American-British Q&A

[Rushview]

I've got a few questions...

1. I have little to no British blood or culture in me...so the whole monarchy, pageantry and all that seems very exotic...do you think of any aspects of our culture as exotic, or has it all been drummed into you too much by Hollywood?

2. Do Americans who visit England and the like usually affect accents? I had a few British friends who said we do...and it wouldn't surprise me since anything British just sounds classy to a lot of us over here.

3. Is the Daily Mail as much of a rag as I think it is? Is it Fox News status over there? Seems to me they're pretty comparable...

1. Nothing inparticular comes to mind, hopefully people are smart enough to filter out the typical Hollywood repesentation of American as much as the Hollywood view of us 'Brits' as Shakespeare reading, Tea-Drinking, toffee-nosed arseholes with bad teeth, who all know the Queen somehow.

2. Doesn't effect me personally and I come into contact with quite a few Americans through my occupation. Although my dulcet northern tones would require a constant and thorough shock to the system to alter them in the slightest.

3. The Daily Mail is typically know as a right-wing paper, affiliated with the Conservatory Party. It's in the middle of the newspaper heirarchy. With the lower tabloids being papers such as The Sun, Daily Star, The Mirror. The newspapers seen as to be aimed towards the upper eschalon of society being The Independent, The Guardian and The Times, and the middle section of the newspaper catagory being The Daily Mail and The Express

 

[JDKJ]

Sometimes I'll hear on the news that there is a huge muslim problem in Europe and Britain. Is there any truth to this, or is it just a media hype?

Edit: I do recall them getting upset for the cops having a puppy in a police cap or something.

Not really. There's a lot of people from Eastern countries come to live here, but by and large they all get on with their lives and make no trouble.

There are a few groups (Muslims Against Crusades for example) who try and stir up the shit by various inflammatory actions, but everyone knows they're idiots, and I cant imagine they have a huge following among the Muslim community. Supposedly something like 40% of young Muslims want Sharia law in some areas of the UK (according to the Daily Telegraph) but that doesn't really amount to a full blown terrorist threat, and it wont ever happen anyway.

The only people who sincerely believe we have a "Muslim problem" in our country are fuckwits like this guy and the organization he belongs to, the English Defence League. Unfortunately, people like that seem to be growing in number :/

WTF is "muslamic?" Did that idiot make up his own word? By cross-breeding "muslim" and "islamic?" Christ.

Ever seen "This Is England," a movie about skinheads in 1980s England? That wanker reminds me of the character Combo in that movie.

If you haven't:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpyLtHeKxrE&feature=player_detailpage


You'll notice that both video clips contain the Cross of St Andrew flag (frequently displayed by skinheads, the National Front, and various other gits).

 

[JDKJ]

Also, a question for you americans, do you acknowledge that we are your ancestors?

In that way that I'm of Mexican/ Italian decent...

No.

Que linda/bella.

 

[JDKJ]

derp!

 

[Wadders]

Sometimes I'll hear on the news that there is a huge muslim problem in Europe and Britain. Is there any truth to this, or is it just a media hype?

Edit: I do recall them getting upset for the cops having a puppy in a police cap or something.

Not really. There's a lot of people from Eastern countries come to live here, but by and large they all get on with their lives and make no trouble.

There are a few groups (Muslims Against Crusades for example) who try and stir up the shit by various inflammatory actions, but everyone knows they're idiots, and I cant imagine they have a huge following among the Muslim community. Supposedly something like 40% of young Muslims want Sharia law in some areas of the UK (according to the Daily Telegraph) but that doesn't really amount to a full blown terrorist threat, and it wont ever happen anyway.

The only people who sincerely believe we have a "Muslim problem" in our country are fuckwits like this guy and the organization he belongs to, the English Defence League. Unfortunately, people like that seem to be growing in number :/

WTF is "muslamic?" Did that idiot make up his own word? By cross-breeding "muslim" and "islamic?" Christ.

Ever seen "This Is England," a movie about skinheads in 1980s England? That wanker reminds me of the character Combo in that movie.

If you haven't:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpyLtHeKxrE&feature=player_detailpage


You'll notice that both video clips contain the Cross of St Andrew flag (frequently displayed by skinheads, the National Front, and various other gits).

