Which misconseption annoys you more?

[Mr. 47]

The thought that the thick Canadian accent ("Eh?" and such. "What areya talkin Aboot?") is the norm in Canada. It's not. It's comparable to saying the entire of the United States say "Howdy there Partner!" in think western or southern accents. Canada is bigger, we have a broader range of accents.

 

[Biodeamon]

Canada is neither cold nor mountainy. argh! stupid tourists....

 

[KingGolem]

I've never heard either of them in cases of genuine ignorance, but I suppose that Europe as one big country thing would be more annoying. I mean, if you weren't from America I could understand that you wouldn't know our states had some degree of power separate from the central government, but that Europe thing is inexcusable to anyone whose ever looked at a map.

 

[Wicky_42]

Though you have to realise that, as America is a single country, you can say you've been to America and be accurate (well, I guess it'd really be "the United States", as opposed to "North America", the continent equivalent to "Europe") - your comparison is more like saying "I've been to Italy", when you've actually been to the Tuscan region of said country opposed against a European saying "I've been to North America", which holds a few countries before you start dealing with regional boundaries.

I see your point. But New York City is no more an accurate representation of America than Rome is of Europe. So again, if a European who has only been to a very small part of America can say they have been to America (which they can), then if some American goes to London, they have in the same respect been to Europe.

Yes, you can, but it's inherently less accurate to refer to the CONTINENT than to the country.

You mean exactly what you are doing?

Yes. Because clearly "America" there isn't a casual reference to the USA but intended to take into account all of the countries, regions and both continents that take the name. Or do you think that the US is a continent?

No there just happen to be two American continents and you could potentially be referring to any country within either one of those continents or both continents as a whole when you just say America. Its like the Europe situation. Only worse.

The continents are North America and South America, but you chose to call the country United States of America, thus making it common place to shorten that to US or America - no-one refers to Brazil or Peru as America, nor do they lump in Canada, so what's your problem? Trying to nit-pick? Or are you just trolling?

 

[Ryengu]

Neither has really bothered me that much, but I think that believing Europe to be all one country is the greater display of ignorance.

 

[hexFrank202]

Apparently some viewers of Fox News think 9/11 was an elaborate stunt jointly planned by Obama and Osama. And Americans wonder why some countries don't take them seriously.

Aghh!! This again! Fox News? Fox News??? Look, I know Jon Stuart is funny, but will young adults stop their mindless attachment of everything "stupid" to one single network, and for completely illegitimate reasons 60 to 80 percent of the time?

Because really now, even Glenn Beck thinks the 9/11 conspiracy theories are a joke. He's made fun of them before.

You know what's really nuts, though? I've actually talked to people online who heard of GB making fun of the conspiracy theories, took it out of context and incorrectly thought that he DID believe in them. And they weren't just blathering idiots, either (except for one). They had good grammar, they looked like they were informed, and they were very confident and strong in their arguments.

Just.
Like.
You.

 

[Tekkawarrior]

That Muslims are evil, you should see how I get treated at airports (I am an agnostic, but my passport says otherwise).

 

[Lungo]

That Americans thinks to high of them self. And every ones business are their business but people should not get involved with what they are doing.

Since, you Americans, thinks what every one around the world has an influence on you, and therefore you are in you right in run in and behave like you want and force what you want though with stupid and pointless arguments, only backed up by a complex system of a world depending economy, which are self destructing and rapidly failed, and one of the worlds largest military powers. Lead by a handful of influence rich people who knows how to control the masses, which are completely stupid and unknowing of what they talk about and only thinks what they are told to think.

What ever Americans do are every ones business!, since they have a tendency to involve them self in everything everywhere. And just hide behind a down spiralling economy and a military, which will for sure trigger the next world war. You people, the Americans, will be responsible for the destruction of half the world (if not already).

Thank you for letting me get that out.

 

[ThisIsSnake]

The difference between hypotheses and theories in scientific contexts.
People who think the theory of evolution by natural selection says everything happens by chance.

 

[Klepa]

The whole "Americans think EU is a country" thing isn't really ever stated as such, but rather implied or assumed.

From a legal or political standpoint, it's not completely incorrect to assume that the EU is to the European countries, what the USA is to its' states. The EU is getting more and more power, and some of the more vocal anti-EU politicians are already saying that if things don't change, the countries will lose all sovereignty and autonomy, and will be exactly like the United States of America.

