Why does no one understand me

[harrry]

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/culture/stars-and--cripes-how-to-talk-to-americans-20140311-34ivo.html

May have the answer as to why I have so many arguments with some of the US members

[cooked]

ha ha. I have the same problem with immigration officials and the police. And I am, or was, English.

[Ulysses G.]

That was pretty good, but it helps that I have been to Australia and spend time with some Aussies and Brits. I even learned some new stuff about current American lingo as I have not been there for so long.

[ivan96822]

Decent piece but inaccurate (except for the part about emails).

You can walk right up at Starbucks and say, "Small coffee," and no one would blink. Also, I have never heard anyone say tunafish and certainly not sodapop!

The writer goes to far with this and missed a big point right from the start: many Americans have little to no faith or respect for authority.

[Jingthing]

Yeah a lot of that doesn't compute.

For soda, pop, etc. that usage is VERY regional.

I did grow up saying tuna fish for canned tuna. That was in the days before fresh tuna was a thing. Fresh tuna would not be called tuna fish. I also think this tuna fish thing is likely regional. It is a good observation. People don't say salmon fish for canned or fresh salmon.

On the Australian - American cultural differences, that is quite real.

I find it easier to talk to Brits than Aussies. Not sure why.

Edited March 14, 2014 by Jingthing

[NeverSure]

First, thank you for ending by pointing out the people are welcome in America and that Americans are friendly. It's true.

I do disagree with some lingo. Tuna fish, soda pop are separate words and soda pop is very dated. Either the drink is called by its name "Coke" or it's called a soda or soft drink.

In San Francisco I don't understand why an Aussie would be too blunt. Maybe that would be true in the South. Certainly not in Brooklyn or New Jersey where people are very blunt.

As for email and lingo, the US has been far, far ahead of other countries in developing and saturating the country with the internet. 5 years is a lifetime in internet terms. The young people are beginning to drop capital letters and punctuation because they are harder to do on smartphones and tablets. Virtually all of the biggest web sites including those with web mail originated in the US and I predict that this informal method will spread out to other countries.

"But it gets trickier: “hamburger” refers to minced meat, while the “burger” is actually the rissole; “broil” means grill while “grill” means to barbeque, and “barbeque” is very specifically about ribs and sauce, so don't use it lightly."

I've been all over the US and this isn't true. Yes, hamburger is the ground beef, but it can also be the sandwich. A burger is a sandwich too. Broil means, as in "flame broil" or put under the broiler in the oven. Grill can mean a lot of things because the flat large stove in a restaurant is called the grill. Barbecue anything from chicken to beef to whatever might refer to a sauce flavor. It's sweet and sour in the South and more vinegar tasting in Texas. Of course you'll find either anywhere but that's the norm. Many people barbecue on charcoal, on gas, in smoky ovens, or other ways. If it's cooked on a gas or charcoal barbecue, it's barbecued regardless of any sauce because of the cooking style.

But, it was a nice article even if written by someone who's a newbie to America.

[samran]

Read the article and found it played things up a tad too much.

Having said that, I'd wish someone would write a tipping guide. Happy to do it when in the states but I fear mucking up tipping etiquette more than I do a verbal stumble. The latter at least, can be deemed at cute, and in my younger days, could get me laid...

[BookMan]

Very true about Americans (yanks) and Australian (Aussies/Ozzies). I don't ever see much ill will between the two but there are Kilometres (miles) of difference in certain areas.

Authority, as mentioned in the article. Most Americans I have met respect authority more than Australians.

Politeness. Americans are so damn polite. And earnest. Sir this and Sir that. Have a nice day. You're welcome. AND they mean it when they say it.

Americans I have met are very literal. Sarcasm is wasted.

Humour. Americans and Aussies have such different senses of humour. Australians can joke about nearly anything but so many Americans I have met you have to avoid a range of subjects: The US president, anything to do with their military, be careful about making fun of God, don't ever make a joke about 9/11.