Yeah, that guy and Combo have similar (horrible) ideologies, but at least Combo just talks like a normal Liverpudlian, as opposed to the guy in the video I posted, who has the elocution of a lobotomized 3 year old. I mean yeah, Muslamic? 'Da fuck mate? If he's so keen on preserving England, then the least he could do is speak the fucking language lol

And one other thing, but I'll forgive you for it because you're American. That flag you mention is St. George's Cross, the Patron Saint of England, and so his cross forms our national flag.

St. Andrew is actually the Patron Saint of Scotland, and his (and Scotland's) flag looks like this:

It's not just racists who fly St. George's flag, it's pretty common all over England, especially during national sporting events. It's just the racists and nationalists love it too

 

[Zantos]

I have a question for Americans. Our education system goes Infants school (5-8), Junior school (8-11) (although many people just go primary school now where those 2 are combined), secondary school (11-16). That's the end of compulsory education. Then we have college (16-18) and University (18+). Where do all your kindergartens and high schools and colleges stack up against those? I was watching Scott Pilgrim the other day and when Ramona was talking about 7th grade and 9th grade I honestly had no idea what she was on about.

Incidentally fellow brits if the ages that i've given are wrong it's cos I guessed them.

 

[JDKJ]

Sometimes I'll hear on the news that there is a huge muslim problem in Europe and Britain. Is there any truth to this, or is it just a media hype?

Edit: I do recall them getting upset for the cops having a puppy in a police cap or something.

Not really. There's a lot of people from Eastern countries come to live here, but by and large they all get on with their lives and make no trouble.

There are a few groups (Muslims Against Crusades for example) who try and stir up the shit by various inflammatory actions, but everyone knows they're idiots, and I cant imagine they have a huge following among the Muslim community. Supposedly something like 40% of young Muslims want Sharia law in some areas of the UK (according to the Daily Telegraph) but that doesn't really amount to a full blown terrorist threat, and it wont ever happen anyway.

The only people who sincerely believe we have a "Muslim problem" in our country are fuckwits like this guy and the organization he belongs to, the English Defence League. Unfortunately, people like that seem to be growing in number :/

WTF is "muslamic?" Did that idiot make up his own word? By cross-breeding "muslim" and "islamic?" Christ.

Ever seen "This Is England," a movie about skinheads in 1980s England? That wanker reminds me of the character Combo in that movie.

If you haven't:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpyLtHeKxrE&feature=player_detailpage


You'll notice that both video clips contain the Cross of St Andrew flag (frequently displayed by skinheads, the National Front, and various other gits).

Yeah, that guy and Combo have similar (horrible) ideologies, but at least Combo just talks like a normal Liverpudlian, as opposed to the guy in the video I posted, who has the elocution of a lobotomized 3 year old. I mean yeah, Muslamic? 'Da fuck mate? If he's so keen on preserving England, then the least he could do is speak the fucking language lol

And one other thing, but I'll forgive you for it because you're American. That flag you mention is St. George's Cross, the Patron Saint of England, and so his cross forms our national flag.

St. Andrew is actually the Patron Saint of Scotland, and his (and Scotland's) flag looks like this:

It's not just racists who fly St. George's flag, it's pretty common all over England, especially during national sporting events. It's just the racists and nationalists love it too

I knew it was one of 'em. I just couldn't remember which. I only knew for sure it wasn't Patrick. He's Ireland. And I should have known better. My sister went to St. Andrew's Girls School. Their uniforms are blue and white.

 

[JDKJ]

I have a question for Americans. Our education system goes Infants school (5-8), Junior school (8-11) (although many people just go primary school now where those 2 are combined), secondary school (11-16). That's the end of compulsory education. Then we have college (16-18) and University (18+). Where do all your kindergartens and high schools and colleges stack up against those? I was watching Scott Pilgrim the other day and when Ramona was talking about 7th grade and 9th grade I honestly had no idea what she was on about.

Incidentally fellow brits if the ages that i've given are wrong it's cos I guessed them.

It's about the same age-wise (although, because there's usually a random birth date cut-off that determines what "grade" they stick you in, it can vary by as much as a year). There's no kindergarten (not in the public school system). That's called "elementary school" (grades 1 through 6), then "middle school" or "junior high" (grades 7 through 9) then "senior high" (grades 10 through 12). College can be either 2 years (community college) or a full 4 years (college at a university). However, there's no GCE "O" or "A" Level equivalent at the high school level. You rack up "credits" based on your classes taken and passed and those count towards the total credits you need to graduate from a grade to the next grade and eventually from high school altogether. Because of the "credit" system, you can end up repeating a grade if you fail enough classes. I know kids that have repeated two grades. By the time they managed to get to the 12th grade, if they didn't shave every morning before school, they'd grow a full beard.

