On 2013-08-03 10:50:38 +0000, Broadback said:

I have subscribe to "rec.food.cooking", as I think several people who
post here are. It makes you realise what a difference there is between
us and them, foreign in all but language and that differs more as time
passes by. do other here agree, or am I wrong?

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their
compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not
understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing things
different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But
when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything
there except enjoy the culture of others. And if they're not
interested in that, why go outside America? Quite recently, I used the
word 'tap' (as in water) to an American who didn't know what I meant.
I'd forgotten that in USA it's a faucet.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

sacha wrote in :

On 2013-08-03 10:50:38 +0000, Broadback said:

I have subscribe to "rec.food.cooking", as I think several people who
post here are. It makes you realise what a difference there is between
us and them, foreign in all but language and that differs more as time
passes by. do other here agree, or am I wrong?

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their
compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not
understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing things
different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But
when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything
there except enjoy the culture of others. And if they're not
interested in that, why go outside America? Quite recently, I used the
word 'tap' (as in water) to an American who didn't know what I meant.
I'd forgotten that in USA it's a faucet.

I think it's where you go in the USA, or where the person you are talking
to comes from.
As you know there are Irish, Italian, Chinese, English etc. in the USA.
As you say, sacha, why go to these countries when their cultures are on
your doorstep. Who needs a passport other than a tourist who has an urge
and plenty of money to do it?
I read somewhere, recently, that by year 2135 we will all be the same
colour(or is it color) due to the inter-breeding of our race over this
short period.
The colloquial laguage will always remain, Seemingly.

Baz

On 2013-08-03 12:04:08 +0000, Baz said:

sacha wrote in :

On 2013-08-03 10:50:38 +0000, Broadback said:

I have subscribe to "rec.food.cooking", as I think several people who
post here are. It makes you realise what a difference there is between
us and them, foreign in all but language and that differs more as time
passes by. do other here agree, or am I wrong?

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their
compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not
understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing things
different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But
when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything
there except enjoy the culture of others. And if they're not
interested in that, why go outside America? Quite recently, I used the
word 'tap' (as in water) to an American who didn't know what I meant.
I'd forgotten that in USA it's a faucet.

I think it's where you go in the USA, or where the person you are talking
to comes from.
As you know there are Irish, Italian, Chinese, English etc. in the USA.
As you say, sacha, why go to these countries when their cultures are on
your doorstep. Who needs a passport other than a tourist who has an urge
and plenty of money to do it?
I read somewhere, recently, that by year 2135 we will all be the same
colour(or is it color) due to the inter-breeding of our race over this
short period.
The colloquial laguage will always remain, Seemingly.

Baz

Apparently, some current American forms of speech are olde Englishe and
went over with the Pilgrim Fathers!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
sacha wrote:

Apparently, some current American forms of speech are olde Englishe and
went over with the Pilgrim Fathers!

Olde Englishe was invented by Tea Shoppes!

More seriously, a lot of their usages are merely preservations
of 17th and 18th century English. An educated English speaker
can understand almost all of educated American, but not conversely.
The New York Yiddish dialect is pretty inscrutable, even to most
Americans, and Ebonics is more so.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Sun, 04 Aug 2013 10:34:23 +0100, nmm1 wrote:

[]
More seriously, a lot of their usages are merely preservations of 17th
and 18th century English. An educated English speaker can understand
almost all of educated American, but not conversely.
The New York Yiddish dialect is pretty inscrutable, even to most
Americans, and Ebonics is more so.

As a New Yorker born and just returned from there, I couldn't be happier
to be back on this side of the pond. The funny thing with American's in
general is you never know what you'll get: on the one hand incredible
provincialism sometimes even among the very educated, on the other we met
a shoe salesman who knew Paris and London extremely well, down to
Bertrand and Boris.

My family was very amused as always how the NY accent comes back when in
the city, the kids simultaneously cringing and laughing at me.

cheers,

-E

--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

In article ,
Emery Davis wrote:

More seriously, a lot of their usages are merely preservations of 17th
and 18th century English. An educated English speaker can understand
almost all of educated American, but not conversely.
The New York Yiddish dialect is pretty inscrutable, even to most
Americans, and Ebonics is more so.

As a New Yorker born and just returned from there, I couldn't be happier
to be back on this side of the pond. The funny thing with American's in
general is you never know what you'll get: on the one hand incredible
provincialism sometimes even among the very educated, on the other we met
a shoe salesman who knew Paris and London extremely well, down to
Bertrand and Boris.

Especially in California, where they are all bonkers! I worked
there for a bit and was amused by how socialist it was, and quite
flabberghasted at the mental variation. In my corridor, we had
(non-disabled) people who complained bitterly when the close-in
car park had to be resurfaced because it meant walking an extra
200 yards, and one who seriously thought that a 50 mile run was
just the thing to do on a Sunday morning!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Mon, 05 Aug 2013 15:19:33 +0100, nmm1 wrote:

Especially in California, where they are all bonkers! I worked there
for a bit and was amused by how socialist it was, and quite
flabberghasted at the mental variation. In my corridor, we had
(non-disabled) people who complained bitterly when the close-in car park
had to be resurfaced because it meant walking an extra 200 yards, and
one who seriously thought that a 50 mile run was just the thing to do on
a Sunday morning!

