The Cellar - An American Place?

Sundae · 07-13-2008, 06:57 PM

I'm sorry.
One of my least attractive characteristics is a tendency to brood.

When I mentioned that the Cellar was a US-based forum recently, Flint picked me up on it. I honestly can't find it now. His response - as I remember it - was that it doesn't matter where the forum is based, the internet is international. My point was that to a foreigner, this is a very American place.

This thread is not about proving me right and certainly not about proving Flint wrong. I'm just interested to know if anyone else sees a difference between American/ other posters.

Personally I never realised there was such a difference between Brits & Americans til I came here. And there are many things/ words/ phrases/ products I thought we had in common that we don't. But then I find many things in common that I thought were quite local to me. And certainly many TV programmes I never guessed had crossed the divide.

And you? Have you had any perceptions confirmed or denied? Are we you and you us? Are we really foreigners?

Any input welcome. I'm just lancing a boil.

skysidhe · 07-13-2008, 07:19 PM

what your british!?

oh my gosh!! say it aint so!

No, there is NO you and us...not in my perception. Just a lovely soul

bluecuracao · 07-13-2008, 07:41 PM

I think everyone here has such, um, unique characteristics, that it's hard for me to even classify any group of us as distinctly American, Brit, or whathaveyou...and then be able to see the differences between those groups.

jinx · 07-13-2008, 08:16 PM

I think you're both right.
The majority of posters are in the US, so it does seem like an american board in that it would not occur to us americans to specify that we are talking about american subjects when we do... while foreign content is usually noted as such.
But like flint mentioned, there is a disproportionate number of posters from philly, and being one of them myself, it doesn't occur to me to specify that I am talking about a local phenomenon when I am, I just assume that some will know what I'm talking about and others won't. Not a big deal either way.

I would love to see more non-americans (is that the pc term for ferriners?) join and post. Especially pics and videos...

monster · 07-13-2008, 08:50 PM

Yes, it's very American. But not necessarily "Average American". The people here tend to have a sense of humor which has more in common with the Brit and Aussie senses of humor than your average joe on the street (in my experience) ...those who don't get offended quickly and leave.

Very few people who have not lived on the both sides of the Atlantic for an extended period of time, have any idea how different the US and UK are -the commonality in language lures us into a false sense of security. But they are very different and I regularly find myself thinking "oh, I wonder if the Brits will understand that?" (usually, not as in understand the words literally, but more the context behind them).

it's not necessarily a bad thing -it's not like it's an Americans-only thing, but yes, it's very American. There are many types of "very American" --huge place as this is-- this is just one type. A good type. (in the main

)

The difference becomes most obvious in the politics forum, which is more that a little incredibly American. Only Dana is brave enough to face that time and time again. Most of the rest of us furriners are too scared of the "friendly fire"

lumberjim · 07-13-2008, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx

I would love to see more non-americans (is that the pc term for ferriners?) join and post. Especially pics and videos...

Americanly Challenged or AC

monster · 07-13-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim

Americanly Challenged or AC

Patrioticaly Challenged?

:p

Undertoad · 07-13-2008, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

The difference becomes most obvious in the politics forum, which is more that a little incredibly American.

You probably get the same feeling there as I get in the Parenting forum.

monster · 07-13-2008, 09:43 PM

that sounds about right, except it's not called the American Politics forum..... :p

BrianR · 07-14-2008, 01:41 AM

To illustrate the difference between Brits and Americans:

I used to have a British ex-pat neighbor. His wife's car sported a bumper sticker that read "Paul Revere was a snitch!"

He was honestly afraid that he would offend me, what with me being a rabid patriot and conservative. When I found out, I made a point of telling him I found the sticker hilarious and not offensive in the least. We then shared a good laugh over the different points of view.

He also refers to the American Revolution as the American Rebellion. Again, just a different perspective.

Brian

07-14-2008, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

... Very few people who have not lived on the both sides of the Atlantic for an extended period of time, have any idea how different the US and UK are -the commonality in language lures us into a false sense of security.

As I was walking into an outdoor cafe near the canal zone in Panama City, a young man (late teens - early twenties) with black hair and brown skin got up from the table where he had been seated with others and approached me. With a Spanish accent he asked in English "Excuse me, are you American?" I replied "Yes." He exclaimed "I'm American too!" I said "Yes, I know ... I'm North American." He looked down; then, up again and said "You're OK, would you like to join us?" I respectfully declined (I was with coworkers and choosey about where we sat for security).

It's noteworthy that "Americans" who speak English as a second language (not just those residing in the rest of the Americas; but, US citizens and non-citizens residing here) have not found their way to the Cellar in the numbers that primary English speakers from elsewhere have. Perhaps a common language offers a real sense of security.