However, I've seen Americans assume that there is a so called 'European culture'. That a British man would feel at home in Sweden, and relate to Swedes, in the same way that a man from Washington could relate to a man from New York. Most Europeans don't feel any national pride or unity to Europeans, in the same way that Americans do about America. The most blatant example, culture-wise, would be comparing a Nordic country, say Finland, with a Mediterranean country, such as Italy. The list of similarities between the two peoples is quite short.


I'm tired, and hypothesizing. If you think I'm full of shit, keep it to yourself. I'll probably realize that myself, once I get some sleep.

 

[michiehoward]

Trying living with the misconceptions about Canada.

Its always cold.
We are polite.
We always add "eh" at the end of our sentences whether its a question or not.
We all have he same postal code. (thats a new one I just heard the other day)
That the queen rules our country. Or that we have a president.
That we have one or two major cities.

As for the original misconception quoted, their both dumb.

Well... it's not really wrong to say the queen rules when she is your head of state.

But I get what you mean.

My girlfriend's from southern Ontario.

OH THAT'S ANOTHER ONE.

Everyone's from Ontario.

Although sadly, that one is mostly true. hahah.

My girlfriend lives right across one of the bridges from the Michigan-Ontario border (around Windsor). She was in Port Huron for some reason and she heard a couple saying, in all seriousness, "We're gonna be going to London (Ontario), I hope we don't see snow!"

The ironic thing? This couple lived in Michigan! Which has, more or less, the same weather as Southern Ontario!

Yea, people are stupid about Canada.

But I don't get why the hell ya'll put gravy on FRENCH FRIES?! GRAVY DOESN'T GO ON FRENCH FRIES!

Oh, and Tim Horton's is not that good......

EDIT: that couple was going to London in July...

Our head of state true, but since she has very little power, I mean we don't send our Prime Minister when newly elected to Buckingham Palace she ask her permission to form a new gov't. She does not represent us at any summits or at the UN.

And I thought gravy on french fries was universal, as in people do it everywhere if they like it. People put gravy on mashed potates, why not fried potatoes.

And I'll let that comment on Tim Hortons slide, because everyone on the planet know how awesome it is. ;P

 

[WolfThomas]

That domestic violence is solely composed of men attacking women. I was in a lesson this week and not some high-school PE class or something but a fourth year medical school tutorial and the material didn't even mention the possibility of female to male, male to male and female to female violence. Don't get me wrong, male to female is the statistically largest proportion, but it's important to understand the prevalence and impact of the other types.

 

[Keava]

That every game is supposed to be for everyone. Seems to be common concern among not only bunch of gamers but also some magazines and reviewers. Even high quality (or as it's called AAA) title doesn't have to mean it's supposed to be enjoyed by every person on the world. Same applies to any other entertainment product really, yet people seem to think otherwise way too often.

Oh and another one, more social, is that being sexually active and aware means you are a slut because apparently sexuality is reserved for relationships only and if you don't have a relationship you are just whoring yourself.

 

[dogenzakaminion]

That domestic violence is solely composed of men attacking women. I was in a lesson this week and not some high-school PE class or something but a fourth year medical school tutorial and the material did even mention the possibility of female to male, male to male and female to female violence. Don't get me wrong, male to female is the statistically largest proportion, but it's important to understand the prevalence and impact of the other types.

Yeah this one really bugs me too. This and that no one mentions emotional abuse, which as far as I have studied is more prevalent woman to man or woman to woman.

While I agree that thinking the EU or Europe is one country is bad, what I really don't like is that people think the EU IS Europe. There are a few countries who are in Europe and NOT in the EU. By choice no less!

 

[booker]

Most. Disgusting. Thing. EVER.

It's called Poutine. And it is, in fact, Canadian ambrosia. You are entitled to your opinion; however, as a courteous gentleman from the internet, it is my responsibility to tell you that your opinion is wrong.

 

[DesiPrinceX09]

That Muslims are evil, you should see how I get treated at airports (I am an agnostic, but my passport says otherwise).

I am with you on that, as I have said before: I could write a think novel describing the crap I've been through for being Muslim. What also bothers me is people thinking all Muslims are "Arabian" when most Muslims are actually black and Asian (especially Indonesian). I myself am a Khoja from Zambia.

 

[Vault Citizen]

People who think that US English people a separate form of English means that American is its own language.

Out of the options in the original post I'd say the one about Europe, because I'm British European and because I haven't come across someone who has displayed the one about America yet.