. It's certain words that give it away. Like six, sounds like sux in a Kiwi tounge. the "u", as in "uh" is quite prominant in Kiwi dialect.

Watch Neighbours, and then watch Shortland Street, and you will get what I mean.

 

There is a distinct difference between the Aussie accent and the NZ one, I can tell them apart quite easily...

 

The trick is to listen to ananoucation of our vowels. Australians tend to accentuate the "ah" "ar", whereas New Zealanders accentuate the "u" a lot, as in "uh".

 

I'm not falling for it

 

Why do Americans hate Canada? They always seem to poke fun at them in shows?

Not at all. I think it's more playful than anything else.

As far as telling who's who by accent. It depends on what region they're from. Barring someone with a heavy northern accent (aboot, eh, etc). You can tell by the subtle nuances of their diction. I can tell someone from a New England state (Massachusettes, etc) as easily as someone from New York. It gets tricky in the southern states (Tennesee, Georgia, Texas). I can tell an Alabama accent from a Texas accent, but it gets tricky when the states are next to each other.

****************************

We eat French Fries, or just fries (NO, we do not call them Freedom Fries).

Why are these called "chips" over there?

 

I think its because they are 'chipped' from potatos.

I have a theory ( sorry its not about chips). The other year when i went over to america with 3 friends, they had no problems being understood by Americans, but there was difficulty when I spoke. I think its because those 3 were from London/ Crawley and because of TV those accents were understood. Because you dont get a lot of Nottingham accents on TV in the U.S, I was always being asked to repeat myself and I ended up speaking slowly and sounding like a git. Thats my 2p anyway.

 

That's quite possible, Vez. Film seems to influence the world in general.

 

Wheeeeeeeeee.

*pleased with self for having good idea*

Quick, note the time and date

 

I think its because those 3 were from London/ Crawley and because of TV those accents were understood. Because you dont get a lot of Nottingham accents on TV in the U.S, I was always being asked to repeat myself and I ended up speaking slowly and sounding like a git. Thats my 2p anyway.

Yeah, I suppose it's plausable, but Americans don't watch as much UK TV or Film as you might think. Perfect example, The Office. When "The Office" got those Golden Globes, it was a shock win all over the States, as the series is only available on BBC America. In America, there are, say 270 Million people, yet, only around 400,000 people have access to BBC America...And not all of those 400,000 people would be watching. The only other network that screens regular UK programming is PBS, where believe it or not, they have ITN news every night (And ******* repeats of Keeping Up With Appearences!)

I think the problem is, because when they think of the UK, they automatically think of the "Tally ho! Jolly good shot there, old man! Tarquin, dear. Come off the green and have some tea and crumpets with Lady Spiffington!" kind of accent. You know, Posh ******* accent. They are generally unaware that the UK has dozens of different accents, and obviously can't understand what people are saying. I think another thing is, the British talk quite fast. American's are of a slower speech pattern.

 

I don't even think of people from Nottingham as having an accent.Can you think of anyone as an example?

 

Thats because you're from Nottm. I didnt think I had an accent , but when our Duran gang get together(L'pool, Nottm, Stoke, Crawley, Aberdeen, Glasgow, London, Milton Keynes, Sheffield, B'ham) you can really hear the different accents,including mine.

 

I'm the same. I moved around alot as a kid (dad was in the RAF) so never really had much of an accent growing up, but I've spent the last 17 years in Leicester.

Last year I was talking with someone and saying I didn't think I had much of an accent and hey said I must be kidding. I had a really strong Leicester accent. Bizarre.

 

i do fing all this quite interesting- is just cause some of the yanks are just lazy?

think about it- there was a point in all our lives where we hadn't actually heard someone from say glasgow, speak-i was in fact in my teens, but even with a very broad accent, if you listen to people you do understand-of course there are regional dialect issues but yo've only to ask there.

when i moved up to carlisle for a bit i had several folk TELL me i was a 'brummie'. i'm not, and most people from central brum speak quite accent free in comparrison to where i'm from (wolves).

 

I'm not from Nottingham,but I am a Midlander (Birmingham-born,then Telford,Shrops from age 4). I can easily identify Brummie (yeah,that's a tough one), but I can't really think what many other Midlands accents sound like. Well,there's Stoke,I s'pose (like Robbie Williams).