What struck me the most, when we lived in SF for about 4 years, was how
damn healthy everyone was. Now, I spend plenty of time out of doors, but
many of these people seemed turned towards your 50 mile run; at parties,
people talked about these cardio-adventures ad nauseum, and where they
would be hiking next weekend, whereas no one seemed to read even the odd
book. (I exaggerate of course, but that was the impression given). Nice
place really, but we felt like fish out of water most of the time.


--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On 8/3/2013 7:03 AM, sacha wrote:

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their
compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not
understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing things
different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But
when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything
there except enjoy the culture of others. And if they're not interested
in that, why go outside America? Quite recently, I used the word 'tap'
(as in water) to an American who didn't know what I meant. I'd forgotten
that in USA it's a faucet.

Yes, a tap is generally called a faucet - but what comes out of it is
tap-water...

On 2013-08-03 12:07:53 +0000, S Viemeister said:

On 8/3/2013 7:03 AM, sacha wrote:

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their
compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not
understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing things
different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But
when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything
there except enjoy the culture of others. And if they're not interested
in that, why go outside America? Quite recently, I used the word 'tap'
(as in water) to an American who didn't know what I meant. I'd forgotten
that in USA it's a faucet.

Yes, a tap is generally called a faucet - but what comes out of it is
tap-water...

Aaaagh!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 03/08/13 12:03, sacha wrote:
On 2013-08-03 10:50:38 +0000, Broadback said:

I have subscribe to "rec.food.cooking", as I think several people who post here are. It makes you realise what a difference there is between us and them, foreign in all but language and that differs
more as time passes by. do other here agree, or am I wrong?

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing
things different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything there except enjoy the culture of others. And if
they're not interested in that, why go outside America?

You will occasionally come across TV reports of "foreign
news" - where foreign means out-of-state!

The Portuguese know a lot more about what is happening in the UK than we do about what is happening in Portugal. And I don't think it is quite adequate to say "but we're more important than Portugal".

On 2013-08-04 08:11:30 +0100, Martin said:

On Sat, 03 Aug 2013 13:40:39 +0100, Tom Gardner
wrote:

On 03/08/13 12:03, sacha wrote:
On 2013-08-03 10:50:38 +0000, Broadback said:

I have subscribe to "rec.food.cooking", as I think several people who
post here are. It makes you realise what a difference there is between
us and them, foreign in all but language and that differs
more as time passes by. do other here agree, or am I wrong?

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their
compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not
understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing
things different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have
passports. But when you think of the size of their country, they can do
everything there except enjoy the culture of others. And if
they're not interested in that, why go outside America?

You will occasionally come across TV reports of "foreign
news" - where foreign means out-of-state!


UK TV News isn't a lot better.

But it's incomparably better than American tv news.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 04/08/13 09:50, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-08-04 08:11:30 +0100, Martin said:

On Sat, 03 Aug 2013 13:40:39 +0100, Tom Gardner
wrote:

On 03/08/13 12:03, sacha wrote:
On 2013-08-03 10:50:38 +0000, Broadback said:

I have subscribe to "rec.food.cooking", as I think several people who post here are. It makes you realise what a difference there is between us and them, foreign in all but language and that differs
more as time passes by. do other here agree, or am I wrong?

A few well-travelled Americans have commented to me that a lot of their compatriots are very insular in their outlook and really do not understand others' way of life, choices, or reasons for doing
things different to the USA. Comparatively few Americans have passports. But when you think of the size of their country, they can do everything there except enjoy the culture of others. And if
they're not interested in that, why go outside America?

You will occasionally come across TV reports of "foreign
news" - where foreign means out-of-state!


UK TV News isn't a lot better.

But it's incomparably better than American tv news.

True.

In the UK-vs-US TV debate it is worth deeply
understanding that
- you should "be careful what you wish for:
you might get it"
- "90% of everything is crud", and we see
the best of their stuff
- usually those that think the US situation
is good haven't spent more than a day or
so watching it

But this is too far OT, so I'm backing off now.

In article ,
lid says...

On Sun, 4 Aug 2013 09:50:46 +0100, Sacha wrote:

#
You will occasionally come across TV reports of "foreign
news" - where foreign means out-of-state!


UK TV News isn't a lot better.

But it's incomparably better than American tv news.

That's not difficult. :-)

BBC TV main news often only contains a few items.

Then it goes on to BBC regional news for whatever UK region viewers
in Britain live in.

I've never seen BBC UK news, national or regional, refer to any UK
events/news as "foreign news".

Janet.

On 04/08/2013 14:36, Janet wrote:
In article ,
lid says...

On Sun, 4 Aug 2013 09:50:46 +0100, Sacha wrote:

#
You will occasionally come across TV reports of "foreign
news" - where foreign means out-of-state!


UK TV News isn't a lot better.

But it's incomparably better than American tv news.

That's not difficult. :-)

BBC TV main news often only contains a few items.

Then it goes on to BBC regional news for whatever UK region viewers
in Britain live in.

I've never seen BBC UK news, national or regional, refer to any UK
events/news as "foreign news".

Janet.

But as those living to the West of the Seven Bridge know, anything to
the East of the bridge IS foreign.