[harrry]

Read the article and found it played things up a tad too much.

Having said that, I'd wish someone would write a tipping guide. Happy to do it when in the states but I fear mucking up tipping etiquette more than I do a verbal stumble. The latter at least, can be deemed at cute, and in my younger days, could get me laid...

Like going into Woolworths in NZ and asking for durex...(which in Australia means sticky tape), being asked how many....and on saying six got told only after 5.

There was one red face after everyone explained to me....mine....but I did have a good night

[ABCer]

OP, did you try to talk to Americans instead of US members?

[harrry]

OP, did you try to talk to Americans instead of US members?

May have had less trouble if I had

[wym]

The language geeks among us know that there is no one American English wrt informal usage, and the regional differences very much overlap with increased mobility and electronic media.

Very interesting Harvard study - Americans can take it here (others may not even understand some of the questions)
-- What kind of dialect do you have? Take this quiz and find out.

If you just want to look at the questions asked and see the infographic maps for each one:

Just one example - what I now call a "submarine sandwich", this survey reminded me I used to call a "hero", but I do know people that call it a "hoagie".

The full interactive map is here:

http://spark-1590165977.us-west-2.elb.amazonaws.com/jkatz/SurveyMaps/

Have fun!

Edited March 14, 2014 by wym

[wym]

Another couple for you cunning linguists:

http://theweek.com/article/index/244460/a-linguistic-dissection-of-7-annoying-teenage-sounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mhwFGqvQQM8#!

PS Soda pop is very common once you get to the interior states

Edited March 14, 2014 by wym

[WitawatWatawit]

There's no touch, and there's no down in an NFL touchdown. Another case of twisted American logic.

But there are more important questions I'd like to ask Americans, such as, if I go over Niagra Falls in a barrel, do I need to take my passport and a visa with me?

[Jingthing]

BBQ beef brisket Texas style is the best! (Not ribs.)

[Pinot]

There are, what, 22 million Aussis? 22 million people live in LA. Why would Americans care what you think?

[Longtooth]

Decent piece but inaccurate (except for the part about emails).

You can walk right up at Starbucks and say, "Small coffee," and no one would blink. Also, I have never heard anyone say tunafish and certainly not sodapop!

The writer goes to far with this and missed a big point right from the start: many Americans have little to no faith or respect for authority.

I think it would take more than "small coffee" to decribe what you would like to drink at Starbucks. I think the long preface statements at Starbucks are made by wannabe hi-sos to pissoff the peons (pronounced "pee-ons", taken from Mexican "peones", poor folk.) behind them in line. "Question Authority" was a great bumper sticker. As to tunafish and sodapop, you need to be both old, and from "Calli."

[wym]

Just remembered the third name for that kind of sandwich - a "grinder".

What do the brits call them? I imagine subs now, but what about before Subway went inter?

[Jingthing]

Just remembered the third name for that kind of sandwich - a "grinder".

What do the brits call them? I imagine subs now, but what about before Subway went inter?

Don't forget the New Orleans Po' Boys!

[l3fty]

Decent piece but inaccurate (except for the part about emails).

You can walk right up at Starbucks and say, "Small coffee," and no one would blink. Also, I have never heard anyone say tunafish and certainly not sodapop!

The writer goes to far with this and missed a big point right from the start: many Americans have little to no faith or respect for authority.

I think it would take more than "small coffee" to decribe what you would like to drink at Starbucks. I think the long preface statements at Starbucks are made by wannabe hi-sos to pissoff the peons (pronounced "pee-ons", taken from Mexican "peones", poor folk.) behind them in line. "Question Authority" was a great bumper sticker. As to tunafish and sodapop, you need to be both old, and from "Calli."

Absolutely false. I worked at a few coffee shops including Starbucks when I was younger and they all had "small coffee" which is exactly what you'd expect, small cup of plain coffee.

[l3fty]

Looks like you got some great comments on the article too, lol.