 

You from Wolves, Nathan? No, ****! I graduated from University of Wolverhampton, and my first job was in the Molineux.

 

I, personally, like Tony Blair for laying his entire political career on the line for his belief in doing what is right (whether you agree or not).

What does the AVERAGE Brit think of their Prime Minister?

 

Personally they're all as bad as each other, imho we should give Mr Blair and Mr Bush a gun and pack them off to the front lines and bring home the kids out there doing their bidding.

Sorry it really grates on me at the moment especially after reading this:

God Bless these guys!!!
From one troop to another troop!!!

Subject: Report from Navy Commander on Marines

"They are so damn young"

I was going to the gym tonight ( really just a huge tent with weights and treadmills), and we had heard that one of the MEUs (Marine Exp Units) that had come out of service in the "triangle" was redeploying (leaving country). We saw their convoy roll in to the Kuwait Naval Base as the desert sun was setting.

I have never seen anything like this. Trucks and humvees that looked like they had just come through a shredder. Their equipment was full of shrapnel blast holes, and missing entire major pieces that you could tell had been blasted by IEDs. These kids looked bad too! I mean, sunken eyes, thin as rails, and that 1000-yd. stare they talk about after direct combat. Made me pretty damn embarrassed to be a "rear area warrior".

All people could do was stop in their tracks and stare... and feel like me...like I wanted to bow my head in reverence. A Marine Captain stationed with me, was standing next to me, also headed to the gym. He said, "Part of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 8th Marines, sir. Took the heaviest losses of any single unit up north as part of Task Force Danger, sir."

As the convoy rolled up, all of us watching just slowly crept toward these kids as they dismounted the Hummers and 5-tons. Of course, we were all shiny and clean compared to these warriors. This kids looked like they had just crawled from Iraq. I had my security badge and id around my neck, and started to help them unload some of their duffle bags.

A crusty Gunny came up to me and said "sir, you don't have to do that..." I said, "Gunny... yes I do..." They all looked like they were in high school, or younger!! All held themselves sharply and confident, despite the extreme fatigue you could tell they had endured. "You guys out of the triangle?" I asked. "Yes, sir". 14 months, and twice into the grinder, sir" (both fights for Fallujah).

All I could do was throw my arm around their shoulders and say "thanks Marine, for taking the fight to the bad guys...we love you man".

I looked at these young kids, not one of them complaining or showing signs of anything but focus, and good humor. 'Sir, they got ice cream at the DFAC, sir?" "I haven't had real ice cream since we got here..." They continued to unload... and after I had done my handshakes and shoulder hugs, the Captain and I looked at each other ...

They want ice cream, we'll get them ice cream. You see, a squid O-5 and a focused Marine O-3 can get just about anything, even if the mess is closed. Needless to say, we raided the closed DFAC (mess tent), much to the chagrin of one very pissed off Mess Sergeant and grabbed boxes of ice cream sandwiches (as many as we could carry), and hustled back to the convoy. I felt like Santa Claus. "Thank you, sir.." again and again from each trooper, as we tossed up the bars to the guys in the trucks. I'm thinkin', "Son, what the hell are you thanking me for? I can't thank you enough."

And they are so damned young ... I will sleep well, knowing they are watching my back tonight." GOD BLESS THE USA & OUR WARRIORS IN HARMS WAY!!!

Please pray on this day, and every day, for our Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world in defense of our liberty, and for the families awaiting their safe return.

My mate sent me a pic of him and his boys the other day and I felt sick I wanted to ask if their mothers knew they were in a war torn country they all looked so damn young!!

I have the utmost reverence for what they do but as a woman and possibly at an age where I could have had kids out there it makes me sick and I don't know how our governments can sleep soundly at night!

To be completely honest they any government sending kids

 

Blair is a moron, but he's the best we've got.

 

If Blair is a moron, and he is the best we have, what does that say about the rest of the politicians?

"I have the utmost reverence for what they do but as a woman and possibly at an age where I could have had kids out there it makes me sick and I don't know how our governments can sleep soundly at night!"

Well, their matresses are extra soft lined with the money they skim from mister and missus John Q. Taxpayer.