American-British Q&A

[Agayek]

why do you Yanks call it football?
i mean common? u kick the ball like a few times in a game?

Because Handegg sounds way too weird.

As a serious answer, I think it was actually to capitalize on the success of soccer in Europe. I don't have any actual data to back this up, but I'm willing to bet that the reason it's called football was so that when Europeans came to the States, they'd look for a "football" game and end up watching American football. Basically, in my opinion, it was a weird publicity stunt that ended up sticking. Like I said, I have no actual data to back that up though, it's just a guess.

 

[JDKJ]

This pretty much. Having lived in both, it's a night and day difference imho. The people act different, they talk different, they value different things. For instance, the gun control thing, that's a southern thing. Most people in the north would rather them gone. Especially between north and south, and even east and west. Californians are much different than Virginians culturally.
Also, you consider Virginia the "deep" south? Where the hell is the regular southern middle then lol? I take it you're from New England/Great Lakes region since your profile just says you're American.

Hell, yeah, Virginia's the Deep South. Maybe not geographically, but certainly culturally and politically. Are you forgetting that it was the seat of the Confederacy? The home of General Lee? And one of the last states in the country to stop resisting the desegregation of its public schools? It's as "South" as the South can get.

Funny I've lived there almost my whole life and no one talks with the stereotyped southern accent or says y'all ever. Actually, saying "y'all" would have gotten you laughed at in school and was commonly used as a joke. Then again, so was "yous" so we're probably just elitest douchebags where I come from lol. Unless of course you travel out to the rural areas in the southern part of the state closer to North Carolina. Richmond and DC are only 2 and a half hours apart. Also, politically they voted for the party typically favored by the north, and culturally, well most people live near DC where I am and we are NOT like the people living in the Appalachian Mountains.

Thanks for telling me about Virginia. I went to law school in D.C. for three years and would go mountain biking in Monongahela almost every other weekend and, if you ask me, you get up into them lil' towns like Lynchburg and you're in the middle of DEEP SOUTH REDNECK COUNTRY. Obviously you can't compare that to an Alexandria, VA. That's more like a suburb of D.C. And, matter of fact, I found D.C. to be surprisingly Southern in character. Certainly more so than I would have expected. But they don't call them "Bamas" for nothing.

 

[SuccessAndBiscuts]

Okay but what does "assuming I'm Scottish" mean, I kinda want an idea of what an American would think upon meeting a Scottish person.

Alright, that's a fairly simple answer, and it comes in four parts:

1) You wear a skirt. Yes, I'm aware you call it a kilt and think it very manly, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a skirt.

2) You have at least passable skill in playing the bagpipes, and you whip the thing out and play it whenever the fog rolls in, or there's a funeral nearby.

3) You make a sport out of taking 2/3 of a tree (apparently called a caber) and seeing how far you can chuck it.

4) You can kick the ass out of the entirety of our entire military armed with nothing more than a longbow, claymore and your bagpipes.

Hah cheers for that I'm always curious what people think of us. It takes a certain confidence in your sexuality to wear a skirt, women see that and they love it.

Also, the military thing is totally true, the Romans conquered a big chunk of the world. Then built two walls to keep the Scots out...

(Ok its propaganda but we are a fucking tiny country, we need every edge we can get)

 

[liquidangry]

This pretty much. Having lived in both, it's a night and day difference imho. The people act different, they talk different, they value different things. For instance, the gun control thing, that's a southern thing. Most people in the north would rather them gone. Especially between north and south, and even east and west. Californians are much different than Virginians culturally.
Also, you consider Virginia the "deep" south? Where the hell is the regular southern middle then lol? I take it you're from New England/Great Lakes region since your profile just says you're American.

Hell, yeah, Virginia's the Deep South. Maybe not geographically, but certainly culturally and politically. Are you forgetting that it was the seat of the Confederacy? The home of General Lee? And one of the last states in the country to stop resisting the desegregation of its public schools? It's as "South" as the South can get.

Funny I've lived there almost my whole life and no one talks with the stereotyped southern accent or says y'all ever. Actually, saying "y'all" would have gotten you laughed at in school and was commonly used as a joke. Then again, so was "yous" so we're probably just elitest douchebags where I come from lol. Unless of course you travel out to the rural areas in the southern part of the state closer to North Carolina. Richmond and DC are only 2 and a half hours apart. Also, politically they voted for the party typically favored by the north, and culturally, well most people live near DC where I am and we are NOT like the people living in the Appalachian Mountains.

