SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
Thanks CD I’ll bear it in mind
America - Where have you been and what do you think?
- Thread starter SandwichShortOfAPicnic
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kaneohegirlinaz
Wannabe TV Chef
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I want to add something that popped into my head the other day ... I-40 (East or West bound, doesn't matter which) between Kingman and Ash Fork AZ is the worst piece of highway you'll probably ever come across! Very dangerous!
The roadway is riddled with pothole that folks tires blow out!
We always detour onto Route 66 ... wink wink hint hint
The roadway is riddled with pothole that folks tires blow out!
We always detour onto Route 66 ... wink wink hint hint
grumpyoldman
Active Member
I-20 through Shreveport La. is just as bad and i have driven them both
I always took the loop around Shreveport when I went camping in Northern Louisiana. It was a bit longer, but it wasn't like a carnival ride.
CD
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
I have some questions about America but really don’t want to cause any offence asking them, it’s tricky when you’re not familiar with another countries sensitivities. For example in Spain you don’t mention Franco and avoid talking about religion (unless it’s to express a love of Catholicism) or in the UK you don’t mention Thatcherism unless you know for sure the other persons opinions are similar (or you want to cause a fight!).
So if I unintentionally step on toes please be kind. Just tell me if somethings a sensitive topic. Essentially I wouldn’t like to turn up and appear rude.
I have been wondering about Americans sense of humour. All countries have their own take on the sort of thing they find humorous and we have had imported some very good and funny programmes from America. Cheers, Taxi, Boston Legal, Brooklyn 99, Frasier (there are many more) so I know we find a lot of the same stuff funny.
Someone told me Americans take most things literally as if the OP is telling the truth but I see signs of sarcasm in some American comedies.
My question is what about sarcasm? Do Americans generally find sarcasm funny or rude?
So if I unintentionally step on toes please be kind. Just tell me if somethings a sensitive topic. Essentially I wouldn’t like to turn up and appear rude.
I have been wondering about Americans sense of humour. All countries have their own take on the sort of thing they find humorous and we have had imported some very good and funny programmes from America. Cheers, Taxi, Boston Legal, Brooklyn 99, Frasier (there are many more) so I know we find a lot of the same stuff funny.
Someone told me Americans take most things literally as if the OP is telling the truth but I see signs of sarcasm in some American comedies.
My question is what about sarcasm? Do Americans generally find sarcasm funny or rude?
JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
That completely depends on the person and even the state or region. I love dry humor and sarcasm, which goes right over some people's heads. I also have a slightly ribald sense of humor that doesn't sit well with some people, lol.
And I can't stand Donald Trump but I am careful who I mention it to, just like I am agnostic bordering on atheist but again, I'm careful who I share that with. Even within my own family. My oldest brother lives in nowhereville Florida and he and one of my older sisters (South Carolina) are both religious fruitcakes. My brother who is closer to me in age and the sister who is a few years older than he is completely get me and we can talk openly but not the other three...
So it's going to depend a lot on where you are. I think it's a safe practice to never talk politics or religion no matter what country you are in.
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
Agreed religion and politics is always off the table, I just muddied my question by using them as examples.
I was wondering about some of the more nuanced things like humour because I could foresee our sense of humour might not go down so well but then again Brits and Americans laugh at so much of the same stuff it may well be fine
I'm not sure about the British habit of saying exactly the opposite of what we mean will go down so well. It's common practice here to say precisely the opposite of what you think or want in a very dry fashion a leave the other person to figure out if you mean it or not.
I have no idea why we find this so funny. I think it's back to the causing confusion thing.
Thanks for the reply it's appreciated.
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JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
The younger of my two brothers and I have that kind of humor and would get it. And it's something I share with my kids. But no it's not probably going to be understood by everyone you meet.Agreed religion and politics is always off the table, I just muddy my question by using them as examples.