 

[Scrubiii]

I've got a few questions...

1. I have little to no British blood or culture in me...so the whole monarchy, pageantry and all that seems very exotic...do you think of any aspects of our culture as exotic, or has it all been drummed into you too much by Hollywood?

2. Do Americans who visit England and the like usually affect accents? I had a few British friends who said we do...and it wouldn't surprise me since anything British just sounds classy to a lot of us over here.

3. Is the Daily Mail as much of a rag as I think it is? Is it Fox News status over there? Seems to me they're pretty comparable...

1.Things like the sports culture in America seem exotic to me. Things like "The Super bowl" are pretty iconic. "The founding fathers" and "the constitution" are also exotic to me as Britain doesn't have a specific founding as a nation.
2. I don't really feel qualified to answer this as I'm from Mid-Wales and the population here is pretty much 99.9% Welsh or English.
3. Not really. It's not the best but it's by no means the worst. Things like The Sun and The Star are filled with nothing but naked women and celebrity gossip. That said, the Mail is rather infamous for its unconditional love of the late Princess Diana and for claiming that virtually everything will give you Cancer.

 

[Zantos]

It's about the same age-wise (although, because there's usually a random birth date cut-off that determines what "grade" they stick you in, it can vary by as much as a year). There's no kindergarten (not in the public school system). That's called "elementary school" (grades 1 through 6), then "middle school" or "junior high" (grades 7 through 9) then "senior high" (grades 10 through 12). College can be either 2 years (community college) or a full 4 years (college at a university). However, there's no GCE "O" or "A" Level equivalent at the high school level. You rack up "credits" based on your classes taken and passed and those count towards the total credits you need to graduate from a grade to the next grade and eventually from high school altogether. Because of the "credit" system, you can end up repeating a grade if you fail enough classes. I know kids that have repeated two grades. By the time they managed to get to the 12th grade, if they didn't shave every morning before school, they'd grow a full beard.

Right, ill try and remember that when I'm watching something american and they're talking about senior prom and stuff.

A slightly related question, how come a lot of British things have to be edited for american audiences so it's easier to understand, and we have to put up with american jokes, mannerisms and dialect when it comes over here? I'm looking at you Potter, and you Arthur Darvill with your gasoline you.

 

[Fishir]

I have a question for Americans. Our education system goes Infants school (5-8), Junior school (8-11) (although many people just go primary school now where those 2 are combined), secondary school (11-16). That's the end of compulsory education. Then we have college (16-18) and University (18+). Where do all your kindergartens and high schools and colleges stack up against those? I was watching Scott Pilgrim the other day and when Ramona was talking about 7th grade and 9th grade I honestly had no idea what she was on about.

Incidentally fellow brits if the ages that i've given are wrong it's cos I guessed them.

Each year, usually starting in late August the school year begins, it usually ends early-mid June. Most schools have 9 month years, there are a few full year schools though. The years are broken up into four semesters, with Christmas Break either ending the second semester or about two weeks after returning from break.

Most kids go to Pre-K, or "Pre-Kindergarten" at about 5. Then theres Kindergarten, you usually learn basic skills for math, maybe some spelling...I remember lots of crafts. First-Fifth Grade follows (ages 7-11). This is what is know as grade school. I've heard of grade school going to sixth, but I didnt. Up to this point you've had one teacher to teach you your basic skills, with different teachers for classes like Computers, Art, Music, and Gym. As a kid there was also Recess, basically 30 minutes of outdoor play time following lunch. Recess is slowly getting cut from Grade School...

In Sixth Grade (age 12) things change and you have a different teacher for each class. There should still be a Gym Class, unless that has been cut. Grades 6-8 are considered "Middle School".

Grades Nine through Twelve (ages 15-18) are the High school years. Classes get harder as the years go on, yadda yadda. After 18, some parents kick their kids out, some send them to College. Some work because they dont have the money for college, but all the way until the end of Senior Year (grade 12) its mandatory to go to school. College is an option, usually an expensive one.

Its not a perfect system and there are many things that bug me, such as the way you almost get passed along. Teachers can get fired for holding kids back, its bull shit. Kid didnt make grades? Oh well, pass him. I dont know how prevalent this is in the north, but in the Southwest some kids dont even bother learning English. Cant read it, w/e...but thats a different topic all together. I hoped this helped.