Flint · 07-14-2008, 03:01 PM

list of countries by native English-speaking population

the top ten:

Quote:

1 United States 215,423,557
2 United Kingdom 58,100,000
3 Canada 17,694,830
4 Australia 15,013,965
5 Ireland 3,750,000
6 South Africa 3,673,203
7 New Zealand ≥ 3,008,058
8 Jamaica 2,600,000
Hong Kong if ranked separately 2,500,000
9 Trinidad and Tobago 1,145,000
10 Singapore 665,087

TheMercenary · 07-14-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Personally I never realised there was such a difference between Brits & Americans til I came here.

A common heritage separated by language.

TheMercenary · 07-14-2008, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

Yes, it's very American. But not necessarily "Average American". The people here tend to have a sense of humor which has more in common with the Brit and Aussie senses of humor than your average joe on the street (in my experience) ...those who don't get offended quickly and leave.

Yea but is that a symptom of the kind of forum environment that exists so it would tend to attract a certain set of people while fending others off? There is a forum for every kind of personality type out there, US or UK or whatever.

Cloud · 07-14-2008, 03:47 PM

I think the differences make it different and fun. All are welcome, as far as I'm concerned.

07-13-2008, 06:57 PM	#1
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	The Cellar - An American Place? I'm sorry. One of my least attractive characteristics is a tendency to brood. When I mentioned that the Cellar was a US-based forum recently, Flint picked me up on it. I honestly can't find it now. His response - as I remember it - was that it doesn't matter where the forum is based, the internet is international. My point was that to a foreigner, this is a very American place. This thread is not about proving me right and certainly not about proving Flint wrong. I'm just interested to know if anyone else sees a difference between American/ other posters. Personally I never realised there was such a difference between Brits & Americans til I came here. And there are many things/ words/ phrases/ products I thought we had in common that we don't. But then I find many things in common that I thought were quite local to me. And certainly many TV programmes I never guessed had crossed the divide. And you? Have you had any perceptions confirmed or denied? Are we you and you us? Are we really foreigners? Any input welcome. I'm just lancing a boil.

07-13-2008, 08:16 PM	#4
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	I think you're both right. The majority of posters are in the US, so it does seem like an american board in that it would not occur to us americans to specify that we are talking about american subjects when we do... while foreign content is usually noted as such. But like flint mentioned, there is a disproportionate number of posters from philly, and being one of them myself, it doesn't occur to me to specify that I am talking about a local phenomenon when I am, I just assume that some will know what I'm talking about and others won't. Not a big deal either way. I would love to see more non-americans (is that the pc term for ferriners?) join and post. Especially pics and videos... __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

07-13-2008, 08:50 PM	#5
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Yes, it's very American. But not necessarily "Average American". The people here tend to have a sense of humor which has more in common with the Brit and Aussie senses of humor than your average joe on the street (in my experience) ...those who don't get offended quickly and leave. Very few people who have not lived on the both sides of the Atlantic for an extended period of time, have any idea how different the US and UK are -the commonality in language lures us into a false sense of security. But they are very different and I regularly find myself thinking "oh, I wonder if the Brits will understand that?" (usually, not as in understand the words literally, but more the context behind them). it's not necessarily a bad thing -it's not like it's an Americans-only thing, but yes, it's very American. There are many types of "very American" --huge place as this is-- this is just one type. A good type. (in the main ) The difference becomes most obvious in the politics forum, which is more that a little incredibly American. Only Dana is brave enough to face that time and time again. Most of the rest of us furriners are too scared of the "friendly fire" __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

07-13-2008, 09:43 PM	#9
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	that sounds about right, except it's not called the American Politics forum..... :p __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

07-14-2008, 01:41 AM	#10
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	To illustrate the difference between Brits and Americans: I used to have a British ex-pat neighbor. His wife's car sported a bumper sticker that read "Paul Revere was a snitch!" He was honestly afraid that he would offend me, what with me being a rabid patriot and conservative. When I found out, I made a point of telling him I found the sticker hilarious and not offensive in the least. We then shared a good laugh over the different points of view. He also refers to the American Revolution as the American Rebellion. Again, just a different perspective. Brian __________________ Never be afraid to tell the world who you are. -- Anonymous

07-13-2008, 07:19 PM	#2
skysidhe ~~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.~~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,828	what your british!? oh my gosh!! say it aint so! No, there is NO you and us...not in my perception. Just a lovely soul

07-13-2008, 07:41 PM	#3
bluecuracao in a mood, not cupcake Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 3,034	I think everyone here has such, um, unique characteristics, that it's hard for me to even classify any group of us as distinctly American, Brit, or whathaveyou...and then be able to see the differences between those groups.

07-14-2008, 03:47 PM	#15
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	I think the differences make it different and fun. All are welcome, as far as I'm concerned. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

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