Thanks for telling me about Virginia. I went law school in D.C. for three years and would go mountain biking in Monongahela almost every other weekend and, if you ask me, you get up into them lil' towns like Lynchburg and you're in the middle of DEEP SOUTH REDNECK COUNTRY.

Well, yeah, lol. But that's just southern culture. You were just experiencing a culture shock. I experienced it too when I left the DC metro area enclave for college in southern VA. Why are people driving 10 under the speed limit on a one lane highway! WTF GET OUT OF MY WAY JACKASS! I'm used to having people pass me on a double yellow when I'm going 10 over! lol Most people in Virginia consider the "deep south" to be states bordering the gulf and also the states bordering them. That said I have met a few "the south will rise again!" nut jobs while in the southern part of the state... yeah, I'd hate to see there be a really bad economic collapse. Nutjobs would be coming out of the woodwork for Am. civil war 2.0

 

[eggy32]

Question to both the English and the Americans;

Do you see Northern Ireland as a part of Ireland or the UK?

Also, thoughts and opinions on us?

Speaking as someone from Northern Ireland, it's obviously part of the UK.
I don't understand how Northern Irish people don't understand this.

 

[SadakoMoose]

Ok so, questions:
How big is Charlie Brooker over on your end?
What about Rik Mayall?
How many of you remember Ghostwatch?
also:
Are any of you excited for Attack the Block?

 

[eggy32]

Question to both the English and the Americans;

Do you see Northern Ireland as a part of Ireland or the UK?

Also, thoughts and opinions on us?

Speaking as someone from Northern Ireland, it's obviously part of the UK.
I don't understand how Northern Irish people don't understand this.

I do understand this, I love being part of the UK, and I dislike Ireland as a whole.. (look at me, generalising..!)

But most English people are like "OMG YER IRISH?" and I'm just sighing and complaining..

What county you from by the way?

Thank God, someone else who understands, that makes about 3 of us in total.
I'm from Down, yourself?

 

[JDKJ]

This pretty much. Having lived in both, it's a night and day difference imho. The people act different, they talk different, they value different things. For instance, the gun control thing, that's a southern thing. Most people in the north would rather them gone. Especially between north and south, and even east and west. Californians are much different than Virginians culturally.
Also, you consider Virginia the "deep" south? Where the hell is the regular southern middle then lol? I take it you're from New England/Great Lakes region since your profile just says you're American.

Hell, yeah, Virginia's the Deep South. Maybe not geographically, but certainly culturally and politically. Are you forgetting that it was the seat of the Confederacy? The home of General Lee? And one of the last states in the country to stop resisting the desegregation of its public schools? It's as "South" as the South can get.

Funny I've lived there almost my whole life and no one talks with the stereotyped southern accent or says y'all ever. Actually, saying "y'all" would have gotten you laughed at in school and was commonly used as a joke. Then again, so was "yous" so we're probably just elitest douchebags where I come from lol. Unless of course you travel out to the rural areas in the southern part of the state closer to North Carolina. Richmond and DC are only 2 and a half hours apart. Also, politically they voted for the party typically favored by the north, and culturally, well most people live near DC where I am and we are NOT like the people living in the Appalachian Mountains.

Thanks for telling me about Virginia. I went law school in D.C. for three years and would go mountain biking in Monongahela almost every other weekend and, if you ask me, you get up into them lil' towns like Lynchburg and you're in the middle of DEEP SOUTH REDNECK COUNTRY.

Well, yeah, lol. But that's just southern culture. You were just experiencing a culture shock. I experienced it too when I left the DC metro area enclave for college in southern VA. Why are people driving 10 under the speed limit on a one lane highway! WTF GET OUT OF MY WAY JACKASS! I'm used to having people pass me on a double yellow when I'm going 10 over! lol Most people in Virginia consider the "deep south" to be states bordering the gulf and also the states bordering them. That said I have met a few "the south will rise again!" nut jobs while in the southern part of the state... yeah, I'd hate to see there be a really bad economic collapse. Nutjobs would be coming out of the woodwork for Am. civil war 2.0

Well, then fine. Don't be looking at me all crazy when I say that Virginia's the Deep South. You can say the same thing about Atlanta. It's a major metropolitan city, populated by Blacks more than anything else, with a history of electing Black officials, etc., etc., and not at all what I'd call a "redneck town." But drive your ass 30 minutes in any direction outta Atlanta and your ass will end up in KKK Kountry.

 

[Shadie777]

For Americans:
Do you think that British comedy is different than American comedy?
What are the most popular British comedians in America?

 

[JDKJ]

Question to both the English and the Americans;

Do you see Northern Ireland as a part of Ireland or the UK?

Also, thoughts and opinions on us?