I was wondering about some of the more nuanced things like humour because I could foresee our sense of humour might not go down so well but then again Brits and Americans laugh at so much of the same stuff it may well be fine
I'm not sure about the British habit of saying exactly the opposite of what we mean will go down so well. It's common practice here to say precisely the opposite of what you think or want in a very dry fashion a leave the other person to figure out if you mean it or not.
I have no idea why we find this so funny. I think it's back to the causing confusion thing.
Thanks for the reply it's appreciated.
My brother and I grew up watching Monty Python and we both loved watching Masterpiece Theatre and the BBC. That's not really common here in the US...
Yes and no. How’s that for being helpful?
A couple of things at play here:
1. As JAS_OH1 said, the US is a big country, with very distinct regions, and just like the food and the weather, the sense of humor is different, too. It just depends, and the only way to find out is to jump in and say something and see how it lands.
2. It also depends on the people involved. If I bumped into someone here, and they look like they’re local or from the greater area, I might be more relaxed and make a little joke at my own expense for being clumsy, but if I bumped in someone, and it was obvious they were traveling, and maybe had a noticeable accent as well, I’d be a bit more formal in my apologies, because I’m interacting with a guest and not a neighbor, so to speak.
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
Yes northern and southern humour here is different.Yes and no. How’s that for being helpful?
A couple of things at play here:
1. As JAS_OH1 said, the US is a big country, with very distinct regions, and just like the food and the weather, the sense of humor is different, too. It just depends, and the only way to find out is to jump in and say something and see how it lands.
2. It also depends on the people involved. If I bumped into someone here, and they look like they’re local or from the greater area, I might be more relaxed and make a little joke at my own expense for being clumsy, but if I bumped in someone, and it was obvious they were traveling, and maybe had a noticeable accent as well, I’d be a bit more formal in my apologies, because I’m interacting with a guest and not a neighbor, so to speak.
I suppose pre internet and motorways humour like accents are distinct to a group that's developing its own ways.
It used to be extremely difficult to understand some people's accents in this country where as now most people's accents are softened to a level they'd be understood in most places.
I do think that’s gotten better - British programming is very popular these days, compared to when I was a kid in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.
We didn’t have BBC America back then (which started out ok, but now seems to mainly show Star Trek: TNG reruns!), and certainly no AcornTV or Britbox, which I think both were started initially for the US market.
And all our most popular TV actors these days seem to be either British or Australian. There’ll be some guy on a show playing a Texan or SoCal character, with the appropriate accent, then we’ll see them on a talk show, and they’ll mention growing up in Leeds!
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
Hmm thanks.
So long I'm not wading into sensitive waters and sticking both feet in it I'm sure it'll be fine
Yeah, you will. You just have to jump in there. Part of the fun!Hmm thanks.
So long I'm not wading into sensitive waters and sticking both feet in it I'm sure it'll be fine
SandwichShortOfAPicnic
Legendary Member
I'm looking forward to the Bikers film that's out here soon.I do think that’s gotten better - British programming is very popular these days, compared to when I was a kid in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.
We didn’t have BBC America back then (which started out ok, but now seems to mainly show Star Trek: TNG reruns!), and certainly no AcornTV or Britbox, which I think both were started initially for the US market.
And all our most popular TV actors these days seem to be either British or Australian. There’ll be some guy on a show playing a Texan or SoCal character, with the appropriate accent, then we’ll see them on a talk show, and they’ll mention growing up in Leeds!
But I have heard the Brits american accents slip at times and I find that sort of thing a bit annoying. I can't remember what it's called when something breaks the reality of what your watching but a slipping accent is one of them for me.
JAS_OH1
Forum GOD!
Oh lord I wish it were that way here. I've got a funny story about that from when I was living in Florida in my 20s when I met a young man from the neighboring state of Georgia and I had a really hard time understanding him because his country accent was so thick. That's not the only time that's happened to me. It's much easier for me to communicate with and understand someone from Mexico with broken English than some people from rural US southern states!