The UK doesn't see the Northern Irish as part of the UK. Why should we? : P

 

[JDKJ]

For Americans:
Do you think that British comedy is different than American comedy?
What are the most popular British comedians in America?

Benny Hill. And that annoying-ass Russell Brand. Can one of you guys come here and take Russell back with you?

 

[eggy32]

Question to both the English and the Americans;

Do you see Northern Ireland as a part of Ireland or the UK?

Also, thoughts and opinions on us?

Speaking as someone from Northern Ireland, it's obviously part of the UK.
I don't understand how Northern Irish people don't understand this.

I do understand this, I love being part of the UK, and I dislike Ireland as a whole.. (look at me, generalising..!)

But most English people are like "OMG YER IRISH?" and I'm just sighing and complaining..

What county you from by the way?

Thank God, someone else who understands, that makes about 3 of us in total.
I'm from Down, yourself?

Ohh, almost all my friends agree that we should stick with UK, must be the further north the more common sense you have..

Antrim, but I lived in Gilford for 4 years, that's near Down.. I also went to Banbridge High School for 3 years ;D

It sucked =-="

Nice to see you have sensible friends. Many of my friends come from down south, what with me being right on the border here in Newry. When we had to sign our forms for our National Insurance card in school(that Abbey Grammar, in case you were wondering) only me and one other person but ourselves down as British. I got lots of shit from my friends that day.

 

[SadakoMoose]

For Americans:
Do you think that British comedy is different than American comedy?
What are the most popular British comedians in America?

Yeah I'd say so on the first one.
Usually it's guys like Rowan Atkinson, Russel Brand, Pierce Morgan (he's a comedian/clown right?) Eddie Izzard and any of the Pythons.
The only Young One to even come close to making a name for himself in the US was Rik Mayall.
Sadly.

 

[Agayek]

For Americans:
Do you think that British comedy is different than American comedy?
What are the most popular British comedians in America?

It's quite a bit different. A lot drier than most American humor.

At the moment, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Before them, Monty Python.

 

[liquidangry]

Well, then fine. Don't be looking at me all crazy when I say that Virginia's the Deep South. You can say the same thing about Atlanta. It's a major metropolitan city, populated by Blacks more than anything else, with a history of electing Black officials, etc., etc., and not at all what I'd call a "redneck town." But drive your ass 30 minutes in any direction outta Atlanta and your ass will end up in KKK Kountry.

I think what we're really discussing is rural vs. urban cultures rather than south vs north, but that topic in itself needs its own thread.

Also, british humor is hilarious. Love it.

 

[JDKJ]

Well, then fine. Don't be looking at me all crazy when I say that Virginia's the Deep South. You can say the same thing about Atlanta. It's a major metropolitan city, populated by Blacks more than anything else, with a history of electing Black officials, etc., etc., and not at all what I'd call a "redneck town." But drive your ass 30 minutes in any direction outta Atlanta and your ass will end up in KKK Kountry.

I think what we're really discussing is rural vs. urban cultures rather than south vs north, but that topic in itself needs its own thread.

Also, british humor is hilarious. Love it.

That's why I said long ago that while Virginia may not be "southern" in a geographic sense, it is in the cultural and political senses a part of the Deep South.

 

[BoredDragon]

For Americans:
Do you think that British comedy is different than American comedy?
What are the most popular British comedians in America?

the styles of comedy is definitely different, but I can't think any comedians off hand that are British unless you count John Oliver

 

[BoredDragon]

Question to both the English and the Americans;

Do you see Northern Ireland as a part of Ireland or the UK?

Also, thoughts and opinions on us?

I never thought about it really. I guess part of Ireland unless that's some kind of misconception. As for what I think of you guys, I try to avoid forming opinions of people based on their stereotypes and I haven't really met any Irish people, so again idk

 

[liquidangry]

That's why I said long ago that while Virginia may not be "southern" in a geographic sense, it is in the cultural and political senses a part of the Deep South.

Fine, but I'm still confused as to what you consider just the south and southern culture then. What? Everything below New Jersey is the south?

Question to both the English and the Americans;

Do you see Northern Ireland as a part of Ireland or the UK?

Also, thoughts and opinions on us?

Informative video time!

The correct opinion!

 

[BoredDragon]

I have a question about America: How big is celeb culture over there? I'd imagine that it's pretty big, but is it as rediculous as it is over here (for some reason our magazines are obsessed with what annoying talentless people's relationship status' are and what they had for breakfast this morning)?

We have "news shows" like TMZ that only report on celebrities, but I don't really follow those kinds of celebrities so I'm not sure the entire scope of how big it is.